We are honored to announce the latest album from Michel Amato aka The Hacker, ‘Le Théâtre des Opérations’. Michel began making music in 1989 a the age of 17 in Grenoble, France. He grew up listening to New Wave bands like Duran Duran, The Cure and Depeche Mode as well as the darker side of electro Kraftwerk, Cabaret Voltaire and D.A.F. In 1990s he released a series of 12” singles and an album of cold, calculating and relentless techno. In 1997 he teamed up with Caroline Herve aka Miss Kittin and to release landmark singles and albums that effortlessly channeled the carefree spirit of 80s electro pop (of which we released an EP of lost demos back in 2015). Michel’s new live project sees the enigmatic artist go back to his roots, performing a 100% analogue set directly inspired by his first true loves of New Wave and dark, powerful techno.
‘Le Théâtre des Opérations’ features 8 new tracks spread evenly across 2×12”s cut at 45rpm for maximum sound quality and DJ utility. The title comes from a metaphysical journal by French-born Canadian science fiction writer Maurice G Dantec. Passionate about avant-garde techno, The Hacker has taken his influences and crafted a potent homage to the power of the synthesizer. Songs veer from gritty, raw EBM to dark, subterranean electro, effortlessly channeling the strains of the Michel’s musical DNA: Front 242, Jeff Mills, Dopplereffekt, Drexciya. The only vocal track features an appearance by longtime friend and collaborator Miss Kittin, named “Time X” after the French science fiction television series Temps X. All songs have been mastered and lacquer cut by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. Cover artwork features a collage by London-based artist Anthony Gerace, and each copy includes a postcard featuring a photo of a young Michel from 1989.
