In just three albums (Olympic, released in 2016, Joshua in 2019 and TEENAGERS in 2023), French 79 has succeeded in writing a new page in the French Touch, one that is the envy of the world.
The Marseilles-based producer's flagship titles, "Between the Buttons", "Diamond Veins" (a platinum-selling export single), 'Hometown' and now "TEENAGRERS", have helped to shape a new musical universe, drawing its roots from Erik Satie and Jean-Michel Jarre, then Air and Daft Punk, and ushering them into a new era.
Returning from an international tour of over 100 dates, which elevated him to the status of an unmissable stage sensation, Simon Henner locked himself away in his studio in Marseilles. This is where it all began a few years ago, with his bands Nasser and Husbands, and his work for Kid Francescoli. For example, the track "Moon", which he produced and co-composed, is now a diamond single.
With a wealth of experience under his belt - including composition of the soundtrack for director Reda Kateb's movie "Sur un fil", a collaboration on the album by rising French techno star NTO, a remix of Cliff Martinez's soundtrack for the film 'Drive', a rereading of Erik Satie's "Gnossienne No. 5" by Erik Satie for Deutsche Grammophon, the creation of the soundtrack for the Belle Saison mapping, a monumental sound and light show presented by the City of Nancy on Place Stanislas, the remix of his hit Diamond Veins by rave star Tiësto... French 79 reaches a new milestone with the release of its latest album in May 2023, the aptly-named TEENAGERS.
TEENAGERS is a real tour de force: it marks a new stage in the history of music, and inscribes French 79 in the pantheon of artists who are revolutionizing it, and not just electronically. If it gives us such singular and powerful sensations, it's surely because its soul is imbued with magical places, such as Jean-Michel Jarre's personal studio in Paris (for synthesizer recording) and the Miraval studio (for mixing and mastering the album).
"At Jean-Michel Jarre's, I felt like a kid in front of all those legendary keyboards I'd always dreamed of. There was a real soul, an incredible atmosphere in this timeless studio: the arpeggios came alive, the chord progressions took on another dimension. The moment when I touch these instruments that have left their mark on music forever is a moment of real science fiction, and almost feels like a journey through time and space. It takes me straight back to my teenage years, when I first discovered his albums. Every time I did, I was reminded of so many sonic memories. At the same time, new melodies appeared in my brain.
"The tracks were then mixed by Damien Quintard (Brian Eno, Parcels, Justice, Sade, L'Impératrice...) at Studio Miraval, a 17th-century Provencal estate. This renowned venue, which has seen the likes of Pink Floyd, AC/DC and The Cure, recently reopened its doors at the initiative of its new owner Brad Pitt. Here, French 79 fulfills one of his dreams: "When I mix the album on the console and the reverb of Pink Floyd's 'The Wall', it gives me a divine sensation that I'll remember for the rest of my life - it's an almost mystical experience. The same goes for all the classic music I discovered as a teenager. Feeling connected to them in this kind of "cosmic reality" acted a bit like a fountain of youth for me as I finalized TEENAGERS".
While the exploitation and touring of the TEENAGERS album came to an end in December 2024, and the artist began production of his fourth album, he felt the need to return for a few club dates in 2025.
A call to return to the roots of an unadorned live set, in order to prioritize proximity with audiences, return to places he particularly loves, glean a few ever-precious encounters and feed his inspiration for this next album.
~~~
In 2014, French79 appeared on a music scene limited to the French territory, or so he thought. Within just a few months it quickly became an international hub that elevated the artist's career. The single Between the Buttons, a contemplative, synth heavy gem enhanced by a beautiful arpeggiator, excepted from his first EP Angel, instantly placed him on the list of today's most important producers. This first successful attempt enriched the tracklist of the album Olympic, alongside another pop gem, "Diamond Veins," a duet with North American diva Sarah Rebecca. The album was quickly met with a worldwide audience, paving the way for Simon Henner to acquire over 150 concerts around the Globe. This led him to becoming an ambassador for Marseille's electronic scene -- a territory he had already stepped into with the various projects of Husbands, Nasser and Kid Francescoli.
Joshua is the follow-up album to Olympic. While the second album, typically, often shows what critics call "maturity," here Simon has released instead an album of adolescence. The musician opened up his own memory box to contemplate his childhood souvenirs, and dust them off of all nostalgia. At that time, he would VHS-record movies from TV and tape record soundtracks directly from the TV speaker, so he could listen to them in his bedroom. This is when he "discovered the power of music, the way it makes you enter another world, far from reality. I wanted to pay tribute to the era I shaped myself in -- the '80s and '90s." Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk and Soft Machine. Logically, these are the sonic signatures that seem to haunt the album. The timeless pioneers of synthetic music constitute the sound references, without any established chronological timeline, that blend with the atmosphere of typically "French Touch" movie soundtracks -- long before the term was even coined.
