Cassius: The Producers

As one half of the dance-music duos La Funk Mob and Cassius (with Boom Bass) and Motorbass (with Etienne de Crécy), Philippe Zdar honed his production chops in Parisian clubs in the ’90s; he was basically a founding partner of what’s become known as the French touch sound. But he also brought those elements—sturdy but supple grooves, smoky atmospheres, disco and house music’s sensuality as a guiding force—to other artists’ work, as both a primary producer and remixer. An indie-rock band like Phoenix might not have such an unmistakably chic vibe without the elegant studio flourishes Zdar added to their albums. “Every single mix on Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is a masterpiece,” commented producer and former Vampire Weekend member Rostam Batmanglij while eulogising Zdar on Twitter in June 2019. “Loud, exciting, wide as hell and never, ever harsh.” Explore Zdar’s lasting impact—and all his subtle details—with this collection of his contributions across genres.