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Valerie History

Lorsque j’ai créé le blog en avril 2007, je l’ai appelé Valerie pour faire écho à ce prénom des années 80 qui m’a toujours inspiré. Dans ce projet, ma démarche première était de rassembler les références de mon enfance. J’adore, en effet, chercher plein d’images sur internet car tous ces scans de magazines regorgent d’idées graphiques et m’inspirent beaucoup pour la musique. La même année, j’ai rencontré Anoraak et là, je me suis dit qu’il y a vraiment un truc à faire sur Nantes, d’autant qu’en parallèle plusieurs de mes amis créaient de nouveaux projets comme The Outrunners et Maethelvin. J’ai rencontré peu après Minitel Rose, et on a vite décidé de créer un Myspace pour présenter les œuvres du collectif.

La première Valerie Party a été l’occasion d’inviter Russ Chimes avec qui nous sommes devenus très amis, jusqu’à en faire l’ultime membre du collectif et le seul représentant Britannique .Notre identité graphique est signée par le collectif allemand The Zonders, découvert grâce au blog Discodust, et avec qui a eu lieu une vraie rencontre artistique. Après deux années d’existence, le blog est devenu une véritable œuvre multimédia, qui allie la musique à l’image et stimule la créativité. C’est pour nous, un moyen de partager nos références artistiques fondatrices tout en tenant une sorte de cahier de tendance, alimenté chaque semaine par des découvertes et des nouveautés exclusives.

When I created this blog back in April 2007, I wanted to name it “Valerie” as an echo of a popular name from the 1980s, a period which has always inspired me. My first step was to begin collecting various references from my childhood. Searching the internet for scans of old magazines, and artwork abundant in the retro futuristic aesthetics that inspire me and my music so much. In the same year, I met Anoraak, and thought to myself that there could really be something we could start from our small town of Nantes, no sooner had this though arrived, i discovered some of my friends created new projects called The Outrunners and Maethelvin. Soon after I met Minitel Rose, and we quickly decided to create a single Myspace profile which unified us all and presented the works of our new collective.

Our first Valerie Party was an opportunity to invite over Russ Chimes to play a DJ set, with whom we became very friendly, until we invited him to become final member of the collective and the only British representative. Our graphic direction is produced by the German collective The Zonders, discovered through the fabulous blog Discodust (many thanks), and started fantastic artistic partnership. After two years of existence, this blog has become a real multimedia project, which connects the music to the image and stimulates all of our creativity. It is for us, a means to celebrate the founders our artistic references, while also serving as kind of exercise book of inspiration, fed every week by new discoveries and exclusive gifts.

College

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The Collective

College

artist_college

Born in 1979, David Grellier aka College revisits the culture and the soundtracks of American TV shows and movies of the 80’s. His music is minimalist and sweet, intended as an echo of the cinematic themes of his childhood. In 2007, he created Valerie, along with his friends The Outrunners, Maethelvin, Anoraak, Minitel Rose and Russ Chimes. A blog and a collective who’s aim is to value and share the musical and artistic resources of it’s members. After several gigs in numerous european capitals this year, he will release his debut album “Secret Diary” on Futur Records this autumn.

www.myspace.com/collegeoflove

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Anoraak

artist_fred

Anoraak: is a romantic, has seen Karate Kid too many times, is working on a collaboration with Kris Menace, dreams of Melbourne and San Francisco, is at ease with his nerdiness, is often late, Plays synth and sings at the same time, can only relax on a plane when he listens to Minie Ripperton’s “Adventures in Paradise”, never leaves his sunglasses, never says no to a Margarita or a quality Whisky, likes sunsets, has released his first mini album “Nightdrive With You”.

www.myspace.com/anoraak

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Minitel Rose

artist_minitel

Minitel Rose is an electro-disco trio originally from Nantes, France. The group is composed of Raphael, Romain and Quentin. Their premier album, The French Machine, was released in May of 2008.

www.myspace.com/minitelrose

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Russ Chimes

artist_russ

Russ Chimes is a producer from London (who is also a member of French retro-futuristic collective Valerie), and blends some seriously catchy 80’s synth hooks with some really impressive layering and lush composition, all topped with a groove that can keep you dancing until the sun comes up over the beach front palm trees.

He’s already come to receive some significant blog attention for his own tracks and has already knocked out stellar remixes for the likes of Sam Sparro, Chromeo, The Golden Filter and Heads We Dance. With an E.P and new remixes in the pipeline he is definitely one to watch this year.

So if you’re in that kind of miami-neon sort of mood then head over to Russ’s myspace page, as She’s Got The Heat is what you need playing out of your drop top Ferrari 328. Seriously.

www.myspace.com/russchimes

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The Outrunners

artist_outrunners

Burning ribbons of asphalt, The Outrunners brings you the original soundtrack of a future under fluorescent light. Enforcing their rules with analogic warfare and weird digital manipulations, the boys will take you where only the toughest and coolest can go!

www.myspace.com/theoutrunners

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Maethelvin

artist_maethelvin
Maethelvin’s project was initiated in 2007. Fascinated by digital sound, he provides a perfect sound-track for car-chasing and TV shows from the 80’s, falling somewhere between forgotten Italo-disco melodies, and Jan Hammer’s soundtracks. As a DJ, Maethelvin is providing well-powered DJ sets, from italo-disco to future-disco, reviewing 20 years of creation in electronic music, with a strong dancefloor feeling.

www.myspace.com/maethelvin

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