Rone (born Erwan Castex, 20 June 1980) is a French electronic music producer and artist.
Early career Erwan Castex was born in Boulogne-Billancourt, France. He grew up in Paris. His first EP, "Bora", came out in 2008 on the French label InFiné.Interview_Rone, BeatsandBeyond Crew, Beats and Beyond, 8 December 2012. French DJ/Producer Agoria selected the track for his mix compilation "At the Controls", attracting support from the UK (Massive Attack's 3D, Sasha and London's Fabric resident DJ Lee Burridge).Rone talks inspiration, Dj Pangburn, Death and Taxes, Nov. 3, 2012.
2009–2010: Debut album Spanish Breakfast In 2009, Rone released a new maxi, entitled "La Dame Blanche". The track was later remixed by LCD Soundsystem's bass player Tyler Pope and Austrian electronic music artist Clara Moto. The same year he brought out his first album Spanish Breakfast, also on Infiné. Electronic Beats ranked him in their top 25 Best Albums of 2009.Electronic Beats The Top 25 Records of 2009, EB team, Electronic Beats, Jan. 4, 2010.
2011–2012: Berlin, new inspiration, new album In 2011, in search of new inspiration, Rone left his hometown of Paris for Berlin.Interview Rone, Leo Pollock, The Burlington Project This led in the spring of 2011 to the release of the EP So So So. A second album entitled Tohu Bohu (Biblical Hebrew expression meaning chaos) followed in October 2012, likewise on Infiné.The Genesis of Rone, Nathan Reese, Interview (magazine) The album featured the single "Let's Go", with vocals by US rapper High Priest from New York's Antipop Consortium.X Rone & High Priest, Cécilia Leniaud, WAD (magazine), Nov. 8, 2012. Resident Advisor gave the album 4 out of 5Rone - Tohu Bohu review, Stephane Girard, Resident Advisor, Nov. 2012. and Rone won three 2012 Trax Magazine awards: Best French Artist, Best Album and Best Music Video.
Tohu Bohu gave rise to three singles: "Parade", "Bye Bye Macadam" and "Let's Go". All three singles were promoted by videos, the most successful, "Bye Bye Macadam", having been viewed more than 40 million times on YouTube and been shown on Cartoon Network in Adult Swim's Off the Air episode "Worship".YouTube: Rone - Bye Bye Macadam (Official Video), March 20, 2017
2013: Tohu Bohu Tour, collaborations and Tohu Bonus Early in 2013, the US indie band The National asked Rone to add some electronic sequences to their new album Trouble Will Find Me on 4AD. The National's lead singer Matt Berninger said in an interview, "Rone's work has brought something fresh to our sound, I’m not saying we re-invented ourselves as a band, but we’ve opened new doors".The National: un nouvel album plein de légèreté, Jérôme Provençal, Les Inrockuptibles, June 5, 2013
The same year, Gabriel & Dresden, Juan Atkins,Hear Detroit Techno Godfather Juan Atkins' Throbbing Remix of Rone's "Bye Bye Macadam, Philip Sherburne, Spin, April 19, 2013 Clark (musician)Radio Vinyle #37 , Marie Richeux, Radio France, March 20, 2014 and Dominik Eulberg remixed respectively the tracks "Bye Bye Macadam", "Let's Go", and "Parade". Jean-Michel JarreELECTRONIC MUSIC PIONEER JEAN MICHEL JARRE RELEASES NEW COMPILATION FOR INFINÉ, Fact (UK magazine), Jan. 15, 2013 selected two of his tracks to feature on the compilation "Infiné by JMJ".Jean Michel Jarre: Metamorphosis, Aaron Coultate, Resident Advisor, March 4, 2013 The album Tohu Bohu was later re-released with a bonus disc with 6 unreleased tracks; one of them features John Stanier on drums.Rone "Pool" [ft. John Stanier], Nick Neyland, Pitchfork, July 2, 2013.
2014: Apache EP – North American tour 2014 saw the release of the Apache EP, in April.Rone - Bachi-Bouzouk, Larry Fitzmaurice, Pitchfork, March 24, 2014 Simultaneously Rone toured North America for the first time, finishing with an appearance at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival's The Do LaB Stage.Listen to Rone's 'Apache' EP for InFiné, Melkorka Licea, xlr8r, April 2, 2014. In the same year, Rone made remixes for French pop singer Etienne DahoRone remix "En Surface" d'Etienne Daho, Louis Lepron, Konbini, June 5, 2014. and the band Breton.Exclusive Rone remix for Breton, Carhartt, March 18, 2014.
Testing new technologies Rone also collaborated with sound engineers from Radio France on binaural versions of the tracks "Apache", "Quitter la ville" and "Acid Reflux", reproducing an audio 3D effect."Un titre de Rone en binaural : faites l'expérience !", Guillaume Ledit, Mouv, 28 mars 2014.
2015 : Third album: Creatures After tours around the world, Rone returned to Paris and released his third album, Creatures, on 9 February 2015. Various artists collaborated on this album: Étienne Daho, François Marry (leader of pop group Frànçois and The Atlas Mountains), cellist Gaspar Claus, Bryce Dessner (co-leader of the group The National), and trumpet player Toshinori Kondo.
Rone also released a 360° virtual reality project, Quitter La Ville, in collaboration with La Blogothèque. The video was one of the first digital simulation clips, making him a pioneer in the Virtual Reality field.1ers-clips-360-degres-rone.html "Réalité virtuelle : 1ers clips à 360° pour Björk et Rone", Romain Heuillard, Clubic, 8 juin 2015.
