French DJ Canblaster releases the third act of album Liberosis. Following the release of the well-received EP Genesis in September 2023 breaking a six-year absence back of experimentation, the album comes in advance of his upcoming European tour, concluding the earlier releases in January and March of Act I and Act II of the album.
In his own words, Canblaster has described the album as “a story about ancestors (past and future), time travel and path to freedom.” Liberosis: Act III brings that introspective odyssey to an end. Eighteen tracks in total with the addition of Act III, the French DJ and producer creates a world on this record. Working with sounds from pop, club, drum’n’bass, and dubstep music, the album is born from that symbiosis, exploring both apocalypse and renewal and bringing together the human and machine.
As feature track You Will Rise asserts, the album is “travelling through time and space.” One of these times and spaces explored is a call-back to ‘90s trip-hop, no doubt influenced by the mixing on this album by Steve Dub, known for his work as the sound engineer for the Chemical Brothers. Accompanying the third and final instalment of the album is an animated video for You Will Rise. Working with Hong Kong-based studio Penguin Lab and director Kongkee, the video is a stunning visual of the album’s narrative bringing the story to an end.
Canblaster, also known as Cédric Steffens, is far from a newcomer to the music world, in spite of Liberosis marking his debut LP under the name. Having made music for video game soundtracks as just a teenager, it is no doubt an inspiration in his music, seen through his focus on narrative for this LP. You’re also likely familiar with Canblaster as part of French dance music group Club Cheval, alongside Myd (Quentin Lepoutre), Sam Tiba, and Panteros666 (Victor Thieffry-Watel). Since Club Cheval, he has become a renowned and sought-after DJ and producer in his own right, famously working with Lido, Theophilus London and Kanye West, and remixing icons like Charli XCX and Cashmere Cat. Following the Liberosis release, there has never been a better time to see him perform live as he announced his upcoming European tour, and performances at festivals such as Rock en Seine and Nuits Sonores. We can’t wait to see what the future brings for Canblaster.