All Ages
In just three albums (Olympic, released in 2016, Joshua in 2019 and TEENAGERS in 2023), French 79 has succeeded in writing a new page in the French Touch, one that is the envy of the world.
The Marseilles-based producer's flagship titles, "Between the Buttons", "Diamond Veins" (a platinum-selling export single), 'Hometown' and now "TEENAGRERS", have helped to shape a new musical universe, drawing its roots from Erik Satie and Jean-Michel Jarre, then Air and Daft Punk, and ushering them into a new era.
Returning from an international tour of over 100 dates, which elevated him to the status of an unmissable stage sensation, Simon Henner locked himself away in his studio in Marseilles. This is where it all began a few years ago, with his bands Nasser and Husbands, and his work for Kid Francescoli. For example, the track "Moon", which he produced and co-composed, is now a diamond single.
With a wealth of experience under his belt - including composition of the soundtrack for director Reda Kateb's movie "Sur un fil", a collaboration on the album by rising French techno star NTO, a remix of Cliff Martinez's soundtrack for the film 'Drive', a rereading of Erik Satie's "Gnossienne No. 5" by Erik Satie for Deutsche Grammophon, the creation of the soundtrack for the Belle Saison mapping, a monumental sound and light show presented by the City of Nancy on Place Stanislas, the remix of his hit Diamond Veins by rave star Tiësto... French 79 reaches a new milestone with the release of its latest album in May 2023, the aptly-named TEENAGERS.
TEENAGERS is a real tour de force: it marks a new stage in the history of music, and inscribes French 79 in the pantheon of artists who are revolutionizing it, and not just electronically. If it gives us such singular and powerful sensations, it's surely because its soul is imbued with magical places, such as Jean-Michel Jarre's personal studio in Paris (for synthesizer recording) and the Miraval studio (for mixing and mastering the album).
"At Jean-Michel Jarre's, I felt like a kid in front of all those legendary keyboards I'd always dreamed of. There was a real soul, an incredible atmosphere in this timeless studio: the arpeggios came alive, the chord progressions took on another dimension. The moment when I touch these instruments that have left their mark on music forever is a moment of real science fiction, and almost feels like a journey through time and space. It takes me straight back to my teenage years, when I first discovered his albums. Every time I did, I was reminded of so many sonic memories. At the same time, new melodies appeared in my brain.
"The tracks were then mixed by Damien Quintard (Brian Eno, Parcels, Justice, Sade, L'Impératrice...) at Studio Miraval, a 17th-century Provencal estate. This renowned venue, which has seen the likes of Pink Floyd, AC/DC and The Cure, recently reopened its doors at the initiative of its new owner Brad Pitt. Here, French 79 fulfills one of his dreams: "When I mix the album on the console and the reverb of Pink Floyd's 'The Wall', it gives me a divine sensation that I'll remember for the rest of my life - it's an almost mystical experience. The same goes for all the classic music I discovered as a teenager. Feeling connected to them in this kind of "cosmic reality" acted a bit like a fountain of youth for me as I finalized TEENAGERS".
While the exploitation and touring of the TEENAGERS album came to an end in December 2024, and the artist began production of his fourth album, he felt the need to return for a few club dates in 2025.
A call to return to the roots of an unadorned live set, in order to prioritize proximity with audiences, return to places he particularly loves, glean a few ever-precious encounters and feed his inspiration for this next album.
~~~
In 2014, French79 appeared on a music scene limited to the French territory, or so he thought. Within just a few months it quickly became an international hub that elevated the artist's career. The single Between the Buttons, a contemplative, synth heavy gem enhanced by a beautiful arpeggiator, excepted from his first EP Angel, instantly placed him on the list of today's most important producers. This first successful attempt enriched the tracklist of the album Olympic, alongside another pop gem, "Diamond Veins," a duet with North American diva Sarah Rebecca. The album was quickly met with a worldwide audience, paving the way for Simon Henner to acquire over 150 concerts around the Globe. This led him to becoming an ambassador for Marseille's electronic scene -- a territory he had already stepped into with the various projects of Husbands, Nasser and Kid Francescoli.
Joshua is the follow-up album to Olympic. While the second album, typically, often shows what critics call "maturity," here Simon has released instead an album of adolescence. The musician opened up his own memory box to contemplate his childhood souvenirs, and dust them off of all nostalgia. At that time, he would VHS-record movies from TV and tape record soundtracks directly from the TV speaker, so he could listen to them in his bedroom. This is when he "discovered the power of music, the way it makes you enter another world, far from reality. I wanted to pay tribute to the era I shaped myself in -- the '80s and '90s." Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk and Soft Machine. Logically, these are the sonic signatures that seem to haunt the album. The timeless pioneers of synthetic music constitute the sound references, without any established chronological timeline, that blend with the atmosphere of typically "French Touch" movie soundtracks -- long before the term was even coined.
All Ages
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