It’s been four years since the music world was graced with the news it’s ok to be a cowboy. Negatory, no mountains with spinal injuries here but something as genre-defining as that as Mr. Pascal Arbez aka Vitalic dropped his album, “OK Cowboy“, on us.
Time’s trickled on, BPMs have been raised and lowered as everyman and his gramophone-adoring dog has jumped on the electro bandwagon, most making fly-vs.-windshield impacts few keeping the wheels greased while holding the course.
Vitalic‘s second album, “Flashmob“, explodes with the honed industrial funk that is infused in his style. ‘See the Sea (Red)‘ is an organized squeak of beats, beeps and drive with his ‘custom made’ baselines you immediately recognize the stamp. If this track is the elegantly bullish brother, then ‘See The Sea (Blue)‘ is the tempered sister. The counterpiece is a sleeker fairytale rinse of the opening track laced with the robotic filtered vocal he loves to use.
The dark synth and littered vocals are what fans have come to love, heard on yesteryear’s ‘Repair Machines’, ‘LA Rock’ (his signature track and major contributor to his pension fund) and on the Bells EP we had ‘Bells’ and ‘Warm Leatherette’. Now on Flashmob, the track, it manages to work at club, tube and house-party level saying it’s name proudly as the beat and tempo rises like an impatient thermometer eager to hit the drop.
The album appears to be more innovative than it really is and it’s not a flawless album, (what is there days?) but even the initially erratic and maverick ‘Chicken Lady’ soon settles into its place on the record as a dark bass flare that remixers will be clawing to get their button pushing mitts on. Note well people, it is a much-needed record that warrants all-the-way-through listening.
However, do not attempt this while operating heavy machinery or babysitting – this album is on a deadline but despite the pacier and more aggressive parts each track has it’s structure, reaffirming Vitalic as one of the world’s best techno/electro producers firmly placing his attitude and meticulous production betwixt Justice and Daft Punk, also fellow Gallic pioneers of a genre that’s been invaded but resistant to futile try-hards.
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This is the first guest post from Chi “Bauer”.
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TRACKS:
Vitalic – See The Sea (Red)
Vitalic – Poison Lips
