Alain Quême (French pronunciation: [alɛ̃ kɛm]), known professionally as Alan Braxe (born 9 July 1971), is a French electronic musician. He is most widely known for his collaborative work with the musicians Fred Falke and Kris Menace, and for being part of the musical trio Stardust. In 2005, he released The Upper Cuts, a collection of his previously released material. He is the cousin of French electronic musician DJ Falcon.

Alan Braxe
Braxe in 2019
Braxe in 2019
Background information
Birth nameAlain Quême
Born (1971-07-09) 9 July 1971 (age 53)
Paris, France
Genres
Years active1996–present
LabelsVulture Music (France)

Biography

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Alan Braxe started playing the clarinet and cello at an early age. In the late 1980s, he became a DJ in Paris. He started producing his own dance music using only a mixer, a compressor, and an Emu SP1200.

Within a year, Braxe's early demos attracted the attention of Thomas Bangalter, and Braxe's debut single, "Vertigo", was released in 1997 via Bangalter's Roulé label. In 1998, Braxe, Bangalter, and Benjamin Diamond decided to form collaborative project called Stardust, and their single "Music Sounds Better With You", which was released in the same year, was a hit, selling over 3 million copies.[1][2]

Following this success, Braxe in 1999 inaugurated his own record label, Vulture, releasing collaborations with the DJ and producer Fred Falke. He also remixed for a crew of artists both popular and underground – a list that features Beyoncé, Test Icicles, and Ford and Lopatin. Over the next two decades, Braxe's production credits and own releases swelled to nearly 100 titles.

While approaching the 20th anniversary of Stardust's smash success and the Vulture's launch, Braxe stripped his studio of all things digital, and starts to experiment with a Buchla modular synthesizer, echoing his first setup's minimalism, resulting in a more stripped back, simple and sparse analogue electronic sound. This resulted in The Ascent EP, that was released in 2019, with four tracks.[3]

In summer 2021, Alan Braxe, along with Henrik Olsen, released Another Life, under the alias Saudade, on Ministry of Sound Records. The track is produced by Hal Ritson (The Young Punx). The track is a throwback to the French House sounds of the late 90s.

In 2022, DJ Falcon and Alan Braxe debuted new music on a new record label Smugglers Way, an imprint of Domino, that intends to release new and old French house music from the duo and from other artists.[4] In addition to this, the pair announced the two had begun making music as a duo named Braxe + Falcon - with their first single in March, their first EP in August, and a debut solo album intended for release in early 2023. Their debut single features vocals from Panda Bear. A rerelease of Braxe's compilation album The Upper Cuts will release from Smugglers Way in November.[5]

Discography

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Albums

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  • The Upper Cuts – Alan Braxe & Friends (2005)
  • Vulture Music Mixed By Alan Braxe (2007)
  • TBA – Braxe + Falcon (2023)
  • Moments in Time EP – Alan Braxe with The Spimes (2013)
  • The Ascent EP (2019)
  • Silence at Sea (Inspired By ‘The Outlaw Ocean’ A Book By Ian Urbina) (2021)
  • Step By Step EP – Braxe + Falcon (2022)[6]
  • Step By Step Remixes EP (2023)[6]

Singles

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  • "Vertigo" (1997)
  • Running – "Intro" / "Most Wanted" – Alan Braxe & Fred Falke (2000)
  • "Palladium" / "Penthouse Serenade" – Alan Braxe & Fred Falke (2002)
  • "Love Lost" – Alan Braxe & Fred Falke (2003)
  • Rubicon – "Rubicon" / "Arena" / "Chrystal City" – Alan Braxe & Fred Falke (2004)
  • "You'll Stay In My Heart" – Alan Braxe & Fred Falke feat. Savage (2005)
  • "Lumberjack" – Alan Braxe & Kris Menace (2007)
  • "Addicted" (2008)
  • "Nightwatcher (Show Me)" – Alan Braxe feat. Killa Kela & Fallon (2008)
  • "One More Chance" – Alan Braxe with The Spimes (2013)
  • "Bonus Beat One" (2013)
  • "Words" (2019)
  • "Step By Step" / "Creative Source" – Braxe + Falcon (2022)
  • "All This Love" – Braxe + Falcon feat. Bibio (2024)

