FRENCH TOUCH
Music & graphic design in unison. By Aude
What if music was first a matter of an attractive look?
This is what we could wonder when we step in the exhibition “French touch: graphic design & video” at Les Arts Décoratifs/ Louvre museum, in Paris. For this exhibition, the architect/event design agency 1024 collective is retracing the joint venture between graphic design & electro music with several hundred flyers, disk jackets and videos.*
For the record, when in 1994, Eric Morand, co-founder of the F Communications techno label with DJ Laurent Garnier, declared, “We give a French touch to house music”, they both ignored that “French touch” will bring to electronic music a new kind of tune. Indeed, in the 90’s the term “French Touch” came to mean the French movement in electronic music phase in by Laurent Garnier, Air, Daft Punk, Cassius… And for almost 20 years, as hip-hop was linked to street graffiti in the past, electro music is hardly linked to graphic design, and brings young talent on stage.
New talent come open label other sounds from other styles. The creativity of artists pushing the boundaries of the label. The slogan “electronic with no limit” is needed. Explore, search, Innovate. Experiment without an immediate obligation of result.Priority to emotion, spontaneity.
Musicians, labels & design agencies
As every new and free current, French Electro music too had to find a strong way to set the pace and communication was the first step. In addition, “French touch” movement was also amplified because people such as members of Air, Etienne de Crecy and Alex Gopher met to high school and created a strong electro French coalition.
Most of the very famous DJ nowadays, started by creating their own labels in order to be able to play and product their music. Etienne de Crecy & Alex gopher came up with Solid and Eric Morand & Laurent Garnier with Fcom for instance. And in a parallel smartness way, graphic designer collectives such as M/M, H5 or restez vivants, were created with the same envy of independence and freshness. They both were looking for a way to be noticed and remembered as artistic flow, and combine their talent was a clever way to reach it. Then, both independent music labels and new graphic design agencies bloomed as the movement was growing.
Content & Capacity, though contrast and visual impact.
A strong communication campaign is a matter packaging and product as well as of impact and message. And once again the French touch popped up with powerful concepts of graphic design ideas. As strong concept of packaging, two styles are mainly used: contrast and impact though design concept or typography. One of the best examples is probably Alex Gopher first cover: Gopher EP. And this is Gopher own grandfather who invented the process of aluminum engraving. Another good example would be Etienne de Crecy covers for SUPERDISCOUNT.
Below, technology, color and typography treatments created a contrast that minds identify as notable.
Another frequently put concept in graphic design, is the use of other media codes such as movies poster or propaganda style poster. This is the choice of Alex Courtes with Cassius or Arte fact agency for Dimitri from Paris, who is playing with retro movies code such as “ breakfast at Tiffany” or la “Dolce Vita”.
Album. Sacre Bleu 
Dimitri from Paris I’m a very stylish girl.
Dimitri from paris. Cruise attitude
All those techniques are applied in the goal of creating a significant visual identity. Therefore, French touch was also famous to contrast the visual identity by creating a non-visual identity. Everybody remembers that the first brand identity of Daft Punk was to stay unknown using helmets, cartoons or dog mask into their communication and tour…
Daft Punk. Harder, better, faster, stronger
Daft Punk. Da Punk
New 2013 Daft punk track
French Touch, generation 2.0
And since creativity is a non-stop process, “French touch” is renewing. Best recent examples are M83 and C2C both new bands composed by DJ’s. Still fun, creative and contrasted…
C2C Tetra album cover 
C2C Arcade
M83 Midnight City 
C2C. Fuya
M83. echoes of mine
In conclusion, “French touch” electro music is as a French kiss for your hears; it’s a just a kiss but with something more, something memorable and attractive. *French Touch, graphisme, video, electro exhibition. From 10 october 2012 to 31 mars 2013 to Les arts décoratifs, 107 rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris
Article By Aude
Thirstycrow Magazine 
