Black Strobe
Encyclopedia
Black Strobe were formed in Paris in 1997 by producer Arnaud Rebotini
and DJ Ivan Smagghe
, and were instrumental in the rise of the electroclash
movement in the UK with their breakthrough single Me And Madonna. Originally producing in the house
genre, they later became more influenced by music from the 1970s and 1980s, especially industrial post punk and camp, European electronic body music
(or EBM). However, they describe their dark electrosound as "frozen balearic
gay biker house".They are heavily influenced by such bands as Cabaret Voltaire
, Nitzer Ebb
, Front 242
and Depeche Mode
.
They are much sought after as remixers, and worked with such diverse artists as Röyksopp
, Nitzer Ebb, Rammstein
, The Rapture
, and Tiefschwarz
.
Ivan Smagghe
left in 2006 as Black Strobe expanded to a four-piece live band, with members David "Siskid" Shaw (guitar), Bastien Burger (bass and keyboard) and Benjamin Beaulieu (drums) joining Rebotini on vocals. Smagghe was contributing lyrics before his departure. They released their debut album Burn Your Own Church in 2007.
Two songs from this album are of some significance. "I'm A Man", was included in the film and soundtrack of Guy Ritchie
's RocknRolla
and also the French film Le Mac (2009) by Pascal Bourdiaux. "I'm A Man" was also copied without permission and used in the Bollywood flick Once Upon a Time in Mumbai (2010). "Shining Bright Star" was featured in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
multiplayer launch trailer.
In 2009, after continuing to remix other music artists' tracks, Black Strobe released the EP Back From Beyond (Supersoul Recordings), which was accompanied in early 2010 by a video directed by Laurent Chanez, whom the group had met in 2004 through the Groupe de Recherches Musicales (GRM).
Arnaud Rebotini
Arnaud Rebotini is a French musician. He is a member of the band Black Strobe, which released their debut album Burn Your Own Church in 2007.He has previously been a member of the death metal band Post Mortum, which later became Swamp....
and DJ Ivan Smagghe
Ivan Smagghe
Ivan Smagghe is a French DJ and producer. He was originally known as Ivan Rough Trade, after his job in the Rough Trade record store in Paris. His musical style has been described as electrohouse and "minimal electro.". Smagghe's Death Disco compilation was a key release in the electroclash...
, and were instrumental in the rise of the electroclash
Electroclash
Electroclash is a style of music that fuses New Wave and electronic dance music. It emerged in New York and Detroit in the later 1990s, pioneered by acts including I-F and those associated with Gerald Donald, and is associated with acts including Peaches, Adult, and Fischerspooner...
movement in the UK with their breakthrough single Me And Madonna. Originally producing in the house
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
genre, they later became more influenced by music from the 1970s and 1980s, especially industrial post punk and camp, European electronic body music
Electronic body music
Electronic body music or industrial dance is a music genre that combines elements of industrial music and electronic dance music...
(or EBM). However, they describe their dark electrosound as "frozen balearic
Balearic Beat
Balearic Beat or either Balearic House and Balearic Trance is an eclectic blend of DJed dance music that originally emerged in the mid-1980s. It later became the name of a more specific style of electronic dance music that was popular into the mid-1990s...
gay biker house".They are heavily influenced by such bands as Cabaret Voltaire
Cabaret Voltaire (band)
Cabaret Voltaire were a British music group from Sheffield, England.Initially composed of Stephen Mallinder, Richard H. Kirk and Chris Watson, the group was named after the Cabaret Voltaire, a nightclub in Zürich, Switzerland that was a centre for the early Dada movement.Their earliest performances...
, Nitzer Ebb
Nitzer Ebb
Nitzer Ebb is a British EBM group formed in 1982 by Essex school friends Vaughan "Bon" Harris , Douglas McCarthy , and David Gooday .-Band name:...
, Front 242
Front 242
Front 242 is a pioneering Belgian electronic music group that came into prominence during the 1980s. They are known for being the premier pioneer of electronic body music and as a major influence on the electronic and industrial music genres.-Formation:...
and Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
.
