IN CONVERSATION WITH CASSIUS
Interview by Samo Šajn
Few acts have shaped French Touch quite like Cassius. From their early breakthroughs to global club influence. The duo, formed by Hubert Blanc-Francard and the late Philippe Zdar, built a legacy rooted in groove, experimentation, and emotional weight. Today, that story continues as Hubert Blanc-Francard enters a new chapter, bringing unreleased material like ‘Dance On’ back to life, now remixed by Young Marco.
‘Dance On’ comes from a very specific moment in your history. What did it feel like revisiting and releasing this track now?
It brings back memories of the pleasure we had with Philippe each time we released new music. Making or producing music in the studio is the most exciting thing, and it’s also exciting to hear it revisited by another producer. It feels like another brick in our musical wall.
The original already carries a strong emotional weight. What do you think Young Marco brought to it that makes it work in today’s clubs?
Young Marco is a great DJ and producer, so he brought his savoir-faire to it and made a track he would play in his own sets. I feel the same, and I hope other DJs will too.
How involved were you in shaping the direction of the remix, or did you want to give him full freedom?
When I ask someone for a remix, freedom is the main word. Sometimes it happens that there’s an exchange of ideas, but most of the time it’s “Do it and let’s see what happens.”
There’s a real sense of legacy around these upcoming live shows. Did that influence the decision to bring ‘Dance On’ back into focus?
Absolutely. It’s special to have a song we made together with Philippe that nobody knows yet. For me, that’s more exciting than releasing an old hit again to announce the live shows.
The French Touch sound has had a huge resurgence lately. How do you see yourself fitting into that current wave?
As I’m part of the first wave, I look at this one with interest, hoping it will bring something totally fresh and new. And I’m sure it will.
This track was created with Philippe Zdar. Does releasing it now change the way you personally connect to it?
Yes, especially because he never heard it finished as it is now. He would probably have wanted to change a lot of details until the very last minute.
The new A/V live show feels like an evolution of the project. What can people expect from this version of Cassius live?
It’s a real show, with a strong artistic direction both musically and visually. It will only feature our music, with new live edits, unheard versions, and new remixes. It’s not like a DJ set with different artists—it will span our whole history, from the beginning up to ‘Dance On.’
What feels different for you in this new phase of Cassius, both in the studio and on stage?
After everything we’ve done and experienced over the years, and everything I’ve been through, there’s now a sense of experience and wisdom. I feel freer and more direct in what I do. It’s a very interesting period for me.
Upcoming live A/V shows:
April 22 - Olympia, Paris
April 25 - Koko, London
