Born in 1975 in Seine-Saint-Denis, France, Kavinsky – real name Vincent Belorgey, began his musical career in 2005 releasing French house music and leading the wave of the ‘80s action movie-inspired ‘synthwave’ subgenre. After releasing his first song ‘Testarossa Overdrive’ and his debut EP ‘Teddy Boy’ in 2006, his biggest success came after releasing the single ‘Nightcall’ in 2010 – a slow, pulsating synthwave track with old-school keyboard effects that absolutely drips with 80s vibes, produced by Daft Punk’s Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo. ‘Nightcall’ was picked up for the opening credits of the 2011 Ryan Gosling-led action drama Drive, and became one of the most memorable components of the flick.

Kavinsky released two albums – ‘Outrun’ in 2013, which included both ‘Testarossa Overdrive’ and ‘Nightcall’, and ‘Reborn’ in 2022, before returning to the spotlight when he was invited to perform at the closing ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. During the festivities at the Stade de France, Kavinsky appeared on stage with glowing red sunglasses piercing through the blue smoke that filled the stadium, playing a live mix of ‘Nightcall’ with the French band Phoenix and live vocals from Belgian singer Angèle. In the wake of the show, NME reported that ‘Nightcall’ broke the record on music-indentifying app Shazam for the most searched song in a single day, being scanned nearly 7 million times.

Belorgey was found dead at his home in Paris by French authorities at around 10:30pm yesterday, Tuesday July 28, according French paper Le Figaro. They report that the cause of death is not being treated as suspicious and is believed to be a stroke, as he had told those close to him that he was experiencing severe headaches in the days before his death.

Tributes have been paid by numerous French officials, including President of France Emmanuel Macron – he wrote in a post on his official Facebook account that Kavinsky was a source of “French pride forever.” French Culture Minister Catherine Pégard wrote on social media site X that “With the sudden passing of Kavinsky, France has lost one of its most unique voices.” She continued “From the film Drive to the Paris Olympics, the whole world was moved by Nightcall. Both danceable and nostalgic, his music will continue to transcend generations and borders.” Emmanuel Gregoire, the Mayor of Paris, remarked “A child of Paris, he carried the colours of the French electronic scene high across the world, establishing a unique musical universe imbued with both nostalgia and modernity.”

Past collaborators have also sent their regards, including Canadian pop star The Weeknd, also known as Abel Tesfaye, who worked with Kavinsky on a 2013 remix of his track ‘Odd Look’. The Weeknd wrote “So heartbreaking to hear the news. An inspiration to so many, including myself. I will continue to honor your name and your music. Rest easy Kavinsky”. Angèle also posted a photo from the Paris Olympics with a caption that read “Thank you for letting me experience that unforgettable moment on stage with you, and the entire adventure that followed.” Fellow French DJ David Guetta posted a sweet message on X – “Just learned about Kavinsky’s passing. A true icon of French electronic music. Thank you for creating a sound that was entirely your own and for leaving us with music that will continue to inspire. Thank you for your kindness and simplicity. My thoughts are with his family, friends, and loved ones. Rest in peace.”

This E.P. sees Onelight recruiting a plethora of French talent and other international artists to put their own spin on the track “Hold Me”, which was originally featured on Onelight’s 2021 LP Emporium, which received critical acclaim upon its release, garnering praise from the likes of Complex, Tsugi, Radio FG and Apple Music. The E.P. is comprised of four tracks, and features the talents of Zambian producer She Spells Doom, UK club producer Yanari, underground French rap producer Tayreeb, and seasoned producer Walter Mecca, who marries snappy beats with hazy synthesisers in his masterful remix of the tune. The original track features the stunning vocal talents of singer June Fermie, which is used to great effect in these exciting remixes.

In his own words published on his Bandcamp page, Onelight describes his 2021 LP Emporium as being “an ode to collaborative work and a deeper step into my borderless vision of music”. This most certainly rings true, as Onelight was able to pull off a truly eclectic and sonically diverse album, ranging from feverish, foggy atmospheres with ethereal female vocals to intense 808 driven hip-hop tunes.

The album also saw Onelight collaborating with a number of other artists, including the likes of rapper Daz Rinko, Maine-based artist Bensbeendead and singer June Fermie, who is featured on “Hold Me”. The album is available in physical as well as digital; you can purchase CD copies of the album exclusively through Onelight’s Bandcamp page.

Onelight began his career as a DJ when he was eighteen years old, and would then go on to perform alongside artists such as SOPHIE, Machinedrum, Hudson Mohawke, Rustie and Justin Martin. In 2016, the ambitious French artist made his first foray into music production, releasing the E.P. Tuggspeedman. Onelight has remained largely prolific ever since, and released his first full-length album Vanderlay in 2018. Onelight says of the project on Bandcamp: “Vanderlay serves to manifest the same feeling as his DJ sets, which range from 90 BPM to 160 BPM and mixes the best sounds from funk, RnB, hip hop and techno…Onelight unleashes Vanderlay with the simultaneous desire to soothe his soul and unite all listeners, as he believes that music is the panacea and the reason for existence.”

You can check out Onelight’s musical catalogue here.