It's already been a decade since the Paris resident Erwan Castex, i.e. Rone, released his pivotal sophomore album Tohu Bohu. An effort that warranted all the praise he received in the area of electronica, house, hip-hop and techno, this reissue arrives on two slabs of red vinyl, and comes with an exclusive sticker sheet to accompany the update version.
A listen where every track was obviously labored over to yield the most amount of intrigue, the mysterious, cinematic “Tempelhof” starts the listen with a bright and rhythmic version of synth-pop that's tailor made for the club. This is followed by the more focused “Bye Bye Macadam,” which doesn't shy away from beats in its lush, stylish atmosphere.
The middle is where some of the best tracks reside, including the sci-fi flavored electro-pop of “Fugu Kiss,” which flirts with a dreamy backdrop, as well as the strong attention to mood that comprises the cautious and exploratory “Beast.”
There’s a couple of guest spots included, first with High Priest, of Antipop Consortium fame, who contributes fluid vocal duties on the mesmerizing “Let's Go.” At the end, “Icare” features Gaspar Claus, whose absorbing cello skills help build a foundation of orchestral, ambient and soaring textures that really are quite captivating, almost cathartic.
The album's best track, however, is “Parade,” where a glitchy and melodic setting includes calm gestures and energetic bursts of creative and stirring downtempo pop that's as colorful as it is tuneful.
I'd say that Tohu Bohu holds up quite well in the 10 years since it was released, and easily excels against the legions of similar bands that exists today thanks to its depth, ingenuity and lasting power.