Ed Banger (imagine someone saying "head banger" with a thick, French accent) is a label set up and run by Pedro Winter (Busy P), the longtime former Daft Punk manager and event organizer. I like the majority of these artists because they represent yet another fix when I get to jonesin' for some bomb (European) electronic jams (that aren't inundated with dub-step breaks/drops). For some reason, I like the way the think when it's translated into electronic beatz more than there American counterparts and that may or may not have something to do with lots of the production talent here in the States being lured away in the "rap game", which necessitates a background role and some toning down. Ah, well. C'est la vie, no?
Originally known for the parties it sponsored in support of its artists, Ed Rec has gained some major exposure (as well as critical success) over the last five years with the rise of it's best known act, Justice, a French electro-funk duo made up of Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay. They embody several ideas that echo within the label's greater group of artists: copious amounts of noise (glitches, scratches, beeps, blips, etc), samples that glorify funk rhythms and heavy rock guitars, fat (slapped) bass, gritty, angular, compressed and distorted synth lines, extensive layering and an undeniable and versatile sense of humor, in their choice of samples, in their videos and in their live performances. A couple of tracks are linked below:
Embody (with infectious dancing)
And finally, indie art renaissance man, Mr. Oizo, (Mr. Bird) or Quentin Dupieux, who in addition to making electronic music directs films. In addition to these artists putting out there own stuff, they also produce and create remixes of each others music, which is a cool way to experience the inbred results of Ed Banger sonic integration. After a couple listens to these guys, I think the connection to the greater Ed Banger family of artists will be pretty apparent (lots of noise).
