Vitalic

Rave AgeDifferent **

The biggest thing in dance music in 2012 was the Stateside rise (and rise) of electronic. It has brought a new lease on life – and increased bank balances – for Europeans such as David Guetta and Swedish House Mafia. So perhaps that's what Pascal Arbez had in mind when he decided to join the bandwagon on his new album. Rave Age is supersized maximal-house with one booming, full-on barrage after another, and there's little to differentiate one of the Frenchman's big over-the-top clatters from the next. The album is also squarely retro in scope, taking pointers from the rave era, but without any empathy for that scene's touching, gauche naivety. It's telling that Fade Away, the one track which bursts through the clutter, works because the producer adds some tender sweetness and light to the mix. vitalic.org

Download:Fade Away