Bridging electro, techno and synthwave, French producer Captain Mustache has released on labels such as Kompakt, Exploited, Permanent Vacation, Helena Hauff’s Return To Disorder and John Digweed’s Bedrock since bursting onto the electronic music scene in 2020.
His latest single, Vertigo, sees him team up with indie favourites Third Culture, aka Sian & Sacha Robotti, and was released recently on Berlin label mobilee. It’s taken from his new album, Luz, which was released on the same label in September – check it out here.
For this week’s #MyRecordBag, Captain Mustache serves up ten tracks that inspired his latest album, Luz.
Droids – (Do You Have) The Force [1977]
“I have a particular fondness for space disco – the music that started what I do and that I love the most. Jarre, Moroder, and the whole late ’70s / early ’80s scene: that’s partly the music my parents listened to, and it inevitably seeps into what I make today.”
Rude 66 – The 1000 Year Storm [2007]
“I’m in love with this kind of powerful electro, with a disco/EBM touch. That’s where I often go in my own productions, like on The Pathetic, a mix of dancing beats and melancholy.”
Technasia – Future Mix [1998]
“On Vertigo, I sampled the small vocal from Technasia’s Future Mix. I saw their first live act in Paris in 1998 – I was very young, and it was a real shock. They brought a lot of freshness to techno, and their album Future Mix remains a true masterpiece of that era.”
Dave Clarke feat. Chicks on Speed – What Was Her Name? [2004]
“This track takes us back to the electroclash era, which in my opinion was the richest period in electronic music – both raw and melodic, totally uninhibited. Dave Clarke made a brief foray into the genre with Chicks on Speed, resulting in this monumental track. I’m happy to be making music with both of them now, including Melissa from Chicks on Speed on Pen Weapon.”
Der Dritte Raum – Hale Bopp [1998]
“This track is so unique — the very essence of timeless techno, with a magnificent arpeggio that builds in intensity and emotion. It’s a model of production, something I tried to capture on La Vertu or Dancing Like Muffins.”
Drexciya – Andreaen Sand Dunes [1999]
“Gerald Donald is an absolute idol, through his Drexciya and Dopplereffekt projects. He truly inspired me in the way I conceive and mix my tracks — focusing on the essentials and stripping away the superfluous. On Luz, you can clearly hear this influence.”
The Deacon – Fuji [2006]
“I’ve been a longtime fan of Detroit techno. The way they bring beauty and soul into techno has fascinated me ever since I discovered electronic music in the ’90s, with tracks like Jaguar and Blackwater. This Deacon track from Underground Resistance perfectly captures the mood we had when Popof and I made La Nuit.”
Jean-Michel Jarre – Equinoxe Pt. 4 [1978]
“Jean-Michel Jarre is one of the artists who shaped my story and gave me my first musical emotions — he inspired me to play synthesiser as a child. I think his influence can still be heard in my music, for instance on Black Light.”
David Carretta – Vicious Game [2001]
“David Carretta is an idol for all French electro producers. On No Retreat, I made a rap track using a sample of his famous synth from Vicious Game. It was a bold move, but the result is satisfying.”
Hypnosis – End Title (Blade Runner) [1983]
“A perfect track, far ahead of its time — a TR-808, touches of cosmic synths, and pure emotion. That’s the direction I wanted to take on Requiem for Planet Razor, with a slow evolution into a space journey.”
Thanks to Captain Mustache for this selections. Check out his latest album, Luz, here.
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