Octet

French electronic pop duo Octet unites François Goujon with Benjamin Morando. A native of Rennes, Goujon previously played drums in Lighthouse, while Parisian Morando belonged to the D*I*R*T*Y sound system. The pair launched Octet as an exclusively electronic project before shifting toward a hybrid that merged glitchy, playful electronica with conventional instrumental and vocal pop and soul as well as classical elements. Their debut EP, The Buxtehude Years 1999-2001, embodied this contrast through vocal contributions from Suzanne Thoma—who has also worked with M83—alongside remixes by Readymade FC, setting the stage for the full-length Cash and Carry Songs. That album incorporated Thoma alongside additional vocalists and fused soul, electronica, classical, and pop sensibilities; it appeared in France and Germany in early 2004 before reaching the U.S. later that summer.