Sebastian takes French beat to Avalon
Paris has been burning brightly for over a decade now as electronic music’s luminary dance music factory, spawning chart-toppers such as David Guetta. Many from France’s ripe scene find a spiritual and actual home in L.A. and it’s not just the mainstream names that take root here. Southern California is developing as a fertile ground for the darker, more experimental side of house and electro (see new L.A. resident Quentin Dupieux, a.k.a. Mr. Oizo) put out by labels such as Ed Banger.
One of that label’s more interesting affiliated artists, Sebastian, drops by Hollywood’s Avalon on Friday night.
Born Sebastian Akchoté, the producer started to rise about five years ago as a DJ and go-to remix artist for names such as Daft Punk and the Rapture. But his latest release, “Total,” proves Sebastian is a name to take seriously on its own, thanks to a challenging, varied and consistently surprising collection of songs.
His “Kindercut” crackles with punchy beats and loops that fans of French electro have come to expect. But it’s on offerings such as “Tetra” that the producer separates himself from the Parisian pack. The track kicks off with an electronic harpsichord (played by Gaspard Augé of Justice), traverses through disco territory before gently brushing into a piano climax. It’s dance music well suited to either the dance floor or to writing C++ code in an office, which suits Sebastian fans just fine.
To be sure, no one will be sitting down Friday — the DJ has far too many danceable tracks on his latest that will move bodies, including the funky “Embody” and his standout “Love In Motion” with Los Angeles’ own Mayer Hawthorne. Just be prepared to experience an elbow or two if he plays his track with M.I.A., “C.T.F.O.” The dissonant, dark dance anthem might be the perfect soundtrack for a riot instead of a rave.
Sebastian
Where: Control at Avalon, 1735 Vine St., Hollywood
When: 10 p.m.-3 a.m. Friday
Price: $20
Info: (323) 462-8900; https://www.avalonhollywood.com
The biggest entertainment stories
Get our big stories about Hollywood, film, television, music, arts, culture and more right in your inbox as soon as they publish.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
