{"id":60764,"date":"2019-09-06T14:38:17","date_gmt":"2019-09-06T13:38:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/centmagazine.co.uk\/?p=60764"},"modified":"2020-03-31T12:17:23","modified_gmt":"2020-03-31T11:17:23","slug":"remembering-philippe-zdar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.centmagazine.co.uk\/?p=60764","title":{"rendered":"Remembering Philippe Zdar"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On Wednesday 19th<\/sup> June, Grammy Award winning French producer Philippe Cerboneschi (better known as Philippe Zdar) tragically passed away aged 52. He died after an accidental fall from a 19-century building in Paris. In the months since, tributes from the music world have continued to pour in and his tracks have been played on radios everywhere. The man was a pioneer in his genre and an important figure in \u201890s French culture; naturally, the industry is feeling the full force of this big loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Philippe will be remembered best for his work in\nCassius, the electronic duo formed (in its first incarnation) in 1991, with\nHubert Blanc-Francard AKA Boombass. The duo is considered a vital part of the\n\u201cFrench Touch\u201d movement of the second half of the \u201890s, alongside the likes of \u00c9tienne de Cr\u00e9cy and Daft Punk. Like\nthe latter, the pair had been working together since the late \u201880s but found\nmainstream success in the decade that followed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1988, they were known for producing hip-hop albums\nfor French artist MC Solaar. The first project of their own music, La Funk Mob,\nwas created in 1991. In 1996 they released their first track as Cassius, \u2018Foxxy\u2019;\nbut their first single to achieve mainstream success was released three years\nlater: \u2018Cassius 1999\u2019. It was the lead single from their debut album \u2013 the\nfirst of five, the most recent being Dreems<\/em>, which was released two days after\nPhilippe\u2019s death and announced as their last. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Philippe was vital to\nCassius, but he also pursued a solo career as a producer. His list of\ncollaborations was illustrious: Chromeo, Franz Ferdinand, One Republic,\nPhoenix, Two Door Cinema Club. He helped bands straddle the boundary between\nelectronic and indie rock, one of the genre fusions characterising the musical\ncentury. His most recent production credit was on this year\u2019s Hot Chip album:\ntheir seventh, A Bath Full of Ecstasy<\/em>. The record is both one\nof the most acclaimed releases this year and a personal favourite. It\u2019s 47\nminutes of sonic bliss, with endless playback ability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Philippe was responsible for so many, but let\u2019s\nbreakdown some of his most vital pieces of work:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cassius, \u2018Cassius 1999\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the full version, after a tantalising forty second build, the track settles into its frenetic beat and doesn\u2019t look back. The only lyrics here are refrains like \u201cCassius in the house\u201d and \u201cfunky music\u201d \u2013 plays on the notion of live performance. Cassius knew exactly why they made this: to be played loud and often\u2026 at parties, in the car, in your bedroom, walking down the street.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=_PmU6G_Z4n8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Phoenix,\n\u2018Lisztomania\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The highlight on indie rock outfit Phoenix\u2019s Grammy Award winning fourth album. It was the record that saw the French group go stratospheric and achieve global mainstream success. \u2018Lisztomania\u2019 is glorious: equal parts bittersweet, catchy, energetic and unforgettable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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