Cassius Announce New Album Ibifornia, Share Tracks With Beastie Boys' Mike D, Cat Power, Pharrell, Ryan Tedder: Listen

Last month, long-absent French electronic duo Cassius returned with a new single, "Action," featuring Cat Power and the Beastie Boys' Mike D. The song's video whisked Cassius partners Philippe Zdar and Boom Bass away to a fictitious tropical island named "Ibifornia." Now, Cassius have announced their first album since 2006's 15 Again, and it's fittingly titled Ibifornia. They're also streaming two songs from the album: "Go Up," which feaures Cat Power and Pharrell Williams, and "The Missing," which features One Republic's Ryan Tedder and JAW, a Paris singer/songwriter who has worked with Cassius before. Also featured on the album is John Gourley of Portugal. The Man.

The album title is, as you might guess, a combination between the place names Ibiza and California. Zdar told Pitchfork he and Boom Bass are in love with the pop music they associate with California, like the Beach Boys and Michael Jackson. But they also love the music on the Balearic island of Ibiza — where, Zdar said, you can play 10-minute dubs "where nothing happens" and the crowd will go crazy. So Cassius invented a country that would mix that "underground house" and spirit of freedom from Ibiza with their sense of California.

"This album, for the first time in our life, has something which is more," Zdar told Pitchfork. "It's not only a collection of tracks. It's really offering a way of thinking (laughs) about your life — finding your Ibifornia. And go there and be happy there. There are too many moments where we don't do what we want to do. This place is super powerful for us."

As for Ibifornia's varied collaborators, Zdar described a "Cassius and the Family Stone" feel to the recording process. "When we finished the session in New York with Chan [Marshall, of Cat Power] she looked at us and said it's like a family," Zdar told Pitchfork. "Pharrell brought his talent and, because he was in the middle of a big, big success, he was bringing a lot of energy... and he brought a nice song, too." 

Mike D told Pitchfork he recorded with Cassius in both New York and Malibu. Along with "Action," the Beastie Boy also collaborated on "Love Parade," which contains a lyrical reference to late Motörhead frontman Lemmy. Mike D said he recorded the song before Lemmy's death late last year and the line was inspired by the 2010 documentary Lemmy. "I had seen the film, of course I had grown up with [Motörhead classic] 'Ace of Spades,'" he told Pitchfork. "That was a metal song that crossed over into hardcore."

Mike D added that if "Action" is about "freedom and collaborative relationships ... and the loss of freedom," then "Love Parade" is "more straight-up relationship business."

Ibifornia:

01 The Missing [ft. Ryan Tedder & Jaw]
02 Love Parade [ft. Mike D]
03 Action [ft. Cat Power & Mike D]
04 Go Up [ft. Cat Power & Pharell Williams]
05 Ibifornia
06 Hey You [ft. Ryan Tedder]
07 Feel Like Me [ft. Cat Power]
08 Blue Jean Smile [ft. John Gourley of Portugal. The Man]
09 The Sound Of Love [ft. Jaw] 
10 Ponce

via Marc Hogan