Dax Riders emerged on the French electronic music scene in 1994, perfectly embodying the spirit of the nascent French Touch movement. The trio consisted of Oliver "Daxman" Dax on guitars and keyboards, Cédric "Bad Ced" Azencoth on rhythm programming, and Nicolas "Erman" Berger Vachon on vocals and keyboards. Their name was inspired by the legendary Honda Dax mini-motorcycle (ST70) from the 70s-80s, a vintage reference that was prominently featured on the cover of their second album.
The group distinguished itself through its unique fusion of electro and funk, with the characteristic use of the talkbox as their sonic signature. Their commercial success materialized particularly in 2001 with their second opus "Backintown."
Their influence extended beyond French electronic music. "People" gained unexpected international exposure by becoming the opening theme for the German version of the anime "Vision of Escaflowne," replacing the original Japanese theme "Yakusoku wa Iranai." The group also left their mark on the entertainment world with "Real Fonky Time," which was featured in EA Sports' FIFA 2003 video game, the original soundtrack of "The Sopranos" series, and Luc Besson's French-Japanese action film "Wasabi."
Dax Riders' career perfectly illustrates the richness and diversity of the French Touch movement, which profoundly influenced the international electronic music scene throughout the 1990s and 2000s. In 2025, fans of the group will be able to discover a compilation including previously unreleased tracks, scheduled for February 2025.