They are much sought after as remixers, and worked with such diverse artists as Röyksopp
Röyksopp
Röyksopp is a Norwegian electronic music duo from Tromsø, formed in 1998. Since their inception, the band's line-up has included Svein Berge and Torbjørn Brundtland....
, Nitzer Ebb, Rammstein
Rammstein
Rammstein is a German Neue Deutsche Härte band from Berlin, formed in 1994. The band consists of members Till Lindemann , Richard Z. Kruspe , Paul H. Landers , Oliver "Ollie" Riedel , Christoph "Doom" Schneider and Christian "Flake" Lorenz...
, The Rapture
The Rapture (band)
The Rapture is an Indie rock band based in New York City. The band mixes influences from many genres including post-punk, acid house, disco, electronica and rock, pioneering the post-punk revival genre...
, and Tiefschwarz
Tiefschwarz
Tiefschwarz is an electro house group comprising brothers, Alexander "Ali" and Sebastian "Basti" Schwarz, which formed in Stuttgart in 1996. Peter Hoff, who runs the Benztown studios in Stuttgart, joined later, and completed the first Tiefschwarz production team...
.
Ivan Smagghe
Ivan Smagghe
Ivan Smagghe is a French DJ and producer. He was originally known as Ivan Rough Trade, after his job in the Rough Trade record store in Paris. His musical style has been described as electrohouse and "minimal electro.". Smagghe's Death Disco compilation was a key release in the electroclash...
left in 2006 as Black Strobe expanded to a four-piece live band, with members David "Siskid" Shaw (guitar), Bastien Burger (bass and keyboard) and Benjamin Beaulieu (drums) joining Rebotini on vocals. Smagghe was contributing lyrics before his departure. They released their debut album Burn Your Own Church in 2007.
Two songs from this album are of some significance. "I'm A Man", was included in the film and soundtrack of Guy Ritchie
Guy Ritchie
Guy Stuart Ritchie is an English screenwriter and film maker who directed Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, Revolver, RocknRolla and Sherlock Holmes.-Early life:...
's RocknRolla
RocknRolla
RocknRolla is a 2008 British crime film written and directed by Guy Ritchie, and starring Gerard Butler, Tom Wilkinson, Mark Strong, Toby Kebbell, Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, Karel Roden, and Thandie Newton...
and also the French film Le Mac (2009) by Pascal Bourdiaux. "I'm A Man" was also copied without permission and used in the Bollywood flick Once Upon a Time in Mumbai (2010). "Shining Bright Star" was featured in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood is a historical third person, stealth action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. It was released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in November 2010, Microsoft Windows in March 2011 and Mac OS X in May 2011...
multiplayer launch trailer.
In 2009, after continuing to remix other music artists' tracks, Black Strobe released the EP Back From Beyond (Supersoul Recordings), which was accompanied in early 2010 by a video directed by Laurent Chanez, whom the group had met in 2004 through the Groupe de Recherches Musicales (GRM).
Singles
- Paris Acid City (Source Records 1997)
- Innerstrings (Output Recordings 2000)
- Me And Madonna (Output Recordings 2002)
- Italian Fireflies (Kitsuné Music 2003)
- Deceive/Play (Blackstrobe Records 2005)
- Last Dub On Earth (Crosstown Rebels 2006)
- Black Metal (Playlouderecordings 2007)
- I'm A ManI'm A Man (Bo Diddley song)"I'm a Man" is a song written and recorded by Bo Diddley in 1955. A moderately slow blues with a stop-time figure, it was inspired by an earlier blues song and became a #1 R&B chart hit. "I'm a Man" has been acknowledged by Rolling Stone magazine and has been recorded by a variety of artists,...
(Playlouderecordings 2007) - Shining Bright Star (Playlouderecordings 2007)
EPs & Studio albums
- Chemical Sweet Girl EP (Output Records 2004)
- Shining Bright Star EP (Playlouderecordings 2006)
- Me & Madonna EP (Kitsune 2010)
Remixes
- 2001 PlaygroupPlaygroup (band)Playgroup is a British dance act. Basically the project of musician and designer Trevor Jackson, they were associated with the electroclash movement.Jackson has also performed under the names Underdog and Skull.-Albums:...
