more images
 

Miss Kittin & The Hacker

Real Name:Caroline Hervé, Michel Amato
Profile:It was in 2001. The "Frank Sinatra" electro ditty, with its light melody and Miss Kittin's cutting sense of humour, has toured the world: "To be famous is so nice. Suck my dick! Lick my ass! In limousines we have sex, every night with my famous friends." Karl Lagerfeld, Marilyn Manson and Elton John (who says he gave a copy to all his friends) are self proclaimed fans of the duo. With Miss Kittin & The Hacker's success, the French music scene has found its, unexpected, second wind after the French touch disco loops.

Caroline Hervé (a.k.a. Miss Kittin) and Michel Amato (a.k.a. Hacker, The) meet in Grenoble during the early 90s at a rave. This trend, at full tilt in the UK, is slow to pick up in France: "In Grenoble, there must have been about 10 of us who went to techno parties", remembers Hacker, The. For many people of their generation, techno is a musical and cultural slap in the face. The two friends both buy decks and become DJs. Their notoriety, essentially on a national scale, grows little by little. In 1996, the French label, Tekmics, asks Miss Kittin to write a track for a compilation. She turns to The Hacker for help (he is already producing tracks under the XMF project and techno themes on his own). The Miss Kittin & The Hacker duo sees the light of day. Their first track is called "Gratin Dauphinois". Others are soon to follow…

At this time, techno, in the strictest sense of the term, is at its apogee. The tempo often rapid and the music violent, based on a layering of hypnotic loops. Miss Kittin & The Hacker use this style when DJing (Jeff Mills is one of their heroes), but they decide to take a different direction with their compositions, preferring to dive into naïve, free and easy electro-pop. Their arrangements are direct, spontaneous, seemingly unplanned, and mainly generated with basic material (some synths, a beat box, a microphone…). Miss Kittin & The Hacker's tunes are somewhat unorthodox. Their techno has a song-like format, based on the verse-chorus pop schema and is heavily influenced by the 80s (Cabaret Voltaire, Depeche Mode or New Order in particular).

Munich's DJ Hell, who is in the process of founding the International Deejay Gigolo Records label, loves the duo's demos and signs them in 1997. The first Miss Kittin & The Hacker EPs (e.g. "Champagne! E.P." and "Intimités EP") are an immediate hit, even beyond the Rhine. The hit, "1982" (a throw back to the music of that year), even makes it onto MTV Germany. Another track quickly sets itself apart, "Frank Sinatra", a distinct and delirious anthem, composed during an afternoon jam in the Ozone records shop studio in Grenoble.

Miss Kittin & The Hacker soon find themselves playing live. An impressive sight to behold: Her, exuberant, front stage, dressed as a dominatrix nurse and Him, in the background, statuesque behind his machines. The ultimate 1980s duo fantasy: The Diva under the burning spotlights and the composer in the shadows. Soon, other artists make names for themselves using the electro-pop glam vocal formula. Tiga and Fischerspooner both become stars under the electroclash banner of which Miss Kittin & The Hacker are recognised as pioneers.

Preceded by a new single version of "Frank Sinatra" ("Frank Sinatra 2001"), "First Album" is released in 2001. This first album revisits the themes that the French seem so fond of: Synthetic smiley and naive electro-pop ("Life On MTV", "Stock Exchange"…) or darker and pernicious ("Stripper"), distinguished by Miss Kittin's French accented voice, full of de-rision. The album earmarks a next step. Touring intensifies, the duo play every weekend and fly to America, Canada and South America…

At the end of the summer of 2002, electroclash reaches its peak. Miss Kittin & The Hacker are at their summit. It's here that they decide to call it a day. "We were knackered, we needed to take a break, take time out for other projects and not tie ourselves down to one musical style", admits Hacker, The. Many spoke of a split, not true. "We never sepa-rated, we just took a long break" grins Miss Kittin.

