We interviewed Christophe Monier who kindly answered some questions and shared THREE mixes with us. Enjoy.

cosmicdisco: Christophe, first off many thanks for giving us your time and your music.

You’re welcome!

cosmicdisco: Many people in the UK will be aware of you for your Tracks ‘The Jag’ and ‘Rock That House Musiq’ as Micronauts/Impulsion when your sound was a strung out, Acid House vibe. What is the feeling of your productions/djing at the moment?

The vibe is the same. As I like to explore new territories and I hate repeat myself, it may sound different. But the values, the method and the goal haven’t changed much.

cosmicdisco: What was is like being part of the whole late-90’s French House phenomenon?

Honestly I felt as an outsider. Fame and record deals came from the UK first.

cosmicdisco: You were highly respected by the Chemical Brothers, do you have any plans to work with them in the future?

No, but I’d love to.

cosmicdisco: You were also remixed by the awesome Daft Punk which begs the question ‘Daft Punk – Lost the plot or Still With It’?

I think they remain true to themselves.

cosmicdisco: You’ve been responsible for a couple of compilation albums (Celluloid Electro Years & Paris Rocks). How did those come about and is it something that you plan to do any more of in the future?

About “Celluloid - Why Is It Fresh? The Electro Years”, I bought as a kid a handful of Celluloid electro funk 12″ that I worshiped (Phase II, Fab Five Freddy, etc.). In the mid-nineties I signed for a Nature single (a solo house project) with the French record company Distance, owned by Jean Karakos, who incidentally was the founder and copyright owner of Celluloid. It was the time where the buzz surrounding The Micronauts was rising. So Jean and some Distance’s top executives showed interest in signing The Micronauts too; and naturally came the idea of selecting my favourite Celluloid electro funk tracks to do a compilation. Distance was mainly releasing American house records but they also had a hip-hop department. Unfortunately, some Distance employees weren’t up to the job. The A&ampR couldn’t hide his lack of enthusiasm for The Micronauts music. And while I was digging into Distance stock, where Jean Karakos stored his archives, looking for some rare Celluloid records to put on the compilation, a guy from the hip hop department came to me to say how furious and ashamed he was for this compilation to be released, that it was the worst music ever made which shouldn’t been bring back to the public… The fact is this compilation has been poorly promoted and distributed.
“Rocker’s Delight - The Rock Sound Of Darkest Paris” is a different kind of compilation. It’s a selection of early nineties tracks to which I contributed. The link between the tracks is a dark and rocky mood.

Doing compilation is something I enjoy a lot. It’s an extension to my work as a DJ. I would love to do it again in the future.

“Rocker’s Delight - The Rock Sound Of Darkest Paris” is a different kind of compilation. It’s a selection of early nineties tracks to which I contributed. The link between the tracks is a dark and rocky mood.

Doing compilation is something I enjoy a lot. It’s an extension to my work as a DJ. I would love to do it again in the future.

cosmicdisco: The Electro sound obviously influenced your production and djing work. What other music were you exposed to and influenced by as you were growing up?

I started early by listening to XIXth and XXth century classical music, Kraftwerk, J.-M. Jarre and heavy metal. Then I discovered punk, new wave, funk, synth pop, early electro hip-hop, raï and soul music. Then when it appeared Def Jam hip hop, new jack, early house, garage and techno, which introduced me to underground disco and dance music from the seventies and the eighties, …

cosmicdisco: You were responsible for a pretty lethal remix of OMD’s – Electricity. They’re a big favourite at Cosmic Disco but how on earth did you come to be involved with that project and what was it like remixing such a massive group?

Thanks for the comment! I like a lot this remix. It came thru our common record company Virgin. It really was a thrill.

cosmicdisco: Do you dabble in re-edits or are you strictly and official remix type of guy?

Occasionally I re-edit, re-EQ, re-comp tracks, usually from badly cut LPs, for me being able to play them when I DJ. But I don’t have much time to do it. I prefer to work on my own music.

cosmicdisco: Is there a particular tried and tested technique with your productions, do you follow a formula, or do you just make it up as you go along?

To follow a formula would make me sad. I just can’t. If only I could, I would be more productive!

cosmicdisco: What do you prefer - djing or producing?

