How obvious is it to write about a certain Jean-Baptiste de Laubier, better known as Para One? I know he’s no stranger to most of you but he’s just got a Soundcloud account and in the spirit of awesomeness that sums him up he’s given away some free tracks. First of all is Gum. This sounds like he’s decided to do a quick-fire remix of Caribou’s Sun, just taking a single note and building his own throbbing, glitchy electronic track around it. So far, so Para. Next is his remix of Arnaud Fleurent Didier’s France Culture. It’s not exactly what you’ll be expecting if you’re looking at Epiphanie or his releases for Sound Pellegrino and BNR Trax. Unreleased, he’s leaked this 07-vintage track for us, an achingly beautiful adaptation of the sorrowful monologue from the French singer (there’s not even an English Wiki on him) – as he says himself, it’s not what you might expect: “I should warn you right away: it’s MOODY as fuck. don’t expect any dancing unless you can dance in slow motion while crying.”

That said, if you’ve ever listened to his soundtrack for the 2007 film Naissance des pieuvres (I actually went to see this in the cinema just because he did the soundtrack), then you’ll be delighted to hear this. That was my first wake-up call to the fact that it’s not all Dudun-Dun and Clubhoppn, and that Midnight Swim-ming could be something gentle and mournful, not just driving and pulsating.  Simple yet powerful chords, a lilting saxophone, dancing arpeggios, it’s simply beautiful, and I hope it adds some joyous melancholy to your week.

Download: [wpaudio url=”https://truantsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Arnaud-Fleurent-Didier-France-Culture-Para-One-remix1.mp3″ text=”ARNAUD FLEURENT-DIDIER – FRANCE CULTURE (PARA ONE REMIX)”] (320 kbps)

Download: [wpaudio url=”https://truantsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Para-One-Gum1.mp3″ text=”PARA ONE – GUM”] (320 kbps)