Ellington

Frenchman Pascal Arbez [with his nom de plume Vitalic] gained sudden exposure after the release of 2001's "Poney" EP, with its noir like electronic movements and crescendo beats. Fast forward to 2005 and the LP format and "OK Cowboy" not only equals his past work, but surpasses them with a flair only the French could muster. It is agreed by many noteworthy reviewers in the field that this is the album Daft Punk should have released after 2001's "Discovery" but didn't [or couldn't]. Instead, the honor goes to Monsieur Arbez. Complete with vocoders, killer synth lines and infectious dance beats, this will undoubtedly be the toast of the club scene for some time to come. - Alex Slawson and Herman Snell