TuneAttic: find music, know music
TuneAttic: find music, know music
TuneAttic: find music, know music
TuneAttic: find music, know music
TuneAttic: find music, know music
TuneAttic: find music, know music
Laurent Garnier

Laurent Garnier is an influential French Techno producer and DJ.  Garnier was one of the first wave of European Techno artists and played a key part in creating a distinctly European sound with seminal releases including ‘Flashback’ and ‘Crispy Bacon’.

Laurent Garnier scales of success
Laurent Garnier timeline

 

'Flashback'
(F Communications 1997)
'30'
(F Communications 1997)

Early Years: 1991 to 1999

Laurent Garnier started his life in dance music as a DJ at the legendary Manchester club the Haçienda where he DJed under the alias DJ Pedro in the late 1980’s.  While the rest of the formative UK dance music scene was being swept along by Rave culture, the Haçienda remained heavily influenced by Chicago House and Detroit Techno, both of which helped shape Garnier’s sound.

In the early 1990’s Garnier returned to France to complete his national service and started to produce.  His earliest releases were on the Fnac Music Dance Division, the dance imprint of French high street music retailer Fnac.  When Fnac Music Dance Division folded in 1993 Garnier teamed up with the label manager Eric Morand to set up F Communications in 1994, which would become the long term home for Garnier’s output, and that of other key dance artists such as Mr Oizo and St Germain.

Garnier’s breakthrough track was ‘Acid Eiffel’ (Fragile Records 1993), a brooding mix of Detroit drum patterns and Trance-like sweeping pads, bubbling acid lines and Ambient FX.

Garnier released his debut studio album two years later – ‘Shot In The Dark’ (F Communications 1994) – but it was the follow up album in 1997 that really made the mark.  The album - '30' (F Communications 1997) – featured seminal tracks such as ‘Crispy Bacon’ and ‘Flashback’ which showcase a producer on the top of his game, comfortable in the surroundings of his own distinct sound.  Both tracks maintain the broodiness and inherent sense of understated melody of ‘Acid Eiffel’ but now in addition are dark analogue bass lines and electro riffs.

The breakthrough success of ‘30’ saw Garnier’s DJ work accelerate, with countless appearances across the globe.

'The Man With The Red Face'
(F Communications 2000)
'Unreasonable Behaviour'
(F Communications 2000)

Later Years: 2000 to present

Laurent Garnier started the 2000’s with another well received album ‘Unreasonable Behaviour’ (F Communications 2000) .

Unreasonable Behaviour’ spawned Garnier’s most successful track to date, the noodling Jazz / Techno workout ‘The Man with the Red Face’.

Garnier continues to produce and DJ extensively.  His most recent studio album to date was 'Tales Of A Kleptomaniac' ([PIAS] Recordings 2009). 

A set of ‘Flashback’ remixes were released in 2010.’

Laurent Garnier is one of the most influential European Techno producers and DJs.  He took the Detroit sound and created something uniquely European that at the same time contrasted strongly with the harder Tekkno and Schrange sounds emerging out of Germany.

Laurent Garnier first came to the UK working as a waiter in the French Embassy in London.