Techno duo

The arrival of Cassius

Paris 

03/02/1999 - 

January has become a lucky month for the hopefuls of the "French Touch" which is triumphing throughout the world. After Daft Punk in 1997 and Air last year, Virgin France has set the cat among the pigeons of electronic music: Cassius.

Until now, in people's minds, the name Cassius only reminded people of the general during the Roman Empire who conspired with Marcus Brutus to murder Julius Ceasar, and who killed himself in the Macedonian city of Philippes after he lost the fight for power against the armies of the Second Triumvir who were in power. A millennium and several light years later, the name represents a more playful and festive world than the cruel one of ancient times. In 1999, the Parisian duo Cassius only thinks about the night revellers who want to let off steam and expel their daily stress on the dance floor. Preceded by the single "1999" (and its dance gimmick), the album "1999" could only expect a warm reception.

You must say that these two pillars of Cassius, Philippe Zdar and Hubert Blanc Francard (alias Boombass), who have just passed the thirty-year mark, can pride themselves on their twelve years of experience in the sound business and on their undoubted credibility in the professional circuit, where they have worked on several remixes for Neneh Cherry, Bjork, Depeche Mode, Air, as well as Daft Punk. Since 1986 and their first artistic contributions as assistant sound engineers on Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin's records, these two, who are thick as thieves, whose musical curiosity knows no boundaries, became known as early as 1990 through all of MC Solaar's studio albums. But they would trace their own path nightly in the hot ambience of the discotheques. On his side, Philippe Zdar developed his Motorbass project along with Etienne "Superdiscount" from Crecy which became popular with the night revellers via the maxi-singles "001" and "Transfunk" in 1992-1993, and "Pansoul" in 1996. Meanwhile he got together with his sidekick Boombass, calling themselves La Funk Mob, for two maxi-singles which attracted a lot of attention: "Tribulations sensorielles" and "Breaking boundaries".

Worldwide Disco

Calling to mind everything at once, by its title, the high-spirited "1999" by Prince and the apocalyptic "New York 1999", Cassius'album, in this last year of the century, clearly opts for a very optimistic disco-funk line. More consensual as well. Honest and unpretentious, the album simply fulfills its essential mission: to make people dance. But it hardly manages to surprise and to equal Daft Punk's frightening efficiency, Air's virtuosity, or Bob Sinclair's art of being tongue in cheek. Despite high level production, "1999" is at a loss due to a lack of originality in its effects, used numerous times ("Chase","Foxxy", "Feeling for U"). However, Philippe Zdar and Boombass didn't make use of their science and their influences for nothing: Parliament, Sly Stone, Earth Wind and Fire, Gamble & Huff, Three Degrees, Rick James, Prince, etc. Paradoxically it is when they move off the beaten track of the club culture that Cassius is most convincing. Loaded with bass and scratches, "Planetz" cannot hide that it was inspired by hip hop. In a calm and bewitching tone, the beautiful "Invisible" where resonating African tom-toms reply to "Somebody" and its tribal rhythm. In addition, a handful of songs of the house or disco variety have the making of potential singles. In particular "Supa crush" with the sound of a scratchy record and "Nulife" which would have fit on Bob Sinclar's album " Paradise " ( recently mentionned in Le petit journal ).

Regardless, "1999", which reflects today's trend (without being ahead of it) seems all set for success. Very much in demand since the international smash hits by Daft Punk(1.5 million copies of "Homework" sold), Air (500,000 "Moon Safari") and Stardust (1.2 million for the single "Music sounds better with you", Virgin Records' French subsidiary is now reaping the fruits of its hard work by signing local artists for the international market as seen by these artists (Manu Chao, Mano Negra, Cheb Mami, IAM) and projects (like the compilation "Jazz a Saint-Germain") which is a far cry from the French touch, very fashionable from London to New York via Ibiza and Amsterdam. As far as marketing and promotion go, Cassius' album is without a doubt, the largest commercial launch for a French-made album since the beginning of the year.

Some 33 countries (USA, Canada, Turkey, South Africa, twelve European states etc.) are simultaneously releasing the album this January 26th, Brazil and Japan in March. Already the song "Cassius 1999" which had been worked on in discotheques since last summer but only on the market for three weeks, has just made a sensational entrance into 7th place on Britain's Top 40, as well as in Ireland (30th) and is now climbing in European clubs (especially in Scandinavia), while the clip is on the playlist of most of the continental TV music channels (MTV, MCM, Music Factory, and Viva... ). The duos schedule knows no borders either. In March, the Parisians are scheduled to play at the Winter Music Conference in Miami. This coming summer, some large music festivals will also be on their agenda (there's talk of Glastonbury in Great Britain, Sonar in Spain as well as Roskilde in Denmark).

You can be sure that we'll be talking about Cassius again soon when we meet in our bi-monthly magazine Les Francais au Top which looks at all the French productions listed on the international hit parades. Long awaited as the new messiah of disco-house music, anonymity for Cassius risks becoming nothing more than ancient history.

Gilles Rio

Translated by S. Renaudon