Once Upon A Hit | Cassius – “Toop Toop”

Once Upon a Hit: A Serie Taking You to the Heart of French Electronic Music’s Greatest Hits

The French Touch celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, and French electronic music continues to captivate audiences and ignite dancefloors worldwide. Following a year marked by the success of the Olympic ceremonies, which showcased renowned French electronic artists, the awards won by the documentary dedicated to producer DJ Mehdi, and the rise of a new generation of talents (Irène Drésel, Rone, Kompromat), What the France—the music recommendation platform from the Centre National de la Musique—teams up with Clubbing TV, the leading HDTV channel for electronic music, to present Once Upon a Hit. This six-episode serie delves into the creative secrets behind some of the most iconic tracks of the French Touch movement.

Episode 5 : Cassius – « Toop Toop »

Two friends, a ska guitar, and electronic music — that’s the winning combo behind Cassius and their hit track Toop Toop. Quite different from the French Touch sound that made them popular, the duo blended their distinct musical influences to create what would become a classic. The result was born on July 14, 2006, and later featured on their third album, Fifteen Again.

Cassius is made up of Hubert Blanc-Francard, aka “Boombass,” and Philippe Zdar. Their first meeting in 1989 marked the start of a great adventure, with an instant musical and personal connection. Blending American hip-hop with the emerging French house scene, Cassius’ hybrid sound was born in 1996.

Toop Toop was the fastest track to be composed on the entire album — and it turned out to be the most successful. Though they hadn’t initially bet on its popularity, Cassius brought in Matthieu Chedid to handle the guitar, a key element of the song. In just one hour, the perfect ska rhythm was laid down, and the lyrics followed in only three minutes. Sometimes, the best ideas are the most instinctive. Could that be the real secret to creating a hit?