Various

Because electronic music is so closely tied to evolving technology, there are myriad starting points to explore when talking about the genre's origins. As Moog, Stockhausen and Krautrock have all been explored ad nauseam, Parisian label Because takes a unique look into the history of electronic and avant-garde with Cosmic Machine. Focusing on music from '70s France, Cosmic Machine presents an alternate universe, one where Cerrone and Universal Energy were as influential to the sound and popularity of disco as Larry Levan and Giorgio Moroder. But what makes this compilation so captivating is the array of artists smitten with synths and drum machines, as chansons like Serge Gainsbourg and Pierre Bachelet sit alongside space rockers (Rockets, Space Art), classical composers (François de Roubaix, Alain Goraguer) and the famed Jeans (Jean Michel Jarre, Jean-Jacques Perrey). Working as a terrific glimpse into French electronic's rich beginnings, while brimming with some classic dance music, Cosmic Machine comes off just as gratifying as captivating.