Remix credits

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Year Title Artist Album
1998 "Loopduell 1" (Alan Braxe Mix) Ian Pooley Non-album single
"I Feel Good Things For You" (Alan Braxe Mix 1) Daddy's Favourite Non-album single
"I Feel Good Things For You" (Alan Braxe Mix 2) Non-album single
"Alarm Call" (French Dub) Björk Homogenic
"Alarm Call" (French Edit)
1999 "Fall In Love" (Remix) B.O.C Productions Non-album single
2000 "In Your Arms" (We Gonna Make It Mix) Benjamin Diamond Strange Attitude
2001 "At Night" (Alan Braxe Remix) Shakedown You Think You Know
2002 "Anticipating" (Remix by Alan Braxe) Britney Spears Britney
"Hypnotize" (Mandrax & Braxe Remix) Shadow Company Non-album single
2004 "Miss U Less, See U More" (Alan Braxe Mix) Faithless No Roots
"Heartbeat" (Alan Braxe Remix) Annie Anniemal
2005 "Number 1" (Alan Braxe & Fred Falke Radio Edit) Goldfrapp Supernature
"Let's Get High" (Alan Braxe Remix) Benjamin Diamond Out Of Myself
"Black History Month" (Alan Braxe & Fred Falke Remix) Death from Above 1979 You're a Woman, I'm a Machine
"Only This Moment" (Alan Braxe Remix) Röyksopp The Understanding
2006 "What's Your Damage?" (Alan Braxe & Fred Falke Remix) Test Icicles For Screening Purposes Only
"Runaway" (Alan Braxe & Fred Falke Remix) Jamiroquai High Times: Singles 1992–2006
"That's What Dreams Are Made Of" (Alan Braxe Remix) Space Cowboy Digital Rock
"So Far Away" (Alan Braxe Remix) John Lord Fonda DeBaSer
"Discopolis" (Alan Braxe Remix) Lifelike & Kris Menace Non-album single
"Bossy" (Alan Braxe & Fred Falke Remix) Kelis feat. Too Short Kelis Was Here
"Bossy" (Alan Braxe & Fred Falke Earth Out Remix)
"Girl That Speaks No Words" (Alan Braxe And Fred Falke Remix) Infadels We Are Not The Infadels
"Kelly" (Alan Braxe & Fred Falke Remix) Van She V
"Mona Lisa's Child" (Alan Braxe & Fred Falke Mix) Keith Red Thread
"Alright" (Alan Braxe and Fred Falke Remix) Jamiroquai Travelling Without Moving
2007 "Lonely Road" (Alan Braxe & Shakedown Mix) Shakedown Spellbound
"2 Hearts" (Alan Braxe Remix) Kylie X
"D.A.N.C.E." (Alan Braxe And Fred Falke Remix) Justice
"Take It Like a Man" (Alan Braxe & Fred Falke Remix) Dragonette Galore
2009 "Life Is Still Beautiful" (Alan Braxe Main Mix) The Orange Lights Life Is Still Beautiful
"Life Is Still Beautiful" (Alan Braxe Dub)
"The Cult Of Romance" (Alan Braxe Remix) Fenech Soler Non-album single
"Broken-Hearted Girl" (Alan Braxe Remix) Beyoncé I Am... Sasha Fierce
"Broken-Hearted Girl" (Alan Braxe Dub)
2010 "White Knuckle Ride" (Alex Braxe Remix) Jamiroquai Rock Dust Light Star
"The Writer" (Alan Braxe Remix) Ellie Goulding Lights
"Los Feeling" (Alan Braxe Remix) Visitor Non-album single
"Narcissus" (Alan Braxe Remix) Pacific! Narcissus
2011 "X Girl" (Alan Braxe Remix) Teenage Bad Girl Backwash
"Jona Vark" (Alan Braxe Remix) Gypsy & The Cat Gilgamesh
"By My Side" (Remix By Alan Braxe) Twin Twin Vive la vie
"Too Much MIDI (Please Forgive Me)" (Alan Braxe Remix) Ford & Lopatin Channel Pressure Remixes
"Too Much MIDI (Please Forgive Me)" (Alan Braxe Bonus Remix)
2013 "Sheila" (Alan Braxe Remix) Memory Tapes Grace / Confusion
"In Alpha" (Alan Braxe Remix) I:Cube In Alpha EP
"Fall" (Alan Braxe Remix) The Presets Pacifica
"Evil Eye" (Alan Braxe Remix) Franz Ferdinand Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action
"Evil Eye" (Alan Braxe Remix)
2014 "An Open Heart" (Alan Braxe Remix) Bright Light Bright Light Life Is Easy
"Overdrive" (Alan Braxe Remix) Lifelike Non-album single
2015 "Here I Am" (Braxe Remix) Tom Odell Wrong Crowd
"Music Of Life" (Alan Braxe Remix) Cerrone The Golden Touch (Cerrone IV)
"Supernature" (Alan Braxe Mix) Supernature (Cerrone III)
2016 "Slow Love" (Alan Braxe Remix) Gigamesh Time Travel
2018 "Les Oxalis" (Alan Braxe Remix) Charlotte Gainsbourg Rest
2021 "In Love With You" (Alan Braxe Remix) The Paradise Non-album single
2022 "Bubble Guts" (Braxe + Falcon Remix) A-Trak Non-album single
"Eleanor" (Braxe + Falcon Remix) Hot Chip Freakout/Release
"Good Times" (Braxe + Falcon Remix) Jungle Non-album single
2023 "Winter Solstice" (Braxe + Falcon Remix) Phoenix Alpha Zulu