Late 2002, Miss Kittin & The Hacker, together as well as solo, become points of reference within electronic music. The former is a sought-after voice (collaborating with Felix Da Housecat, Sven Väth…), a DJ star with an eclectic ear (demonstrated by her mix CDs: "Radio Caroline Volume 1", "A Bugged Out Mix By Miss Kittin"…) and with a successful album under her belt going from ("I Com", 2004). The latter goes on to become an unrivalled electro and techno DJ, EPs to remixes (Marc Almond, Laurent Garnier, AIR, Nitzer Ebb…). His career takes a new turn with the success of his second album, "Reves Mecaniques" (2004), propelled by the hit, "Flesh & Bone".

Finally, amid their flowering solo careers, the duo once again come together as they did initially, by accident. Throughout 2006, spontaneously, without any pressure and just for the fun, the French duo compose a few tunes together. Two of these come out in the spring of 2007 on the "Hometown EP" (released by GoodLife, founded in 1998 by The Hacker and his friend Oxia). Miss Kittin & The Hacker full of new perspectives and seemingly complementary extremes. "Hometown" encompasses a light, emotional disco theme (in homage to their hometown Grenoble). "Dimanche", written in Berlin on return from an afterparty, is darker minimal techno influenced by the 1990s raves.

Very quickly a tour is organised. Kicking off with a huge gig in front of thousands of people under the famous "Pont du Gard" bridge in South France, in July. Each date is the same: A massive turnout. The duo uses this experience to define a new on-stage style. Between "revisited" and new tunes ("Belgium", "PPPO" or the superb cover of Elvis Presley's "Suspicious Minds"), Miss Kittin & The Hacker leave behind electroclash con-trariness and unmask a perfectly accessible, more elegant, more mature and more dis- tinct - yet, still pop – side.

Text was taken from the home page www.misskittinandthehacker.com
URLs:http://www.misskittinandthehacker.com
http://www.myspace.com/mkthmusic
Members:Caroline Hervé, Michel Amato
Name Variations: All | Miss Kittin & The Hacker | Kitten And The Hacker | Miss Kittin And The Hacker
  533 for sale in the Discogs Marketplace

Log In to sort and filter releases.

