“In a time where some artists focus on jumping on the new sound or trying to conform to an image, Pole Folder reminds us that in the end its all about the music, and his productions have remained at the forefront of the musically rich.” (Resident Advisor) Pole Folder, aka Benoit Franquet, has emerged as an intrinsic part of the emotive dance music juggernaut that has been steadily powering through club land over the course of the last few years… Alongside DJs such as Guy Gerber, James Holden and Guy J, he has been at the helm of a movement back towards the melody rich sounds on which House music is based.
It all began in 2001 when professionally trained musician, Pole Folder, released his debut single ‘Apollo Vibes’, which was immediately signed to John Digweed’s seminal label Bedrock. The track was chosen to kick off John’s Global Underground: Los Angeles mix, the 19th installment in this renowned series. A rapid succession of tracks released on Bedrock in 2002, included ‘Enter the Rhythm’, ‘Waxxx’ and ‘Dust’ (which reached No.3 in the UK Dance Charts and sold more than 20,000 vinyl copies), leaving Pole Folder’s indelible mark on the dance scene. Over the next couple of years, as further tracks followed on labels such as Sunkissed and Mo-Do, and Pole Folder had his heart clearly set on the album that he was commissioned to write for Bedrock; in 2005 "Zero Gold", the first artist album to be released on this prestigious label, was born to critical acclaim. Featuring collaborations from fellow Belgian vocalist Sandra Ferretti, Shelley Harland and Kirsty Hawkshaw, with its downtempo electronica, brilliant melodies and epic soundscapes, the album garnered huge support from the media and industry alike. Since then, many of the tracks have been featured on compilations such as Global Underground, Renaissance and many other global compilations. Pole Folder’s cinematic sound was quickly spotted by the film and television industry, with many of the album tracks such as "Faith in Me" and "Salvation on Slavery Sins" appearing in popular US TV shows such as ‘Nip/Tuck’ and ‘CSI’ – no mean feat for a relatively new electronic music artist. His debut ‘Apollo Vibes’ featured in the movie ‘Stark Raving Mad’ and the ethereal track ‘ Dust’ provided the music in the trailer advertising of Channel 4, the UK’s biggest independent television channel.
Pole Folder, with his undeniable cutting edge sounds, has steadily been building a worldwide reputation as an innovative DJ and producer, with the musical prowess and technical ability to rival anyone you care to mention! Playing pretty much every major city in the world, spinning his unique fusion of Melodic Techno and House, with fizzing slices of modern cinematic sounds that are a true reflection of what is right about our music scene today – from the dark and dirty dancefloors of the Chinese Laundry in Sydney, Australia to the legendary Womb in Tokyo, Japan and everywhere in between. In 2007, Pole Folder’s 'Destinations' on Frisky Radio Show, which was recorded live at various gigs worldwide, culminated a massive following. This led to Frisky asking Pole Folder to recreate this concept live in his studio, incorporating his regular Pioneer DJ set up and live instruments to release his first compilation, ‘Destinations’. His other radio show '80Hz' on Proton featured heavily in the Top 10 most-listened to playlists... Pole Folder launched his label La Tour, alongside Patrice Bailo and Wendy Jackson, in 2009. The label’s debut release ‘The Way’ received heavy support from luminaries such as Laurent Garnier, Christian Smith, and Sasha to name a few. The single was remixed by dance legends Spooky and was an instant hit! ‘Ghost Life’ swiftly followed in March this year, and presented us with a glimpse of some of the organic textures, live instrumentation and cinematic influences that Pole Folder has honed and developed since his ‘Zero Gold’ release. Gregor Tresher lent his Midas touch to the release; shaking up the sublime sounds of the original to create a dark tech-house rework. The track was supported by the likes of Luciano, Karotte, Umek and many others. Presently Pole Folder is currently locked in his ‘80Hz’ studio writing his second album "The Helsinki Accord”, due for release winter 2009. In the meantime, his label La Tour has scheduled their 4th release with Pole Folder’s ‘Hollow’, featuring remixes from Techno Legend Robert Babicz, and Chicago house DJ Angel Alanis and has already been featured on Pete Tongs Essential Selection. Sasha also makes a welcome appearance, remixing Pole Folder’s 6th release ‘Hate Myself' and will be available later this year. There are also rumblings of a Charlie May album for La Tour… 'The Way' and indeed the La Tour project has marked a seemingly new chapter in the career of Pole Folder. Now an A&R man as well as a producer and DJ, one thing remains consistent, with his musical tastes at the core of where he is and what he does, we can be guaranteed that La Tour and indeed, Pole Folder, will be setting the soundtrack to our clubbing nights for years to come. 
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