interview

28/02/05
brought to you by Matt Tillet from Warm

1. How are both of you?

Very good indeed, thanks.

2. Firstly, how did you both meet?

Nicolas (I:Cube) sent me a great tape of his music, totally eclectic and good quality, I was working at Radio Nova (it was in 96), then we started producing together as Chateau Flight in 97, remixing Pierre Henry and Air. I'm also producing Nicolas' music under the I:Cube moniker.

3. Musically are you both coming from similar backgrounds?

Not really. I come from black music background: jazz-hip-hop, funk & soul and I came to techno and house around '92.

4. You both produce and DJ on your own so when you come together as Chateau Flight what are the ideas behind it?

A pure playground project, a field where neither of us has been before. The freedom to give a chance to try any idea or technical process.

5. On your new album 'The Meal' there is a really diverse and interesting selection of vocalists. Was using this many different vocalists something you set out to do from the start?

Not really (except for Nicola Kramer where we wanted a kind of Chaka Khan vibe). I met those people over the years - we were talking to Shawn Lee more than 2 years ago. I met Marie Daulne (I knew her work from Zap Mama) at the Roots gig in Paris and we sent her files and she sent them back from Brussels. With Beretta, we recorded them in Berlin, at Jazzanova studio, and in the same session we recorded with RZA, for the I: Cube album '3'.

6. How did the Shawn Lee hook up happen?

We really like his tune called Happiness and we thought he could a good vocalist to work with. I contacted him and then we took a lot of time to do this album, due to a lot of gigs and remixes we finally re-contacted him 2 years after we first spoke and sent him the track. He also recorded on his side and sent the result and then we mixed it in our studio.

7. What made you want to use a Japanese choir?

The idea of this tune was a kind of tribute to Yellow Magic Orchestra, kind of poppy electro funny tune. We thought it was funny to work with 3 un-professional singers having good times in Paris. They even wanted us to produce Electroclash for them after!!!

8. How do you go about choosing the artists to remix the tracks?

We always ask people we have good relationship with and of course, appreciate the work.

9. You recently performed live in Paris. How did it go?

Totally good. We were pretty anxious cause:
1- We've never done a gig with so many musicians.
2- We had to re-arrange the tracks for live use.
3- We had to fill this mythical club called New Morning only with our name and on a live formula we decided to make it as live as possible (with less computer sequence as possible). It is so different from DJ gig: you really can see the people who like your music but I have to say it is fucking exhausting!!

10. What does your live set-up involve? Is this something you want to develop?

Our band is a bit like our music - very diverse. It looks a bit like Noah's ark: Bertrand Burgalat on keyboards brings a psychedelic organ 60's touch; our drummer comes straight out a drummer magazine: long hair, fast playing; Malik is a prince of flute and comes from complex jazz background. Nicolas plays keys and manual samples while I use computer and play percussions. That is the heart of our band and we invited Shawn and French MC'S from La Caution

11. Your recent mix has a really raw Detroit type feel to it. More and more people seem to be returning to this type of futuristic, yet retro sound. Why do you think this is?

That music was strong and has serious thinking behind it, that's why it will last; it is also a crossing between soul and mechanics.

12. Who are your favourite producers around at the moment?

Maurice Fulton,Sa-Ra,Carl Craig.

13. What's the last piece of music you heard which blew you away?

Mort Garson,producer from the 60's.

14. Recommend a film you feel everyone should see and a book everyone should read.

A movie would be 'Taxi Driver' from Scorcese, which is the most urban poetic movie, with loads of visuals effects which are clever and simple and fabulous actors the screenplay from Paul Schrader is also a masterpiece. But there are so many excellent movies. A book... I will say 'Primo Levi' or 'If It Is A Man' (in French,'Si Á'est un homme'). It talks from the Shoa in the right way: as a chemist he was without sentimentalism and show how deep we can go in our barbaria, and it wasn't 4000 years ago but in the middle of nowhere but in Europe in 40's!