- "Number One" - 2002 Cosmo Vitelli - "Robot Soul"
- 2002 Märtini BrösMärtini BrösMärtini Brös. is a German electronic dance musical group from Berlin, who have toured extensively throughout Europe. The project is a collaboration between DJ Clé and Mike Vamp . Both became established on the electronic music scene in Berlin during the 1980s and 1990s as DJs and remixers...
- "The Biggest Fan" - 2002 Justin RobertsonJustin RobertsonJustin Robertson is a British DJ, remixer and electronic music producer from Manchester, England. He has remixed dozens of high-profile music artists as himself or as The Prankster, fronted the group Lionrock and has released albums and singles of original music under his own name and the name...
presents Revtone - "Everpresent" - 2002 Sir DrewChicken Lips (band)Chicken Lips are a dance music band and production team from Stafford, England, that includes Andy Meecham and Dean Meredith, both formerly of Bizarre Inc, a band they created in the early 1990s.-Career:...
- "Shemale" - 2002 W.I.T. - "Hold Me, Touch Me"
- 2003 DominatrixDominatrix (band)Dominatrix was a synthpop band from New York City, best remembered for their 1984 club hit, "The Dominatrix Sleeps Tonight". Although short lived as a group, their lone hit single was highly influential in the freestyle genre.-History:...
- "The Dominatrix Sleeps Tonight" - 2003 The HackerThe HackerMichel Amato, better known by the stage name The Hacker, is a French electroclash and techno producer who has worked extensively with Miss Kittin. His work has been influenced by Electro artists like Kraftwerk, New Wave artists such as The Cure and Depeche Mode, as well as the French rave scene of...
, Millimetric & David Carretta - "Moskow Reise" - 2003 The RaptureThe Rapture (band)The Rapture is an Indie rock band based in New York City. The band mixes influences from many genres including post-punk, acid house, disco, electronica and rock, pioneering the post-punk revival genre...
- "Sister Saviour" - 2003 RöyksoppRöyksoppRöyksopp is a Norwegian electronic music duo from Tromsø, formed in 1998. Since their inception, the band's line-up has included Svein Berge and Torbjørn Brundtland....
- "Eple" - 2003 TiefschwarzTiefschwarzTiefschwarz is an electro house group comprising brothers, Alexander "Ali" and Sebastian "Basti" Schwarz, which formed in Stuttgart in 1996. Peter Hoff, who runs the Benztown studios in Stuttgart, joined later, and completed the first Tiefschwarz production team...
- "Ghostrack" - 2003 Tones on TailTones on TailTones on Tail was an "eclectic" musical side project of Daniel Ash of Bauhaus, along with art school friend, flatmate, and "Bauhaus roadie" Glenn Campling in 1982. After the breakup of Bauhaus in 1983, they were joined by drummer Kevin Haskins. Their music was described by one critic as...
- "Means of Escape" - 2004 Alexkid - "Pick It Up"
- 2004 Alter EgoAlter Ego (band)Alter Ego is a German acid house music group, comprising Roman Flügel and Jörn Elling Wuttke. They achieved notability in 2004 with their track "Rocker", which became one of the year's defining dance anthems, especially in Europe, and getting played on rotation amongst the most popular electroclash...
- "Rocker" - 2004 Dave Clarke - "What Was Her Name?"
- 2004 Depeche ModeDepeche ModeDepeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
- "Something to Do" - 2004 David GuettaDavid GuettaPierre David Guetta , known professionally as David Guetta , is a French house music producer and DJ. Originally a DJ at nightclubs during the 1980s and 1990s, he co-founded Gum Productions and released his first album, Just a Little More Love, in 2002. Later, he released Guetta Blaster and Pop Life...
