If I had a car, I would open the windows, put the debut album by Vitalic on repeat, turn up the volume and make a long drive. And then another one. Because ‘Ok Cowboy’ is such a good album. After the disappointing new album by Daft Punk, Vitalic (aka the 28-year old Pascal Arbez) puts France back on the dance map. Better said: the electroclash/techno map.
The stomping tracks ‘La Rock’ and ‘Poney Part 1’ may date from respectively 2002 and 2001, but still sound very fresh. The music of Vitalic is a raw, crunching mix of analogue synths, distorted sequencers and a vicious sounding female vocalist treated with a sampler. Like a freight train loaded with chemicals, the 13 tracks burst out of your speakers, with a few moments to breathe some air with a slower piece (like the J.M. Jarre-esque ‘The past’). For me ‘Ok Cowboy’ is one of the best dance records of the year. And now I’m going for a ride…