2017: La Philharmonie de Paris / Fourth album: Mirapolis On 14 January 2017, Rone performed a bespoke piece at the Philharmonie de Paris for which he invited various guest artists: the drummer John Stanier of the group Battles, the science-fiction writer Alain Damasio, and the leader of Frànçois and The Atlas Mountains François Marry.
On 23 March 2017, Castex received the French honorary decoration of Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
On 3 November 2017, Rone released his fourth album Mirapolis. The title was inspired by his childhood memories at the Mirapolis theme park, which closed in 1991. For Mirapolis, Castex pushed further his collaborative work, working alongside film director Michel Gondry who illustrated the album cover. His fourth album also includes various international collaborators: John Stanier, the drummer from Battles (formerly also Helmet), Kazu Makino from the vocal trio Blonde Redhead, Bryce Dessner, the guitarist of The National, and Baxter Dury.
2020: Room With A View Invited by Ruth Mackenzie, the artistic director of Théâtre du Châtelet, Rone received a carte blanche for 9 performances, from March 5 to 14. Rone decided to collaborate with the collective for Room With A View. This project was both a musical and choreographic piece, performed by 18 dancers from the Ballet national de Marseille. This creative project mainly addresses the messages of climate change. Simultaneously, Room With A View became the artist's fifth album.
In 2020, Rone composed the original soundtrack for the feature film Night Ride. The score led to him being awarded the prize for best original soundtrack at the Festival International du film de Saint- Jean-de Luzz and at the Festival de La Baule. Rone also took home the 2021 César Award for Best Original Music.
2021: Rone & Friends - L(oo)ping After previous projects being held back due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rone decided to produce a collaborative album with his vocalists Odezenne, Georgia, Jehnny Beth, Dominique A, Laura Etchgoyhen, Alain Damasio, Mood, Flavien Berger, Yael Naim, Malibu, Camélia Jordana, Casper Clausen, Melissa Laveaux and Roya Arab.
On 25 and 26 June 2021, Rone released L(oo)ping, an electro-classic concert, held at the Auditorium Maurice-Ravel, accompanied by 81 musicians from the Orchestre national de Lyon, the pianist Vanessa Wagner and the choir Bostgehio, under the direction of the Belgian conductor Dirk Brossé.
Discography Studio albums Year TitleLabel2009 Spanish Breakfast InFiné 2012 Tohu Bohu InFiné 2013 Tohu Bonus InFiné 2015CreaturesInFiné2017MirapolisInFiné2020Room With A ViewInFiné2020La Nuit Venue (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)InFiné2021Rone & FriendsInFinéCollaborative album — Dominique A, Yael Naim, Camélia Jordana, Georgia, Casper Clausen...2021Les Olympiades (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)InFiné
Live albums Year TitleLabel2023 L(oo)ping Live with Orchestre national de Lyon InFiné
Extended plays YearTitleLabel2008BoraInFiné 2009La Dame BlancheInFiné 2011So So SoInFiné 2012ParadeInFiné 2013Bye Bye MacadamInFiné Let's Go2014ApacheInFiné 2016Vood(oo)InFiné 2019MotionInFiné 2022GhostsInFiné
Remixes
YearArtistTrackLabel2008SieSublimesTime has changed RecordsCarl-Johan ElgerKattguldLo-FiSoul2010Ripperton & MinzCrackSuruba XSinnerDCThe Medium Is The MessageAi Records2011ArandelIn D#3InFinéDominik EulbergDer Tanz der GluehwuermchenTraum Schallplatten2012Max Cooper (electronica musician) SimplexityTraum Schallplatten2014Breton (band)15 minutesBelieveEtienne DahoEn SurfacePolydor/Universal Music France2015Yael NaimCowardTôt ou tardAufgangSummerBlue Note/Universal Music France2018JabberwockyFogPolydor/Universal Music FranceBlonde RedheadWhere Your Mind Wants To GoAsa Wa Kuru/Ponderose Gaspar Claus, Gasper ClausenThe MachineLes Disques Du Festival Permanent2019Johnny HostileWorkPop Noire2021GoGo PenguinF Maj PixieDecca Records FranceAgnes ObelCan't BeDeutsche Grammophon GmbH, Strange Harvest LimitedJehnny BethFrench Countryside20L07
Collaborations
YearArtistTitleLabel2007Lucy & RoneChocolateBroqueLucy & RoneContinuity TheoryCurle2009Lucy & RoneCrackProgCity Deep TraxLucy & RoneGreat Heron2013 The NationalTrouble Will Find Me4AD2016 Jean-Michel JarreThe Heart Of Noise Pt. 1Sony Music
Filmography 2010: The Cord Woman (Original soundtrack). 2014: The Beast (short film) (Original soundtrack). 2016 : Half Sister, Full Love, Opening credits (Bye Bye Macadam) 2016 : I, Philip (Original soundtrack) 2016 : I Want Pluto to be a planet again (Original soundtrack). 2020 : Night Ride (Original soundtrack) 2021 : Paris, 13th District (feature film) / Les Olympiades (Original soundtrack) 2024 : The Mohican (Original soundtrack)
Choreographic pieces 2020: Room With A View, (La)Horde & Rode with the Ballet National de Marseille at the Théâtre du Châtelet
Distinctions 2016: Berlin Music Video Awards, nominated for Best Experimental for his work ACID REFLUX 2021: Berlin Music Video Awards, winner for Best Experimental for his work Room With a View 2017: Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres 2020: Grand Prix SACEM for electronic music 2019: Berlin Music Video Awards, nominated for Best Narrative for his work 'Wave' ft. Noga Erez 2021—46th César Awards: Disque d'Or of Cannes Soundtrack Award (Festival de Cannes) for the original soundtrack of Les Olympiades. 2022—47th César Awards: nominated for César Award for Best Original Music for Les Olympiades.
References
External links Rone homepage Rone discography on Discogs