Releases:
Champagne! E.P. (EP, Maxi, MiniAlbum) ◄ (6 versions)   International Deejay Gigolo Records ... 1998
Intimités EP (EP) ◄ (2 versions)   International Deejay Gigolo Records 1999
Frank Sinatra ◄ (2 versions)   Emperor Norton ... 2000
First Album (Album) ◄ (5 versions)   International Deejay Gigolo Records ... 2001
Stock Exchange (12")   International Deejay Gigolo Records 2003
The Beach ◄ (2 versions)   Mental Groove Records 2003
1982 (Anthony Rother 2005 Remix) (12", S/Sided)   International Deejay Gigolo Records 2005
Hometown EP (EP, Maxi) ◄ (2 versions)   Goodlife ... 2007
1000 Dreams (12")   Nobody's Bizzness 2009
PPPO ◄ (2 versions)   Nobody's Bizzness 2009
Party In My Head (12" + File)   Nobody's Bizzness 2009
Two (Album) ◄ (3 versions)   Nobody's Bizzness 2009
Remixes:
Bomb Boutique (CD) Toute Facon (Miss Kitt... Zoomshot Media Entertainment 1999
Toute Façon (12") Toute Façon (Miss Kit... Ladomat 2000 1999
5 (CD) Toute Facon (Miss Kitt... Ladomat 2000 2000
Freiburg V3.0 (Maxi) ◄ (2 versions) Freiburg V3.0 (I Like ... L'Age D'Or 2000
KOOK Variationen EP 2 (12", EP) Freiburg V3.0 (Tococra... L'Age D'Or 2000
Kernkraft 400 (Maxi) ◄ (4 versions) Kernkraft 400 (Miss Ki... Bang On! ... 2000
Wir (2xCD, Comp) Toute Facon (Remixed B... Ladomat 2000 2000
Flieg Mit Ellen Allien (CD, Mixed) Toute Façon (Miss Kit... BPitch Control 2001
City Rockers Present Futurism (2xLP) Kernkraft 400 (Kitten ... City Rockers 2002
Electro Tech (2xCD, Mixed, Comp) Kernkraft 400 (Miss Ki... Ministry Of Sound 2003
Wir (2xCD) Toute Facon (Miss Kitt... L'Age D'Or 2003
Appears On:
Kook Variationen (2xCD) Freiburg V3.0 (Tococra... L'Age D'Or 2000
Futurism. City Rockers (2xCD, Comp, Mixed) Kernkraft 400 (Kitten ... City Rockers 2002
Tracks Appear On:
L'Album (2xVinyl, Album) Tekmics Dicks Altitude Records (2) 1996
Futuria 97: Universal Techno Sound ◄ (2 versions) Vaudeville S3 1997
Dance Express (CD) 1982 105 Radio Network 1998
Deejay Parade (2xCD, Mixed, Comp) 1982 TIME (2) 1998
Groove - The Compilation Volume 4 ◄ (2 versions) 1982 Groove 1998
International DeeJay Gigolos CD Two (Comp) ◄ (2 versions) Uno, 1982, Frank Sinatra International Deejay Gigolo Records ... 1998
Just The Best 3/98 (Vol. 17) (2xCD, Comp) 1982 (Champagne! Single) BMG 1998
Love Parade - One World One Future - The 1998 Compilation (Comp) ◄ (2 versions) 1982 (Radio Cut) Low Spirit Recordings ... 1998
Members Only #1 (2xCD) 1982 (Video Mix) BMG 1998
Nature One Festival 98 (2xCD) 1982 Urban 1998
Stammheim Presents HEIMfidelity 2 (CD, Comp, Mixed) 1982 Confused Recordings 1998
Ultra Techno - Volume 6 (Comp) ◄ (2 versions) 1982 Independance Records 1998
hr3 Clubnight Volume 3 (2xCD, Comp, Mixed) 1982 (Club Mix), Frank... Epidrome, Sony Music Entertainment (Germany) 1998
ElectricKingdom - The TechnolectroPop Compilation (2xCD) 1982 (Short Mix) Electric Kingdom 1999
Elektro Physix (CD, Comp) 1982, Frank Sinatra Area Code 221 1999
Global Underground 010: Athens (2xCD, Mixed, Comp) Frank Sinatra Boxed 1999
International DeeJay Gigolos CD Three (Comp) ◄ (3 versions) Flexibility (A Tribute... International Deejay Gigolo Records ... 1999
Mayday - Soundtropolis - The Mayday Compilation Album (2xCD) UNO Low Spirit Recordings 1999
Midi Sous Terre (CD) Upstart Mental Groove Records 1999
Music Is The Key - Love Parade - The '99 Compilation (2xCD, Comp) Flexibility (A Tribute... Low Spirit Recordings 1999
Music Is The Key - Love Parade 99 (2xCD, Comp) Flexibility (A Tribute... Wagram, Low Spirit Recordings 1999
Music Is The Key - Loveparade - The '99 Compilation (CD) Flexibility (A Tribute... BMG 1999
