|
In 2005, Jean-Baptiste de Laubier, aka Para One, graduated from the FEMIS film school, and found the time to start working on his first solo LP, the critically-acclaimed Epiphanie, that came out in 2006 on Institubes. Intense touring years followed, both as a DJ and live act, all over Europe, North America and Japan, alongside other Institubes artists such as Surkin and Bobmo. He played at Coachella twice, Pukkelpop, Calvi on the Rocks, Primaverra. Reknown for his heavy technical skills, he also became a hot remixer (Daft Punk, Bloc Party, Justice, Boys Noize, etc.) and a hot producer (Birdy Nam Nam, Slice & Soda and Mickey Green). In 2007, he composed the soundtrack for Céline Sciamma's movie Water Lilies, and directed his own film in 2010, It Was On Earth That I Knew Joy. After the demise of Institubes in early 2011, he and his mates Bobmo and Surkin set up a new imprint called Marble, for which Para already produced or co-produced a dozen tracks. He simultaneously worked on his second album, Passion. This a new shift again in Para One's career: the album feels much warmer and more comfortable than his previous work. It's also much poppier and has a fine number of true hits, complete with vocals from Tekilatex, Irfane and Jaw. The Euro-neurotic's tension is still there sometimes, but the muscle softened. This is basically uptempo, futuristic R&B with an unmissable, sexy touch, teeming with round-shaped sounds, wet textures and gentle aural strokes. The whole movement is mid-paced and light-headed, and it's clearly a home-listening, or even bed-listening, slow-jam album. The beats sometimes manage to sound both smooth and rough, easy and intricate, and ghosts of Para's rap training can be heard everywhere. There's also hints of 2-step, deep house, IDM and boogie funk, yet it's a singular, idiosyncratic record, made with an extremely cohesive approach.
|
|