French titans Phoenix have long been tight with the dance music world, and their new project depends on that connection. The band's most recent album was Alpha Zulu, which came out in 2022. Since then, they've collaborated with people like Beck, Pusha T, and Kavinsky, and they gave a triumphant performance at the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics. Now, Phoenix have joined forces with Alan Braxe and DJ Falcon, the veteran French dance producers known collectively as Braxe + Falcon, to launch a new project called UFOs. It has nothing to do with the '70s metal band UFO, but it does have something to do with actual unidentified flying objects.
Braxe + Falcon, two cousins who have deep roots in the world of French Touch dance music, officially joined forces to release the Step By Step EP in 2022. They also remixed Phoenix's Alpha Zulu single "Winter Solstice." For all we know, UFOs might exist only to release one single: the new song "UFO," which they describe as "six friends, one song, infinite memories." If that is the case -- if the group is fated to only release one song ever, like Stardust with "Music Sounds Better With You" -- then they've made sure that one song is a good one.
On "UFO," Thomas Mars sings about love and flying saucers -- "I don't believe in miracles, but I do believe in UFOs" -- over a percolating haze of keyboards. It's lovely. Warren Fu directed the video, which adds alien spaceships to a bunch of comfy-looking vintage photos, including images of the six musicians involved. Check it out below.
"UFO" is out now on Domino/Smugglers Way, with a limited edition 12" version only available at some independent record stores. Read our We've Got A File On You interview with Phoenix here.
