Over the years it has been proven that when the French put their minds to something, it is done with an unrivalled style and ease. Filled with the highest level of passion and a distinct timeless quality, the release of Cassius’ immaculate third studio record ‘15 Again’ does nothing to dispute this well-known fact. It glows from start to finish with a certain loving warmth and tear-inducing perfection, announcing Cassius’ long awaited return in high-style, setting the level for the rest of the year in electronic music.
So, it was with great pleasure that I accepted plans to cut short my Saturday night revelry, for a quick 2am dash for the phone in order to have a lengthy chat with the always-delightful Philippe Cerboneschi (aka Zdar), one of the masterminds behind such a masterpiece. I wanted to find out how it feels to be the proud owner of one of the hottest album this side of NYE, and what it’s like having Pharrell Williams as a fan. As I finally get hold of Zdar, I find him making himself at home in a Belgrade hotel room before tonight’s DJ set, filled with enthusiasm about the release of ‘15 Again’.
It’s little wonder he is in high spirits, as the past week has seen he and his Cassius partner in crime, Hubert Blanc-Francard (aka Boombass), in rehearsals with a full live band, and starting the preliminary promo duties for the new album, only to find that they’ve already set off a myriad of excitement throughout the industry. “We started doing promo in Italy and Belgium and it’s crazy, everyone has just been really positive about it. We’ve had everyone from the label to media calling up and telling us how much they love it,” chuffs a positive Zdar in his knee-weakening thick French accent. “It’s funny, because before this I had no idea if people would like it,” he adds modestly. “When you’re making a record you’re not thinking about that, of course you love it but you have no idea if others will feel the same.” The instant radio success of ‘Toop Toop’ should have been presage enough for what is to follow, but alas, without a radio or TV to be found in Zdar’s household for the last 6 years, he had no forewarning.
The new album saw the electronic wunderkinds take a completely different approach to the writing process, opting to get it all said and done within a matter of weeks in one short block of time, rather than doing as they usually do and collect the material over the space of a few months first. “We decided to try it and see how it worked for us this time. We started to work on it at home in Paris last year, but when we’re in Paris we do more talking than working, so we decided to go for 3 weeks to a house I was renting in Ibiza, and at the end of this process we would come back to Paris to mix and put out whatever we had,” reveals Zdar of the whirlwind experience.
The inspiration of the party island’s glorious surrounds glisten throughout, with an obvious summer warmth and happiness right through the album, even on the anti-love track ‘This Song’, which oozes a certain savour faire and toe-tapping melody, but see’s our love hero turning a little nastier than expected. “That song was in direct with someone I was meeting [seeing], things just started to go too fast and that was my reaction. It’s hard when you’re in love and not on the same level,” he reveals, honestly, about the track’s inspiration.
One of the most surprising things on the album, however, is the guest appearance of uber-hip-hop artist/producer Pharrel Williams, who appears on Cassius’ previously released track ‘Eye Water’. “It was crazy,” says Zdar of the experience. “We’d been told that he was a fan of that track – which is also my favourite Cassius track we’ve ever written – So I got him on the phone and he told me that it was his favourite track released in the last 10 years, so we made plans to meet up in London and redo the track with his vocal.” The result, is by far, one of the best things the hip-hop luminary has put his mind to this year.
Cassius’ ‘15 Again’ is out now on Virgin/EMI. It’s also official, Cassius will be touring as part of the 2007 Good Vibrations Festival, so get your tickets quick smart!
Sat 10 Feb – Melbourne, Sidney Myer Music Bowl (TIX AVAIL SOON)
Sun 11 Feb – Gold Coast, Doug Jennings Park (BUY NOW)
Sat 17 Feb – Sydney, Centennial Park (BUY NOW)
Sun 18 Feb – Perth, Belvoir Amphitheatre (BUY NOW)
