Steve Mizek

Though Alan Braxe’s friends in Daft Punk loom larger over popular knowledge of dance music, the 36-year-old producer is a musical titan in his own right. In 1998, Braxe (nee Queme), along with DP’s Thomas Bangalter and vocalist Benjamin Diamond, brought French house to the forefront of pop culture with "Music Sounds Better With You." If you owned a TV or radio that year, the track’s jingling guitar lick, bountiful bass line and irrepressibly catchy vocals are likely still lurking in your memory. Since then, Braxe has casually released solo singles and collaborations with bassist Fred Falke. Concocted with heavy doses of vintage synth arpeggios and Falke’s meaty underpinning, their tunes have a familiar aural appeal without turning the dancefloor into eighties night, mired in nostalgia. Braxe and Falke have also won acclaim for their high-octane remixes for artists as varied as Bjork, Death From Above 1979, Kelis and Justice, each time isolating only the most delectable portions and injecting sensuous French-house rhythms and a driven attitude into the mix. Not exactly known for touring in general, Braxe’s gig at the Metro with DJ Falcon (his cousin and a Daft Punk associate) is a rare treat; and more than likely, music will sound better with him.

Alan Braxe and DJ Falcon perform with Popstatic at Metro, 3730 North Clark, (773)549-0203, October 12, at 11pm. $16. (2007-10-09)

Also by Steve Mizek

On the Road
After the demise of the British band Simian, James Ford and James Shaw regroup as the roving DJ/production duo, Simian Mobile Disco, playing the Empty Bottle September 18. The debut album, "Attack Decay Sustain Release," moves effortlessly through rave bonanzas, electro ballads and energetic rump-shakers. Mr. Shaw took a few moments of studio time to chat
(2007-09-11)

Tip of the Week
In the era of the blogger-turned-celebrity, it was only a matter of time before mp3 bloggers would join musicians on the road as live acts themselves. The Fluokids, a collective of seven French taste-makers and promoters, have already made it to the top of the music blog pile with their neon-hued site that launched in 2005
(2007-09-04)

Windsor Whimsy
Growing up in Windsor, Ontario in the eighties, Marc Houle was enthralled with the era’s signature sounds, especially those found in video games and his Casio keyboard
(2007-08-14)

Tip of the Week
In techno, as in rock ‘n’ roll, there will always be a handful of true believers who favor the old to the new and use near-ascetic methods when crafting music. New York trio Prototype 909 was of that mindset
(2007-07-24)

Step Up
(2007-07-02)

Every Little Thing
(2007-06-26)

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