OK Cowboy
Vitalic\'s debut album bridges various French electronic traditions, adopting the hypnotic grind of pioneers like Laurent Garnier and Daft Punk while paving the way for fist-pumpers like the Ed Banger crew. But he also displays a global perspective: \"La Rock 01\" is bare-knuckled techno with a sleek Teutonic flourish, and \"The Past\" mimics Kraftwerk. \"My Friend Dario\" and \"No Fun\" tackle New York electroclash, while \"Newman\" is a rock \'n\' roll riot. \"Poney Pt. I\" condenses all those influences into a potent hybrid of nonstop thrills.
The long-awaited debut LP from Frenchman Pascal Arbez includes three-fourths of the seismic electro/techno Poney EP, which sits beautifully alongside his less dancefloor-friendly, album-oriented material.
Vitalic has a certain playful mystique that goes beyond Pascal Arbez's invented back story of being a Ukrainian trubcka player and occasional gigolo from a family of sea otter fur traders.