The Spaceman cometh.. French dance artist Shonky releases debut artist album ‘Time Zero’.

07Feb08

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It has been clear since his very first release, in 2005 (with ‘Let Me Ask You’ on Freak n’Chic), that Shonky is an exceptionally talented producer. At 25 years of age and with little more than two years since his first production effort, Shonky releases his debut artist album ‘Time Zero’ on Dan Ghenacia’s Freak n’Chic imprint - get cosmic.

“The style of ‘Time Zero’ is kind of techno/hypno, with many roots coming from Detroit techno and San Francisco psychedelic house; always super hypnotic.. The album is spacey Shonky world, I used more pads, no vocals and all the tracks have an atmospheric feeling within. They all drive you into a universe which is why I gave them all spacey names.. Ultimately, I did what I do the best, danceable tracks.” - Shonky

Track 1 ‘Time Zero’ - the album’s title track and also the first track to be released from the album (coming March with remixes from Paul Ritch and Mathias Kaden) lets loose with spiralling effects and a repeat-repeat vocal that heightens the psychedelic vibe. The airy chimes of ‘Nebula’ evoke the questing spirit of Detroit and bring in a breath of Kraftwerk a la ‘Tour De France’. ‘Ringside With Dione’ slows down the beat to push up the intensity; turning out late night music with dubby, shooting stabs that trip your mind inside out. The obvious titular nod to Voodoo Ray is reflected in the warm, burnished tribal-tech of ‘Cosmic Ray’. He returns to psychedelic techno with stand-out cut ‘Galactica’, a tune whose dense atmospherics, backdrop of wolf-like wails and clever use of a female vocal would make the Belleville Three proud.. Beckoning you ever further into the cosmos, ‘Ellipse’ matches horn licks to gently rattling percussion as the main melody seems to come floating in from outer space; its shimmering, progressive synths reminiscent of a peak-era Sasha record. ‘Ondulation’ hypnotizes with shimmering waves of acid and gleaming synth lines. There is more classic, intricate Detroit styling up his sleeve on Odyssey, a clean cut tune rippling with sharp metallic synths and an eerie radio-signals-from-space motif, which tempts you to follow the sound to another dimension. Sexy, dubby, hip jackin’ musical movements rule the intro on Magma, moving into a deeper, more atmospheric space. And the final track ‘Minor Planets’ embraces pure techno with its lush washing synths and crystalline beats.. Smoothly tripping you out to now, to this moment, to Time Zero.

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Shonky, whose real name is Olivier Ducreux, was first introduced to the Parisian dance scene via Dan Ghenacia’s infamous Sunday ‘Kwality’ Batofar parties. He studied mathematics for five years until he decided to become a full time producer and DJ - releasing his first track on Freak n’Chic in 2005 and fast becoming a key player in the revival of the underground scene in Paris.. He went on to release on Crosstown Rebels, mobilee, Substatic and Reposal in 2006, and in 2007 released ‘Olympia’ and ‘Phantomas’ on Freak n’Chic, whilst also remixing Danton Eeprom’s ‘All I can say’ for the label. Shonky currently lives and regularly DJs in Berlin, alongside playing in the UK, Italy, France, Spain and more - having also recently completed a US tour.

Finally, ‘Time Zero’ has landed and it doesn’t merely justify the hype, it goes beyond. This is not a first class debut. It’s a first class album, full stop. ‘Time Zero’ is ripe with a musical intelligence well beyond Shonky’s years.

The first single to be taken from the album will be ‘Time Zero’ - with remixes from Paul Ritch and Mathias Kaden, released at the end of March,

Tracklist:

01- Time zero
02- Nebula
03- Ringside with Dione
04- Cosmic Ray
05- Galactica
06- Ellipse
07- Ondulation
08- Odyssey
09- Magma
10- Minor planets

References: http://www.myspace.com/shonkar, http://www.myspace.com/freaknchic, http://www.freaknchic.com