Kavinsky: French electro-house zombie since 1986

February 24, 2013 10:22 AM

Vincent Belorgey, known as Kavinsky (or KΔVINϟKY) is a producer who is fixated with a stylized version of 1986, from his first single and video, Testarossa Autodrive, to his new (and first) album, Outrun (Grooveshark stream). If that's not enough of retro neon French electro-house, you can stream his other four singles/EPs on Bandcamp, and see the videos for Dead Cruiser (animated sequel to Testarossa Autodrive), ProtoVision (live-action sequel to Dead Cruiser), Nightcall (as heard on the Drive soundtrack, and seen in the international version of the trailer).
posted by filthy light thief (21 comments total)

I've never heard of him, but as always, you make him sound like something I must check out at once.
posted by immlass at 10:34 AM on February 24, 2013 [1 favorite]

Kavinsky is the shit.
See also: Testarossa Autodrive, SebastiAn Remix
(I could probably make a whole fpp about SebastiAn.)
((the French are really the best at this))
posted by hellojed at 10:40 AM on February 24, 2013

This particular serious/camp fixation on the music of the late 70s and 80s is so very French. Although stylistically different, I see Kavinsky as sharing the same historical-aesthetic world as Daft Punk, Air, Stardust, and Cassius. When I used to live in Paris in 2006-7 and 2008-9, electro/clash was still going strong, even though the crest of the wave had long passed in other cities.
posted by LMGM at 11:02 AM on February 24, 2013

This is awesome in so many ways.
posted by gagglezoomer at 11:11 AM on February 24, 2013

I'll be passing this on to my friends who possess a strong love for Kraftwork now...
posted by midmarch snowman at 11:41 AM on February 24, 2013

This particular serious/camp fixation on the music of the late 70s and 80s is so very French.

This is all the more intriguing since that music, at the time, very much bypassed France...
posted by Skeptic at 11:52 AM on February 24, 2013

First album released tomorrow, eh? I suppose I can wait one day to see if it's offered as a FLAC purchase.
posted by Room 101 at 11:58 AM on February 24, 2013

I prefer Com Truise
posted by Damienmce at 12:19 PM on February 24, 2013

Room... I've made multiple purchases from KΔVINϟKY... Bandcamp options for FLAC at right are your fingertips...
posted by PROD_TPSL at 12:20 PM on February 24, 2013

I was going to say he's a real hero and a real human being, but he didn't even do that song did he.

Late one night while listening to Kavinsky in YouTube I was led to atom delta. I dont know much about this type of music, but I think those guys are great.
posted by Ad hominem at 12:34 PM on February 24, 2013 [2 favorites]

Well, this certainly hasn't decreased my desire for the Mac version of Hotline Miami to be released.
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 1:32 PM on February 24, 2013 [1 favorite]

Late one night while listening to Kavinsky in YouTube I was led to atom delta. I dont know much about this type of music, but I think those guys are great.

Great design, and free downloads, I'm in!
posted by filthy light thief at 1:56 PM on February 24, 2013

I have been waiting for this album since the EPs. Kavinsky is the fucking man.
posted by griphus at 2:31 PM on February 24, 2013

I picked up on Kavinsky in that thread about Lazerhawk. I really could not get into Com Truise at all though.
posted by Foosnark at 2:50 PM on February 24, 2013

good stuff! I look forward to checking it out when this episode of Star Trek Voyager (7 of 9 feels awkward, Neelix dies but gets better) is over.

For more similar, check out the Dreamwave Tag on Bandcamp.

I for one welcome our new 1980's overlords
posted by rebent at 4:06 PM on February 24, 2013 [1 favorite]

I rewatched Drive last week and got pretty fixated on "Nightcall" and this post isn't helping me escape that fixation.

I wouldn't say that this remix is any kind of improvement on the original, but it's got so much inspirational guitar wailing that you probably can't even listen to it if you aren't currently inside a fighter jet.
posted by SharkParty at 6:57 PM on February 24, 2013 [1 favorite]

Recent Soundcloud find- reminds me a lot of Kavinsky.
posted by dunkadunc at 10:55 PM on February 24, 2013 [1 favorite]

Mostly I think Kavinsky is just a throwaway joke by some of the guys from Daft Punk. Its like an absurdist cliche.

I think Nightcall had something special but everything else has been pretty boring.

Also looking at the track-listing calling this a *new* album seems a stretch. Most of these songs have already been released - some as early as 2007 on the 1986 EP. In 6 years he hasn't had time to even write new songs?
posted by mary8nne at 9:48 AM on February 25, 2013 [1 favorite]

I think you have a valid criticism in that many of these tracks, as great as they are, have already been released years ago. However, to call Kavinsky an absurdist cliche is rather harsh, given how for much of the last decade many musical acts have been cribbing from '80s style (in all genres, not even just electro), and as far as high concept fictional conceits for a DJ go, choosing to be a Ferrari Testarossa crash victim-turned-zombie goast isn't all that bad. At least he doesn't wear a mask.

Besides, Justice is Daft Punk.
posted by Apocryphon at 3:59 PM on February 25, 2013

In a similar vein, previously on the blue: Retrofuturist 80s Synthwave, with artists such as Lazerhawk, Future Cop! and Com Truise
posted by anateus at 1:48 PM on February 26, 2013

FYI Kavinsky is playing NY, LA and London.
posted by griphus at 8:10 AM on March 1, 2013