Vitalic live at Wrongbar

Originality is precious. In the ocean of music, new and old alike, not a whole lot stands out when it comes to electronic. Those who can take the existing sounds and make something new are in possession of a true musical talent.

Vitalic, aka Pascal Arbez, has been making music for more than a decade. His sounds might remind you of those by Giorgio Moroder, Daft Punk , Aphex Twin, the Chemical Brothers and alike but the inspiration remains as such – his own sound is a unique blend of disco, classical rock and ’70s electronic music that comes together in a concoction that will send your body through a full set of unexpected emotions.

This is dance music.

Much like the rest of the notable French electro makers, Vitalic is not one to spit out an abandonment of albums into the world but those that do hit the shelves are heard and remembered.

Since his debut with Poney, EP (2001), Arbez produced countless singles, remixes, and less than a handful of full-length albums. The sound in the singles, remixes, and EPs is influenced by collaborators, but the true Vitalic rhythm shows in the full-length albums. Each one is carefully curated to come together into a visionary, personal, and, in a way, romantic collection of hard-hitting sounds.

Arbez is planning on finishing a new album in May. As a true believer in not recreating a song every album, Vitalic produces albums significantly differently than the one before, so it is no surprise that this new one is an evolution. What we should be expecting is a more serious, heavier set away from disco and more towards punk.

Today Vitalic is still touring on the waves of his most recent disco album, Flashmob (2009). Despite the attitude and expectations that come with the word disco, Flashmob brings disco a new life. John Travolta would have to sit this one out in the corner.

In person, Arbez is hardly a man you would imagine dropping the beat on a sweating crowd. Calm and collected, he says that his only wish is “to see people dance,” and dance they do. Having seen a full show last year, we were not nearly prepared for what was happening at Wrongbar during a DJ set – when everyone dances, the entire room turns into a most pit.

The energy is contagious.