Challenge, they say, is what makes life interesting. For Para One, his latest challenge (and perhaps his biggest success) was writing the soundtrack to the French film Naissance des Pieuvres (which translates as "Birth of Octopuses", I think). The album is strikingly different from his previous 2006 LP Epiphanie, which Para One describes as an exhibition of what he had been "loving, trying and discovering" for the previous four years. This has included, but is not limited to: production for TTC, work with fellow French producer Tacteel as Fuckaloop, as well as remixes for Daft Punk, MSTRKRFT, Teki Latex, and Datarock, among others. But the Naissance soundtrack marks a significant break in Para One's catalogue, it marks a move from "production" to "composition", from exploration and openness into conceptualization and emotiveness. At once, a challenge for himself and his listeners.

"I accepted the job [to score Naissance des Pieuvres," Para One (born Jean-Baptiste de Laubier) explained, "[while] thinking deep inside of me that I would quit! It seemed so hard to become a real composer who would say 'Okay, this scene is moody. Let me try some major chords.' So I tried because the challenge was exciting, and finally I made it; it took me almost a year and I had to adapt my methods to the situations."

The process of scoring the film meant ensuring that the music would fit the conceptual mold of film's scenes individually, and the film as a whole. The result, in this case, is a soundtrack that easily stands on its own as an album. It broods and drifts through brief vignettes and longer meditations, sharing more in common with Boards of Canada or Brian Eno than any recent Institubes release. The process writing the music for Naissance, Para One admits, altogether changed his approach to making music.

"It definitively changed my approach to writing songs," he said, "Now that I know I can be a valuable composer, I try to write down the chords sequences first, before searching the sounds. Then it can go anywhere." It will be interesting to see just where 'anywhere' will actually be. Right now, Para One and the rest of France's dance music scene aren't merely anywhere, they are everywhere. But when, on September 13th, the Institubes Terror Club roll through, Vancouver will become the focal point of this ubiquity. In true form though, Para One challenges himself to play live, manipulating and tweaking his own songs for the club rather than playing a DJ set.

"I think playing live is more interesting for me because I can learn every time from situations, crowds, atmospheres. I change my set for every gig so it's like a constantly moving laboratory, I'm trying new ideas every night and then taking them back to the studio," he explained when prompted about his approach to live performance. "Playing live is more risky, too. You have to rock the crowds with your own production, you can't drop the latest hit on people unless you produced it!"

The rise of new French dance/electronic music, catalyzed by leader labels Ed Banger and Institubes, has brought a universal change in how people accept and understand music that is made for clubs--especially on this side of the Atlantic. It has challenged listeners to shift their paradigms and see dance music outside of the framework of laughably serious, hyper-produced, Frankie Wilde super-techno. As a response to that 'other' dance music that has unknowingly become a parody of itself, the new French dance movement (along with its allies throughout the continent and the UK) create self-reflexive club music, which defies fans to examine what exactly electronic music is, and what it can be capable of.

I'm not sure if it is a complete renaissance, but critical acclaim for cutting edge electronic producers (namely French ones) means that music that was once quickly written off is now being taken seriously by critics and fans alike--just ask Justice, or Daft Punk, or if you're up for the challenge, ask Para One.

<p>Be sure to check out Para One with Surkin, Curses!, and Orgasmic at Richard's On Richards, September 12th. Check the <a href="http://vancouver.chalkedup.com/events/view/paris-terror-club-institubes"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">event listing</span></a> for deets.</p> <p>For more on Para One go <a href="http://www.myspace.com/paraone"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">here</span></a>.</p> <p>For more on <em>Naissance des Pieuvres</em> go <a href="http://www.myspace.com/pieuvres"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">here</span></a>.</p> <p>For more on the Institubes Tour go <a href="http://www.myspace.com/institubes"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">here</span></a>.</p> <p></p>