La Phaze emerged in France as an electro-rock outfit that drew particular inspiration from drum'n'bass and punk rock. Damny Baluteau, handling vocals, keyboards, and bass, joined forces with guitarist Arnaud Fournier to establish the band in 1999, aiming to merge drum'n'bass rhythms with guitar-driven rock into a live-friendly electro-rock sound. Once DJ Mouf joined on turntables, the group issued its first commercial recording, the six-track EP Cushy Time, through the Jarring Effects label in 2000. Two years afterward, La Phaze delivered its debut full-length album, Pungle Roads (2002), on The Modern Things imprint; the following year Small Axe reissued the record alongside the companion remix collection Punglistic Mixture (2003). Aurélien Walter, performing as DJ Nevrax, took over turntable duties from DJ Mouf in 2004, after which the band released its second studio album, Fin de Cycle (2005), via Because Music, one of France’s leading independent labels. Former Superbus drummer Guillaume Roussé, known as Rouzman, then stepped in for Walter ahead of the third album, Miracle (2008), which appeared again on Because Music and registered on the French albums chart.
