Monsters?
Once again, this robot turns his eyes to the East and looks fondly to Paris, but this time, it is a nod to the old guard, relatively speaking.
Chateau Flight is Nicholas Chaix (aka I:Cube) and Gilbert Cohen (aka DJ Gilb'R) - Cohen has been running the Versatile label for a decade-plus, and the two of them together have been responsible for some fantastic dance music throughout that time.
This project, to create a new soundtrack to the 1915 silent-film classic 'The Vampires' was commissioned for a retrospective of the work of director Louis Feuillade last summer at the Cinémathèque Française. Chaix and Cohen worked in their studio (the press materials for the album calls it their "lair" because it is right next to the Père Lachaise cemetery) for nearly a month on the compositions whilst watching the movie on a continuous loop, then decided to bring in guitarist Nicholas Villebrun for some improvisational tone and texture. The result is what you hear now. They performed this live for the screening, but decided it was good enough, and interesting enough, to see release on its own, which I think was a great decision.
This is certainly a different side to Chateau Flight, as there are only a couple of tracks in the 40+ minutes of music that could be considered 'dance music'. For more of that side of CF, look to the incredible 12" out right now on the Inner City Visions label, that is getting played out and charted by the best DJs in the world.
The Versatile label itself has a lot going on right now too, with the new 12" singles out by Joakim and Basic Soul Unit, as well as the long-awaited Joakim full length, Monsters & Silly Songs coming out early next year (expect a full review here shortly). The Les Vampires: Original Soundtrack will be available from our friends at Forced Exposure in the next few weeks, and you'll also find it at your favorite retailers and on iTunes, so keep your eyes peeled. I myself am going to have to track down the film, and try playing this soundtrack with it... I bet it is amazing!
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PS: Advance Notice My buddy David Bruno over at Slap You In Public and I are putting together a ridiculous dance party together for Friday, January 5th at Element - "People Don't Dance No More" with James F!@#$&^ Friedman (Throne of Blood) and Druzzi (Throne of Blood/The Rapture), as well as a super-special guest DJ, very likely from Paris from Chicago... it will be off the damn hook, and will likely become a monthly party with the best of the best as our guests. So, mark those calendars NOW!!!