Other songs

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Title Title Artist Album
1998 "Music Sounds Better with You" Stardust Non-album single
2003 "In Love With You" The Paradise Non-album single
2004 "Horizon" Alan Braxe & Fred Falke Rubicon (DVD-Video Version)
2005 "Defender" / "Bliss" Defender Non-album single
2007 "Automatic" Alan Braxe & Fred Falke Vulture Music Mixed By Alan Braxe
"Haze" Alan Braxe
2021 "Another Life" Saudade Non-album single

Other appearances

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Year Title Artist Album
2000 "Read In Your Mind" Benjamin Diamond Strange Attitude
2009 "Sunset" Lifelike Non-album single
2016 "So Much It Hurts" / "You Stole My Heart Away" / "You Want The Sun" / "Play It On My Radio" / "Lost UB" / "Miami Beach" / "Pretty Babies" / "Empires" / "Sister Brother Mother Father" Niki & The Dove Everybody's Heart Is Broken Now
"Red Lips" Cerrone Red Lips

References

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  1. ^ Bein, Kat (28 June 2019). "Stardust On The Gay Bars, Firings & Failures That Led To 'Music Sounds Better With You'". Billboard.
  2. ^ Rogersonpublished, Ben (28 June 2019). "How Stardust made Music Sounds Better With You… and why it was their only release". MusicRadar. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  3. ^ Middleton, Ryan (18 November 2019). "French Touch Pioneer Alan Braxe Relaunches Label With New EP 'The Ascent'". Magnetic Magazine. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  4. ^ "Legendary Producers Alan Braxe & DJ Falcon Join For First Collaborative Release As Braxe + Falcon | News | Domino". Domino Recording Company. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  5. ^ "The Return of French House Pioneers Alan Braxe and DJ Falcon". Pitchfork. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Braxe + Falcon announce 'Step By Step Remixes' EP | News | Domino". Domino Recording Company. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
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