PARIS (CelebrityAccess) Philippe Zdar, 52, influential French music producer and one-half of electronic act Cassius, died June 19 in Paris after accidentally falling through the window of a building.
His death was confirmed by email to the New York Times by his booking agent, Anthony Ferrat.
Zdar worked with artists including Kanye West and rock band Phoenix and, in the 1990s, performed as Cassius with Hubert Blanc-Francard. The two had previously produced songs for French rapper MC Solaar. He was also a major player in the electronic music movement “French Touch,” which found global popularity in the late 1990s and early 2000s, most notably with Daft Punk.
Cassius’s first album in three years is expected to be released tomorrow, according to the NYT. Zdar, still in demand as a DJ, was expected to play SummerStage in Central Park in New York on Sunday.
Zdar earned a Grammy in 2010 for his work on Phoenix’s album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix for best alternative music album. After that, artists like Pharrell and West came calling, recording at his studio in Paris named Motorbass.
He told the NYT in 2015 that he only let artists record there if he liked their music.
“I don’t want to have bad music here,” he said. “I have the feeling that it might enter the walls. I believe in vibes.”
Awful news about Phillipe Zdar, what an unbelievably lovely man with an incredible legacy. I was mesmerized by this record as a 15 year old https://t.co/H79OZ19Nxq
— Calvin Harris (@CalvinHarris) June 20, 2019
RIP Philippe Zdar, a visionary and tectonic force who shaped the geography of modern dance music. I am so sorry to the many friends who mourn his sudden and terrible loss tonight.
— THE BLACK MADONNA (@blackmadonnachi) June 20, 2019
h/t New York Times