The State Of E:Motion Vol. 7 ◄ (2 versions) Sweet Dreams E:Motion 1999
Hotze - The Original Comic Book Soundtrack (Comp) ◄ (2 versions) Comitronic Hörspielmusik 2000
International DeeJay Gigolos CD Five (Comp) ◄ (2 versions) You And Us International Deejay Gigolo Records ... 2000
International DeeJay Gigolos CD Four (2xCD, Comp) Walk On By International Deejay Gigolo Records 2000
No Name Presents The Sound Of Gigolo (Cass, Comp) Extasy Intro 1982, Swe... Wizard (4) 2000
Sonar 2000 (4xCD) Flexibility So Dens 2000
American Gigolo (Comp) ◄ (2 versions) Frank Sinatra 2001, Gr... Turbo ... 2001
CD Side 7 (CD, Smplr) DJ Song D-Side 2001
Club Space - The House Sessions - Mixed By Oscar G And Ivano Bellini (2xCD, Mixed) Frank Sinatra Bliss Productions 2001
Future 80's (2xCD, Comp) 1982 Electric Kingdom 2001
Global Underground 010: Athens (2xCD, Mixed, Comp) Frank Sinatra Global Underground Ltd. 2001
On The Road (CD, Comp, Mixed) Frank Sinatra 2001 Terminal M 2001
Rave On Snow Volume 10 : The Jubilee Edition 2001 (2xCD) You And Us Dance Network 2001
Toronto Mix Sessions ◄ (2 versions) Flexibility Turbo 2001
Trax Sampler 046 (CD, Smplr, Car) Frank Sinatra 2001 Trax Sampler 2001
XXL Clubnight Volume 5 (2xCD) Frank Sinatra 2001 V2 Records, Inc. 2001
Access Peace - The Loveparade Compilation 2002 (Comp) ◄ (3 versions) 1982 (Vitalic Remix) Low Spirit Recordings ... 2002
Astropolis 1995 - 2002 (2xCD, Mixed, Comp + Box, Ltd) Uno UWe 2002
Astropolis 2002 (CD, Mixed, Comp, Dig) Uno Human 2002
Culture Flash - The Mayday Compilation (2xCD, Comp) Frank Sinatra 2001 Low Spirit Recordings 2002
Defining Tech (CD) Life On MTV Orbisonic 2002
Electro Klash (2xCD) Life On MTV Urban Theory 2002
Electroclash : Massive 19 Track Mix From Miss Kittin (CD) Frank Sinatra 2001 Muzik Magazine 2002
Excursions (CD) Flexability Obsessive 2002
Expanded Trax - 5 Years Rohstofflager (CD, Comp, Mixed) Frank Sinatra 2001 Muve Recordings 2002
Fashion Week - Issue#01 Fall/Winter 2002/03 (CD, Comp, Promo) Live On MTV George V Records, Wagram 2002
Fashion Week 1 (2xCD) Live On MTV George V Records, Wagram 2002
Flexipop (2xLP) Frank Sinatra Ideal 2002
French Girls (CD) Frank Sinatra 2001 Wagram, Catalogue 2002
Global Underground 010: Athens (3x12", Comp) Frank Sinatra Boxed 2002
It Sounds Different - Sweet Electro (CD, Comp) 1982 (Radio Edit) Different, PIAS France 2002
Jet Set - Sounds Of Lust & Luxury (CD) Frank Sinatra Warner Strategic Marketing (Belgium) 2002
Junior Sanchez Presents The Best Of Dirty Dirty House Volume One (CD) Frank Sinatra System Recordings 2002
Lektroluv (CD, Mixed, Comp) Frank Sinatra 541 2002
Neo Future Vol. 1 (2xCD, Comp, Mixed) Life On MTV Edel 2002
Nova Tunes 05 (CD) Frank Sinatra 2001 Nova Records 2002
Raw Music Material - Electronic Music DJs Today (2xCD, Comp, Promo) Stock Exchange Not On Label 2002
Switch 2 (2xCD, Comp, Copy Prot.) Sweet Dreams 541 2002
The Cornerstone Player 029 (CD, Comp, Promo + CD, Comp, Enh, Promo) Flexibility Cornerstone Promotion 2002
This Is Not The 80s - A Nu-Wave Electro Compilation (2xCD, Comp) Sweet Dreams, You & Us INCredible 2002
Vanity Case & Record Bag (CD) Franck Sinatra 2001 Sound Of Barclay 2002
Whereishere (CD) The Beach Mental Groove Records 2002
Whereishere (2xLP) The Beach Mental Groove Records 2002
Electro Rock (CD) Stock Exchange (Adam S... Wagram 2003
F*** Me I'm Famous! (CD) Stock Exchange Virgin Music (France) 2003
Just A Little More Love / F*** Me, I'm Famous (Box + 2xCD) Stock Exchange Virgin 2003
K (CD) Stock Exchange (Adam S... Sony Music Entertainment (France) 2003
