Partenaire Particulier were a French electronic music group who became an overnight sensation in the mid-80s with their new wave-infused blend of synthpop and French chanson. Formed in Bordeaux by Dominique Delaby and Éric Fettweis in 1983, the band’s lineup was consolidated after multi-instrumentalist Pierre Béraud-Sudreau joined their ranks in 1984. “Partenaire particulier,” their 1985 debut single, took the French charts by storm, reaching Number 3 and obtaining platinum certification in 1986 after selling over 5 million copies. That same year, Delaby quit the band and was replaced by Laurent Letrillard, who left the group shortly after. Partenaire Particulier made their official studio debut as a duo with 1987’s Jeux Interdits, which included their eponymous hit and the singles “Je n’oublierai Jamais,” “Elle est partie,” and “Tiphaine.” The album was promoted with a series of TV appearances and a video clip for “Elle est partie” that received heavy rotation on French music channels. Conceived through a more organic approach, sophomore effort Le Chant des Vautours (1988) was considered a commercial failure and precipitated the band’s early demise. Subsequently, Fettweis and Béraud-Sudreau kept releasing music as the short-lived 90s house outfit D.K. Dance and briefly reformed in 2007 for Vivement Dimanche’s RFM Party 80 tour. Following Béraud-Sudreau’s departure in 2009, Fettweis released Partenaire Particulier’s third album, Geek, in 2011.
