Cosmo Vitelli

Cosmo Vitelli hasn’t slept since 1973. Instead, he’s replaced slumber with the tireless exploration of dance music, sharing his finds as an accomplished DJ and label manager but also as an esteemed producer, with heaps of records, remixes and edits under his belt. After spending his childhood between West Africa and Central France, a young Cosmo Vitelli moves to Paris in the early 90s. More indie kid than clubber, closer to rock, post-punk, and krautrock than techno, he plays guitar in various rock bands until he figures out he’s having more fun fiddling with a 4-track recorder and a sampler than with guitars. He releases his first in 1998 on Etienne de Crécy’s Solid, followed by a string of EPs and remixes that are now part of the DNA of this golden era for French electronic music, notably his album Clean which Virgin releases in 2003. After a stint in the ruthless world of majors, Cosmo Vitelli creates I’m a Cliché in 2004. His fiercely independent label stands out to this day in the underground electronic music landscape for its uncompromising approach, simultaneously paying tribute to venerable figures and taking risks by exploring music from the margins, with a distinctive knack for finding talented artists before they break through (such as Simian Mobile Disco, Azari & III, Moscoman and Red Axes). In parallel, he’s rekindled his love for guitars and pop music with Bot’Ox, Vitelli’s side-project with Julien Briffaz of Tekel. They released EPs on labels such as DFA and DC Recordings, LPs on I’m a Cliché and toured extensively, even scoring a gig at L’Olympia in Paris. Currently based in Berlin where he’s relocated his studio, Cosmo is back to releasing music under his own name. He’s already released two EPs on I’m a Cliché and an LP of edits and reworks, as part of the Edit Service series. When he is not in the studio or travelling for gigs, he curates No Weapon Is Absolute along with DJ Sundae for a monthly show on London’s NTS radio. 2019 is set to be a busy year for him, with an LP for Malka Tuti to be released in two parts, one in Spring and the other in Fall, along with an EP on Ivan Smagghe’s Les Disques De La Mort in September and a new release in the Edits Service series also in the works.