- "The World Is Mine" - 2004 Oscar - "Loa"
- 2004 RammsteinRammsteinRammstein is a German Neue Deutsche Härte band from Berlin, formed in 1994. The band consists of members Till Lindemann , Richard Z. Kruspe , Paul H. Landers , Oliver "Ollie" Riedel , Christoph "Doom" Schneider and Christian "Flake" Lorenz...
- "Keine Lust" - 2004 Sweet Exorcist - "Test Four"
- 2005 Bloc PartyBloc PartyBloc Party are a British Indie rock band, composed of Kele Okereke , Russell Lissack , Gordon Moakes , and Matt Tong...
- "Like Eating GlassLike Eating Glass"Like Eating Glass" is a song by Bloc Party from their critically acclaimed debut album "Silent Alarm". It is the first track on the album. The song is one of their most popular amongst fans. The lyrics, which as is typical of the band's early work, are poetic and ambiguous, and deal with feelings...
" - 2005 FischerspoonerFischerspoonerFischerspooner is an electroclash duo and performance troupe formed in 1998 in New York. The name is a portmanteau of the founders' last names, Warren Fischer and Casey Spooner...
- "Never Win" - 2005 The HackerThe HackerMichel Amato, better known by the stage name The Hacker, is a French electroclash and techno producer who has worked extensively with Miss Kittin. His work has been influenced by Electro artists like Kraftwerk, New Wave artists such as The Cure and Depeche Mode, as well as the French rave scene of...
- "Flesh & Bone" - 2005 White Rose MovementWhite Rose Movement (band)White Rose Movement were a post-punk/electro band from London, England. The band is named after the German anti-Nazi resistance movement White Rose...
- "Love Is a Number" - 2005 Sweet Light - "Abusator"
- 2006 Nitzer EbbNitzer EbbNitzer Ebb is a British EBM group formed in 1982 by Essex school friends Vaughan "Bon" Harris , Douglas McCarthy , and David Gooday .-Band name:...
- "Getting Closer" - 2007 Olga Kouklaki - "Getalife"
- 2007 Vive La FêteVive la FêteVive la Fête is a music duo from Ghent formed in 1997 by lovers Danny Mommens and Els Pynoo .-Biography:...
- "La Route" - 2007 The Neon JudgementThe Neon JudgementThe Neon Judgement is a Belgian new wave band.The band was started in Leuven in 1981 by Dirk Da Davo and TB Frank.On the 21st of August 1985, the band opened a new alternative music festival, named Pukkelpop...
- "13.13" - 2008 Ayumi hamasakiAyumi Hamasakiis a Japanese singer-songwriter, record producer, model, lyricist, and actress. Also called "Ayu" by her fans, Hamasaki has been dubbed the "Empress of Pop" because of her popularity and widespread influence in Japan and throughout Asia. Born and raised in Fukuoka, she moved to Tokyo at fourteen to...
- "About You" - 2010 Lindstrom & Christabelle - "Baby can't Stop (Tsugi mix)"
- 2010 Acid Washed - "General Motors, Detroit, America"
- 2010 tape to tape - "pure & easy"
- 2010 MajeureMajeureMajeure is a space-rock band formed by A.E. Paterra, drummer for the band Zombi. The band currently signed to Temporary Residence Limited and has released one record, "Timespan". The band uses looping synthesizer beats to create its music. Pitchfork gave the track "Teleforce" a seven out of ten...
- "The Dresden Codex" - 2010 Taxi GirlTaxi GirlTaxi Girl were a French New Wave band, adopting the New Romantic aesthetics of the time, such as clashing red and black clothing, synthesiser-led songs, and taking influence from mythology and literature. The group existed between 1978 and 1986, producing 5 mini-albums, and one full-length album,...
- "Chercher le garçon" - 2010 The Toxic AvengerThe Toxic AvengerThe Toxic Avenger is a 1984 comedy horror film released by Troma Entertainment, known for producing low budget B-movies with campy concepts. Virtually ignored upon its first release, The Toxic Avenger caught on with filmgoers after a long and successful midnight movie engagement at the famed...
- "Angst: One" - 2011 Turzi Electronic Experience - "Connaissance"
- 2011 The Subs - "Decontrol"