Les Rendez-Vous Electroniques (CD, Comp) Nurse Omnisounds 2003
Les Rendez-Vous Electroniques 2003 (CD) Nurse Omnisounds 2003
Nova Tunes 08 (CD, Comp, Dig) Stock Exchange Nova Records 2003
Pacha 4 - The World's Most Famous Club Sound (2xCD) The Beach Polystar Records 2003
Party Monster - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (CD) Frank Sinatra TVT Soundtrax 2003
Solid Sounds Anno 2003 Volume 01 (2xCD) Stock Exchange (Original) 541, Play It Again Sam [PIAS] 2003
The Japanese Gigolo Inferno (2xCD, Comp, Mixed) Frank Sinatra, 1982 Music Mine Inc. 2003
X-Ray CD#06 (CD) Frank Sinatra X-Ray (UK) 2003
8 Years Hörspielmusik - 57 Pieces Of HSM History (CD, Comp, Mixed) Comitronic Hörspielmusik 2004
Destroy All DJs (CD) Frank Sinatra Hypnotic 2004
Electro Rock (CD) Stock Exchange (Adam S... Wagram 2004
ElektroTekknoKlash Vol. I (CD, Promo, Ltd) 1982 ElektroTekknoKlash Records 2004
Technoclash Of Civilisation? (CD, Comp, Mixed) Stock Exchange XMAG 2004
The Disco-Tech Of... Alexander Robotnick (Comp) ◄ (3 versions) Frank Sinatra Yellow Productions 2004
Trax Hors Série #7 : 20 Ans De Révolution Electronique (CD, Smplr, Car) Frank Sinatra 2001 Trax Sampler 2004
Freak Show - The Real Gigolo History Movie (DVD) 1982 International Deejay Gigolo Records 2005
Technodrome Volume 22 (2xCD, Comp, Mixed) 1982 Polystar Records 2005
The Box Collection No. 1 (5xCD) Uno, 1982, Frank Sinat... International Deejay Gigolo Records 2005
The Box Collection No. 1 - Selection Of CD1 - CD4 (CD, Promo) Frank Sinatra International Deejay Gigolo Records 2005
The Great Gigolo Swindle (Comp) ◄ (2 versions) Gigolo Intro, Uno, The... International Deejay Gigolo Records 2005
Vitamin House (CD, Comp, Mixed, Promo) Frank Sinatra Institubes 2005
We Are Gigolo – 12" Showcase No. 4 (CD, Promo) 1982 (Anthony Rother R... International Deejay Gigolo Records 2005
GU10 (Comp) ◄ (3 versions) Frank Sinatra Global Underground Ltd. 2006
I ♥ Berlin (CD, Comp, Mixed) 1982 (Anthony Rother 2... Silly Spider Music, Silly Spider Music 2006
International DeeJay Gigolos CD Nine (2xCD, Comp) 1982 (Anthony Rother 2... International Deejay Gigolo Records 2006
Live At Sónar ◄ (3 versions) Stock Exchange (Live V... Labels ... 2006
Notgoinganywhere Mixtape Volume 6 (CD) The Beach (Screwed Up) Corso Fleuri Editions 2006
American Gigolo III (Comp) ◄ (3 versions) 1982 International Deejay Gigolo Records 2007
BuggedOut! Classics (3xCD, Comp) Stock Exchange New State Recordings 2007
FabricLive. 33 (Comp) ◄ (2 versions) Stock Exchange Fabric (London) 2007
I ♥ Techno .07 Compilation (CD, Comp) Dimanche 541 2007
It Sounds Different (CD) Hometown Different 2007
Tsugi Sampler 001 (CD, Smplr, Car) Dimanche (Edit) Tsugi Sampler 2007
We Are Punks 2 (Comp) ◄ (3 versions) Midlife Crisis Datapunk 2007
CD Side 51 (CD, Smplr) 1000 Dreams (Radio Ver... D-Side 2009
The New Megachurch Of Gigolo Megamix (File, MP3, Mixed) 1982 (Anthony Rother 2... Sweet Smelling Surfaces 2009
Trax Sampler 123 (CD, Smplr) Electronic City Trax Sampler 2009
Emperor Norton Records Free Sampler CD (CD, Mini, Smplr) 1982 Emperor Norton  
Unofficial Releases:
Orgasmic Le Toxicologue Est Secrètement Amoureux De Vous (CD) Franck Sinatra (Tactee... Not On Label 2002
As Heard On Radio Soulwax Pt. 7 (CD, Comp, Mixed) Dirty Talk Waxedhead Recordings 2003
Gigolo Italo Mega Mix (12") 1982 Not On Label 2003
Per-Versions (File, MP3, Comp, VBR) Sweet Dreams Led Manville 2004
Trashy Disco (CD, Boo) Frank Sinatra Plastic Nation Records 2005
The Cock (CD) 1982 (Unreleased Mix) Not On Label  
   Write a Review
Appears in Lists: