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And today? well it’s always been an overseas territory of France. No independence to speak of or president, but a prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior.

But it hasn’t stopped the island’s creative world from taking this ethnic cocktail and running with it, evolving into a complex and mature thing to behold as the album Pluriel: Ile de la Reunion 2004 attests, tracks by various artists that have been collated by the organization the Pole Regional des Musiques Actuelles de la Reunion (Centre for Popular Music Forms).

Any research done on the net came up with very little info about any of the artists themselves but the organisation has some web presence at least. Founded in 1997 to gain exposure for those involved in the traditional and modern musics from the islands of the South-East Indian Ocean. The organisation publishes promotional compilations annually to help recognised artists get their name out there.

The sounds on this album are urban, funky, angry, rootsy, romantic and really do give the impression that creatively these artists see themselves in control of their music, making their own confident sound as though they are in France’s backyard — and not on an island out there in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Much of the lyrics are sung in creole, hard-core French and English and maybe understanding them isn’t important — it’s the ethnic mix all over again.

Sang Neuf’s ‘La droiture’ has got a sort of early 90s Jazzmataz feel to it multi-layered mixing and crackling vinyl sounds, rolling French vowels and deep booming vocals. And then there’s a dance track from Libidub called ‘Turbudance’ with a haunting string section and electric guitar mixed in with synthesised club sounds.

Reggae sounds with Message Roots ‘Prends ton temps’, Ti Rat et Rouge Reggae ‘Nature love’ and Prophetie ‘La-haut’ — the lead vocal on this track sounds uncannily like Bob with some funk injected by electric guitars and percussion.

Some more rootsy music from Robin — the track called Tradition — has an air of simplicity about it after the heavy production and mixing going on on the rest of the album. Acoustic guitar, keyboards and scratchy shuffling percussion and “We must find our tradition again.”

Then some rock from Duncan with ‘Stop la machine’: guitars a la those hairy men you get in America dressed in black. An anthem about the end of an era and hitting the road. And then Nazca follows suit with ‘Little King’ sung in English. “He’s got the secret we’ve forgot… He’s got what we’re looking for. He’s got the key that we have lost.” No idea who the Little King is but it’s all pumping guitars and screeching — a big stadium sound — so who cares I suppose. Rocking.

This, a wide-ranging album with each couple of tracks falling into different music genres from rap to rock to ‘traditional’/ roots showing how buzzing the scene must be on the island. The album itself is for promotional use but it’s a professional package and offers a vital service for artists trying to make an international career.

Much more information is found on the organisation’s website www.runmusic.com