During the second half of the 1990s, Paris experienced a dance music revolution thanks to groundbreaking artists like Daft Punk, Air, Super Discount, Motorbass, Cassius, Dimitri from Paris, Bob Sinclar and many, many more. It was a scene that became known as French Touch and was heralded throughout the world as the epitome of dance music cool, forever placing Paris on the dance culture map.

Journalist and author Martin James was there right from the start, documenting the scene from its inspirations to its earliest moments and onto its global breakthrough. In the process, he inadvertently provided the French Touch moniker that became adopted throughout the world.

“Through early adventures at French house and techno events, I found myself in the middle of the emergence of a new breed of mainly Parisian producers and artists whose sound encompassed the entire range of electronic music,” James explains. “When I tried to convince editors to commission me to write about this nascent scene, many reacted by denying that France had anything useful to offer. So I set about mapping a history of French electronic music with the aim of showing the significance France has to global electronic music culture.”

Drawing on a dazzling array of exclusive interviews with the biggest names in French electronic music history, French Connections explores France’s significant contribution to dance music culture that paved the way for the French Touch explosion.

Includes interviews with: Daft Punk, Laurent Garnier, Cerrone, Jean Jacques Perrey, Motorbass, Chris Le Friant (aka Bob Sinclar), Air, Etienne de Crecy, La Funk Mob, Cassius, The Micronauts, Stardust, Benjamin Diamond, Modjo, DJ GilbR, i-Cube, DJ Cam and many more…

“Endlessly informative and thoroughly enjoyable, James manages to bring even the most boring artists (Air) to vibrant life with his energetic prose and rich imagery.” Bob Stanley, Mojo

“(James) has a rare, imagistic talent for evoking the unearthly sounds of modern dance music.” The Guardian

“Viva Monsieur James! Essential reading for all fans of Gallic grooves.” DJ Mag

“If ever a book was overdue then it’s this one, which charts the influence of French electronica on the world outside the hexagon over the past decade or so… tres bien.” Select