I prefer to dance and to have sex.

cosmicdisco: The fantastic artwork on the Micronauts EP’s was, I believe, done by yourself and I notice that you recently had a an exhibit in the Kolkoz Exhibition at the Freeze Art Fair in London’s Regents Park. Is this you doing a Paul McCartney or have you always been interested in art?

Kolkoz is an artist collective who asked to some French musicians to hand copy a drawing they did of the four Kiss members, by making a chain. It was just for the fun. It’s really not redeployment!
About the artwork, I suppose you’re talking about the stunning sleeves made by the French graphic designers M/M for The Micronauts and Impulsion. I know them since the early nineties, when we were doing the house fanzine “Eden” with a bunch of friends. So far I’ve only done the artwork of the four Micronautics releases, because it’s fun, quick and cheap.
Nevertheless I’ve always been interested in art. It feeds me, inspires me, influences me. I spent three years in an art university in Paris. I find the rigour and the openness of the artistic approach fruitful, but only to use it in a musical context.

cosmicdisco: Do you plan on moving into art or is it something runs alongside your production and djing work?

No. Music is a vocation to me, and I very much believe in the saying: “jack of all trades, master of none”.

cosmicdisco: What is the clubbing scene like in France at the moment? 80’s Funk and Boogie always seems to be massive there – haha!

Hmm you’re not going to the right places! Things changed a lot since the nineties. Now you can hear house, techno, electro or minimal everywhere. Of course big clubs and holiday resort clubs tend to play the worst and the dullest house and electro. The audience for edgy electronic music is small.

cosmicdisco: Which producers are doing it for you at the moment?

There’s plenty of great tracks out at the moment, from labels like BPitchControl, Citizen, Cocoon, EC, Ed Banger, Fine, Frozen North, Get Physical, I’m A Cliché, Initial Cuts, Minus, Palette, Turbo, Ware, etc. I could go on and on…

cosmicdisco: What do you do outside of music & art?

I’m trying to survive and be happy.

cosmicdisco: What does the future hold for Monsieur Monier?

I’m currently working on the next Micronautics twelve. Then I’ll produce the new Diplomatic Shit single, a French electro rock band, and I’ll work very likely on a Micronauts full-length album for a French indie label. I have also some projects in the movie industry, but it’s way too early to tell you more about it.

Huge thanks to Christophe Monier for taking the time to answer these questions.

Check out his websites where you can buy his tracks, check out playlists and keep up to date with his DJing schedule.

http://the-micronauts.com/
http://micronautics.net/

01/07/2006 DJ Mix recorded live at Tanzkick/Belle Epoque (Frankfurt-Germany):

• MY ROBOT FRIEND “Dial Zero (Modeselektor Remix)” (Soma)
• SELL & SNACKMAN “Wowa Wowa” (Ware)
• ROYKSOPP “What Else Is There (Trentemoller Remix)” (Wall Of Sound)
• JUSSI PEKKA “Rave Texno” (Frozen North)
• AGARIC “Virke” (Liebe Detail)
• FEADZ “lt Replay” (BPitch Control)
• GREEN VELVET “Technology’s Out Of Control” (Music Man)
• CHIAPET “Westworld (Termination Mix)” (Yoshitoshi)
• PLAY PAUL “Love Song” (International Deejay Gigolo)
• DANIEL WANG “Warped” (Balihu)
• TOM PARRIS & BOBBY PARKER “Electro Static” (Monster Fonky)
• IN-N-OUT “Musika Automatika” (Electribe)
• NAPSUGAR “Femaleody (Tanzbar)” (Beautycase)
• PERCY X “The Separatists (Mark Broom Remix)” (Soma)
• SOLID GROOVE “This Is Sick (Original)” (Front Room)
• TIGA “Pleasure From The Bass (Extended Mix)” (PIAS)
• KIKO & STEPHANE D “Jack The Box” (International Deejay Gigolo)
• TIGA “You Gonna Want Me (12 Inch Dance Mix)” (Different)
• SPEKTRUM “Kinda New (Tiefschwarz Dub)” (Playhouse)
• KIKO & GINO’S “Good Sluts Factory (Let It Cia Mix)” (International Deejay Gigolo)
• JEAN NIPON Vs AI “A.C. Anthem (The Micronauts Remix)”
• YUKSEK “Amerik” (I’m A Clichz)
• SNUTEN “Entourage (Lil’Wolf Chris Lynch Of Norway Remix)” (C+C)
• THE HYPNOTIST “House Is Mine” (Rising High)
• ALTERN 8 “Frequency (Hallucin 8 Mix)” (Network)
• Q BASS “Dancin’ People (E Type Remix)” (Suburban Base)
• ALTERN 8 “Move My Body (Hard-Hardcore Mix)” (Network)
• VITALIC “Valletta Fanfares” (PIAS)
• MIJK VAN DIJK “How Deep Is Your Love? (John Tejada Remix)” (Superstition)
• FUNK D’ VOID “Diabla (Funk D’ Void Heavenly Mix)” (Soma)
• MICHEL DE HEY + M.I.R.K.O. “Another Dimension” (EC)
• MICHEL DE HEY Vs. SECRET CINEMA “Another Sweater” (EC)
• KOSMIC MESSENGER “Polyphonic Destruction” (End)

