Biography
Emerging in 1995 as a self-proclaimed house-with-guitars unit, <> coalesced around French duo Jean-Philippe Freu and Patrice "Patou" Carrié after their earlier indie bands dissolved. The pair cut an eponymous debut for Spain’s Elefant label with programming assistance from Johnny Palumbo and then expanded to a seven-piece lineup for French touring. Shortly afterward PIAS, a prominent French imprint, took them aboard and issued the EP Le Mobilier in 1998. A Parisian opening slot for Underworld lent the outfit tentative standing within electronic circles, paving the way for their first full-length album, Installation Sonore, which V2 released in mid-1999. Music Kills Me arrived in 2002, yet disappointing sales prompted the loss of international distribution. A limited pressing of Schizophonia surfaced in 2005, but momentum returned once Apple licensed the track “Cubicle” for an iPod campaign. V2 renewed its global commitment and compiled an eponymous retrospective covering 1997 through 2005 so new listeners could acquaint themselves with the catalog. Following an international tour to promote that greatest-hits set, the duo paused briefly before reconvening to deliver Futurino in 2009.
Albums
Singles
