The Shoes

French electronic producers the Shoes, whose synth-pop sound drew from 1980s influences, first gained notice crafting tracks and remixes for Lana Del Rey, Gaëtan Roussel, and Shakira before stepping forward as recording artists themselves. Longtime friends Guillaume Brière and Benjamin Lebeau honed their skills in several school groups and later tasted modest success with the short-lived band the Film, whose song “Can You Touch Me” served as the theme for a car commercial. After that project dissolved, the pair returned to their native Reims and adopted the name the Shoes, joining an English-language music community that also included Lilly Wood & the Prick, the Dø, and Cocoon. Their first full-length release, the 2011 album Crack My Bones, featured the second single “Time to Dance,” whose video starring Jake Gyllenhaal helped spread the track internationally. Additional production work appeared in 2014 on remixes for Electric Guest, Griefjoy, and Au Revoir Simone.