Wavefront Music Festival Artist Spotlight #3: Jacques Lu Cont
In preparation for the arrival of the second annual Wavefront Music Festival on Chicago’s Montrose Beach over the Fourth of July Weekend, we will be highlighting a number of the great talents set to grace the shore of Lake Michigan on July 5, 6, and 7th. Our third artist spotlight is squarely fixed on three-time Grammy Award winning producer Stuart Price, also known under the aliases Jacques Lu Cont, Les Rhythmes Digitales, Thin White Duke and Tracques.
In addition to being a highly sought after studio producer who has worked on albums with the likes of Madonna, Lady Gaga and the Killers, Price is an accomplished electronic music artist in his own right. His set promises to be one of the more dynamic and unpredictable that Wavefront’s lineup has to offer, and certainly ranks as one of my own most anticipated sets of the weeekend. The English producer’s output has spanned so many sounds since his 1996 arrival on the scene that it would be a disservice to focus solely on his JLC-branded output. I’ve done my best to provide a suitable Stuart Price sampler overview with five tracks that have always spoken to me from his prolific catalog.
5. Les Rhythmes Digitales – (Hey You) What’s That Sound?
There’s a timeless quality about all the funk-infused releases under Price’s Les Rhythmes Digitales alias. This relentlessly groovy cut from his 1999 album Darkdancer perfectly encapsulates Price’s Francophile tendencies, containing all the hallmarks of the bouncy sound ricocheting around Paris during that time.
4. Jacques Lu Cont – Underground (Original Mix)
“Underground” showcases JLC’s versatility in flying fashion. Showcasing his signature driving electro sound, this dynamic track is the full package with its arpeggiated builds, wide array of synthesizer tones and well-placed sample work. Hard to believe it was released as a free download, but that’s JLC for you.
3. Gwen Stefani – 4 in the Morning (Thin White Duke Remix)
While Price’s impressive rework of the Killers’ “Mr. Brightside” tends to get the most play of his remixes under the Thin White Duke moniker, this gem often gets overlooked. The steady progression of this track’s warm arpeggiated synth and solid backing beat made it a staple of my early DJ sets. No better way to escalate the energy while keeping it commercially palatable enough for the less electro-initiated crowd members.
2. Tracques – Lunartick (Original Mix)
Knowing full well the sonic range that Price is capable of, I was delighted to see him dabble in darker and more dissonant material under his Tracques alias. “Lunartick” is poised precisely along the intersection of techno and electro with masterful driving beats beneath a squelching acid bass sound. Nuanced builds and arrangement elements here seem calculated to leave producers’ jaws on the floor.
1. Jacques Lu Cont – In the Night (Original Mix)
This recent Bromance banger remains one of JLC’s finest works to date. High octane electro synths and dynamic snare-work lie at the heart of its undeniable dance floor appeal. The composition of the massive and memorable build is simply another reminder why Price is so highly regarded behind the monitors.
Categories: Music