04/03/2004 Demo DJ mix recorded for Dirty

• GUCCI CREW II “Sally (That Girl)” (Gucci)
• GREEN VELVET “Don’t Mess With My Mind” (Music Man)
• JOHANNES HEIL “Paranoid Dancer (DJ Hell Remix)” (Kanzleramt)
• ARMAND VAN HELDEN “Necessary Evil” (FFRR)
• SWAYZAK “I Dance Alone” (!K7)
• SQUAREPUSHER “Schizm Track #2 Mix” (Warp)
• JASON LEACH “A Jase Odessy” (Semi Automatic)
• JOHN TEJADA “Music For Doubles (John Tejada VIP Mix)” (Palette)
• MICK WILLS “Rhythm Machine” (International Deejay Gigolo)
• THE MICRONAUTS “Get Down” (Micronautics)
• LIL’ JON & THE EAST SIDE BOYZ “Shake Your Booty” (Mirror Image)
• BOLZ BOLZ “Take A Walk” (World Electric)
• THE MICRONAUTS “High Rise” (Micronautics)
• DJ ASSAULT “Ass-N-Titties 2001″ (Intuit-Solar)
• JB3 “Black Porch” (Novamute)
• SO SOLID CREW “Fuck Wid Us” (Independiente)
• TOK TOK “Rushstoprestore” (BPitch Control)
• LFO “Mummy, I’ve Had An Accident…” (Warp)
• PHUTURE “The Creator” (Jack Trax/Indigo Music)
• GREEN VELVET “Stop Lyin’” (Music Man)
• MC SHY D “Big Booty Girls” (Benz)
• KERO “Grizzly Grizzeg” (BPitch Control)
• BEAT MASTER CLAY “Kaboose” (Luke)

16/03/2006 Demo DJ mix recorded for United People

• LOST ‘N’ ALIVE “Feels Like Love (Tiefschwarz Remix)” (Milk & Sugar)
• TAHITI 80 “Big Day (Booka Shade Remix)” (Atmosphzriques)
• ROYKSOPP “What Else Is There (Trentemoller Remix)” (Wall Of Sound)
• JUSSI PEKKA “Rave Texno” (Frozen North)
• FRANK MARTINIQ “Adriano (Michael Mayer Mix)” (Boxer)
• ZOMBIE NATION “Meatmaster Jack” (Cocoon)
• PLAY PAUL “Love Song” (International Deejay Gigolo)
• TIEFSCHWARZ “Issst” (Fine.)
• TIGA “You Gonna Want Me (12 Inch Dance Mix)” (Different)
• GREEN VELVET “Bathroom” (Relief)
• LAURENCE ASHLEY “I’m Missing (Cosmo Vitelli Remix)” (Electrokiss)
• SPEKTRUM “Freakbox (Alter Ego Remix)” (Playhouse)
• ERIC BORGO & OLIVIER RAYMOND “Jackin Me” (Tsuba)
• SECRET CINEMA “In SC Sound (The Micronauts Remix)” (EC)
• JOHN LORD FONDA “Music Is Not A Computer Algebra
  (Energy Zurich Mix)” (Citizen)
• DAVID CARRETTA “Lovely Toy” (International Deejay Gigolo)
• I-F “Space Invaders Are Smoking Grass” (Viewlexx)

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