The interesting thing about the time we live in now is that, well, it’s –a-changing. Climates are shifted globally, the economic foundations that have stratified our lives are imploding and we’ve had to rearrange our ideas of currency and what we value in hopes of an alternative to mere destruction–but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing for art, especially music. Although it’s always in a constant flux, music is only making subtle modifications in the mainstream. Real connoisseurs of music know that tectonic shifting sounds are always happening worldwide in some place, we just have to be ready for it’s arrival—or to search for it. You’d have to scour basements like J-Dilla to find his rigged beats or a space filled with synthetic mind-boggling computer sounds like James Blake in order to hear and feel the next best thing.
Speaking of, Ed Banger Records—parented by Head Bangers Entertainment—has a keen sensibility of what’s good—or at least what’s worth a go round in the music scene, when it comes to the French Electronic genre, French house, electronica, electro hop (whatever clever word combinations you can think of). Founded in 2002 with high hopes and run by Pedro Winter (electrohouse DJ and past manager of Daft Punk) a sleek, sometimes urbane, rock looking, Euro-hipster who has business and music down packed (being multifaceted is also one of those things you kind of have to be in this day and age). Seemingly, because of Winter, talent is oozing from Ed Bangers repertoire. The Ed Banger website (www.edbangerrecords.com) shows the vastness of electronic recording artist starting from their first artist release, Mr. Flash, to their latest SebastiAn bomb-blasting with “Total”.
SebastiAn is a producer and French electro house artist who has released several acclaimed EP’s (and a Remix LP) before this full-on 23 tracks album full of ear-gasmic goodness, entitled “Total.” Quite frankly it’s verdant electro-rhythms with an unabashed European façade, paying homage to soulful repetitions, rock riffs, house grooves (including the smooth layered voices that commands us to move one way or another) and of course electronica galore. We’re ushered in with the safe intro track Hudson River, only to move us into a plethora of well-orchestrated clatter to jerk our worldly troubles away; just enough to leave our Americana-comfort-zones only the way the French know how to. A few noteworthy dance tracks: Embody, C.T.F.O (featuring MIA), Ross Ross Ross, and Arabest are flat-out perfect for an adrenaline rush. On the other end of the spectrum, Fried, Kindercut, Birdgames, and Cartoon are hard-core electro tracks that are worth your listening time. “Total” could easily be SebastiAn’s best record to-date (we hope for more), but it would be nice to hear him expand his sound a bit since his music implies he’s got so much in store.
“Total” is now available everywhere. SebastiAn will be performing in Chicago September 3rd at the Congress Theater with Diplo, Zeds Dead and Lance Herbstrong. Visit www.congresschicago.com for more information.