Laurent Garnier’s 2014 Project

Late in 2013, French DJ and producer extraordinaire, Laurent Garnier, decided on a plan to get his music reaching out to the very corners of the underground music scene. Rather than self-releasing, or opting for the tried and tested labels, Garnier decided to plump for a selection of independent record labels from different countries that he greatly respected and supported, each one with their own strong identity and fan base, and to go under the moniker ‘Garnier’ for these projects. Opening his account on Chicago’s Still Music in February 2014, with the ‘AF0490’ single, the electronic stalwart has since gone on to issue singles on Modeselektor’s 50 Weapons (‘AF4302’ EP), Musique Large (‘A13’) and the MCDE label (‘KL2036’ EP). A huge supporter of Hypercolour over the years, and perhaps an embracing of the British label’s dedication to the ‘UK sound’ (considering the Frenchman’s early deployment to Manchester’s legendary Hacienda club in the late 80s as resident DJ), it’s of little surprise then that the fifth Garnier project lands on Hypercolour this August.

I like how the the EP titles were based on the flights and roads he used to take to the city where the label is from.

The five EP’s for this project in order of appearance:

AF 0490 on Still Music AF 0490 corresponds to Air France flight from Paris to Chicago regularly used by Laurent Garnier.

A13 on Musique Large A13 corresponds to the French Highway No. 13 on the route to England that was regularly used by Laurent Garnier when he was younger and lived in Paris.

AF 4302 on 50Weapons AF 4302 corresponds to Air France flight from Marseille to Berlin regularly used by Laurent Garnier.

KL 2036 EP on MCDE KL 2036 corresponds to KLM flight from Marseille to Amsterdam regularly used by Laurent Garnier.

BA371 on Hypercolour BA371 corresponds to British Airways flight from Marseille to London regularly used by Laurent Garnier.

Actually, the concluding EP for this project was released in 2015 with the self explanatory title Honey I’m Home! on his own F Communications, released first as part of his La Home Box Limited Box Set.

My favorite release from this series is the first one, AF 0490 on Still Music, where he raided his Dance Mania collection sampling Chip Dilla, Deeon, Gant-Man and Parris Mitchell.