While Parisian duo Cassius wasn’t officially born until the mid-’90s, its principal members—Hubert Blanc-Francard, a.k.a. Boom Bass, and Philippe Cerboneschi, a.k.a. Philippe Zdar, who passed away in June 2019—had actually worked together since the late ’80s, first producing for MC Solaar and then recording together as La Funk Mob. Starting with 1999’s aptly titled 1999 LP and following through each of their subsequent albums, Cassius wove together funk, electro, techno, disco and just about every other genre into their singular dance-floor aesthetic, one which became a key part of the foundation of the French touch sound. Within genre cornerstones such as the bloopy, funky “1999” and “Feeling for You”, you’ll hear plenty of synth and beat experimentation, lush vocals, chopped-up samples and irresistible rhythms, as well as more obscure ventures into electronic textures. Is it any wonder why JAY-Z, Kanye West and Daft Punk are fans?