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Step by Step (Braxe + Falcon song)

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"Step by Step"
Single by Braxe + Falcon featuring Panda Bear
from the EP Step by Step
A-side"Creative Source"
Released29 March 2022 (2022-03-29)
Recorded2014; 2020
Genre
LabelDomino
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Alan Braxe
  • DJ Falcon
Braxe + Falcon singles chronology
"Step by Step"
(2022) 		"Elevation"
(2022)
Audio sample
Music video
"Step by Step" on YouTube

"Step by Step" is a song by the French touch duo Braxe + Falcon. Produced by Alan Braxe and DJ Falcon and featuring Animal Collective member Noah "Panda Bear" Lennox, it was released as a double A-side single with the duo's track "Creative Source" on 29 March 2022, and as part of the extended play of the same name released on 24 June that year.

The cousins Braxe and Falcon each released music on Thomas Bangalter's label Roulé in their early careers, though they were unaware of each other's work. After they discovered this, they began work on music demos together around the same time Falcon produced the Daft Punk track "Contact" (2013). These demos were left untouched for years until Peter Bernard, the manager of Domino Recording Company's US label, encouraged the duo to finish them. "Step by Step" was the first of their demos to be completed, with Braxe and Falcon sending the song's instrumental track to Lennox, who completed his lyrics and vocal tracks for the song in 48 hours.

Critics praised "Step by Step" for Lennox's vocals and lyrics, Braxe and Falcon's production, and its message. The song appeared on several year-end best lists by numerous publications. A music video directed by Toru Tokikawa and starring skater Ginwoo Onodera was released on 25 August 2022. A remix by Axel Boman was released in January 2023, and Braxe + Falcon performed the song live for the first time with Lennox that July at Knockdown Center in Queens.

Background and recording

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The producers Alan Braxe and DJ Falcon, who are cousins, each worked on electronic music in the late 1990s and 2000s on Thomas Bangalter's label Roulé. Braxe released the single "Vertigo" (1997) and with Stardust, produced "Music Sounds Better with You" (1998); Falcon produced the extended play Hello My Name is DJ Falcon (1999) and created two tracks with Bangalter as Together, the namesake track in 2000 and "So Much Love to Give" in 2002. From then on, Falcon remained largely inactive with music production, taking up hobbies like surfing and DJing, while Braxe continued to produce music.[4][1]

In 2013, Falcon co-produced the Daft Punk track "Contact", at which point he and Braxe began recording demos together.[5] Prior to this, Braxe and Falcon had only met "maybe ten times at family parties", and had no knowledge of each other's careers in electronic music, something that brought them close, especially since they had each released their first music on the same label, Roulé.[6] The demos they made together were left untouched for years until the two spoke with Domino Recording Company's US label manager Peter Berard around 2020, who convinced them to finish them.[6] Braxe said he and Falcon were lucky to have met Berard, feeling that the kind of song that "Step by Step" would become would be viewed as fitting for inclusion on a studio album and not an extended play, though unlike most labels Braxe said Berard did not care about releasing their music in the latter format.[6]

Noah "Panda Bear" Lennox contributed lyrics and vocals to "Step by Step".

"Step by Step" was the first of Braxe + Falcon's original demos to be completed, crucial to the duo since it was a "downtempo ballad with acoustic drums", a departure from the traditional French house 125 beats per minute format. Of the choice to diverge, Braxe said, "we've done that already and are not excited by that type of music anymore".[6] As they began finishing their demos during the COVID-19 pandemic, Braxe said their "whole state of mind" was altered, which allowed them time to consider making music they liked, which was divergent of typical club music.[6] The demo that became "Step by Step" was an instrumental,[5] which they described as a "downtempo variation" of the club tracks released during the Roulé era.[1] The song makes use of audio filtering, an element typical of French house music,[2] and Braxe + Falcon used newer instruments such as modular synthesisers in the production, which they felt helped them "reconnect with the punk spirit of the early days" and released them from convention.[7] Falcon favoured the use of modular synthesisers because they cause "happy accidents", and navigating this in the production process was something he considered satisfying and stimulating.[6]

As they were working on the song, Braxe + Falcon decided to send the instrumental to Noah "Panda Bear" Lennox.[5] The duo provided Lennox with references of his own material that they liked, but otherwise gave him creative freedom.[5] Falcon believes it took Lennox 48 hours to send back his work on the track.[5] Lennox came up with the title while he was cooking, and remarked the song is a reflection of how much he had been inspired by the duo's sampling work; he said the repetition of the title phrase in the verses, chorus, bridge, and coda reinforces it as a "hopeful mantra".[4] The duo said that the repetition and loops was expressive of the song's content of melancholy and hope, an element of their music they said was continuous from their early work.[8]

Music video

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The music video for "Step by Step" was written, directed, and produced by Toru Tokikawa, and stars the then-12-year-old professional skateboarder Ginwoo Onodera. Filmed in Tokyo, the video features footage from Onodera practicing as a child, as well as footage of him winning awards and performing tricks. Tokikawa suggested the idea for the music video to show a child growing up and learning to skateboard, which the duo instantly accepted since they had skateboarded in their youth. The video was released on 25 August 2022.[9] Les Inrockuptibles observed Onodera's performance was "delicate" for a "bright and catchy" track, feeling it aligned with the song's lyrics.[10]

Release and performances

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"Step by Step" was released as a double A-side single with "Creative Source" on 29 March 2022.[4] It was digitally released as part of the duo's Step by Step extended play on 24 June, and in vinyl record format on 26 August on Domino Recording Company's Smugglers Way label.[11] Swedish DJ Axel Boman released a remix of the song in January 2023.[12] Panda Bear and Braxe + Falcon debuted "Step by Step" live during a show at Knockdown Center in Queens, New York, on 21 July 2023.[13][14] Falcon played the song at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games closing ceremony during the Journey of the Wave set.[15]

Reception

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Pitchfork's Evan Minsker said that Lennox gave the duo's "glow[ing]" production a "narrative framework", and that "the synths suddenly come alive", and praised the acoustic drums. He felt Lennox's performance was his finest of 2022, and said that his multi-tracked vocals in "copious" repetition transformed "an old self-help chestnut into a life-changing belief system".[16] Stereogum said the duo's work was futuristic and "breezy", calling it "a comforting reminder that change can be a positive thing — and if you're feeling overwhelmed, just break it down into little pieces".[17] Les Inrockuptibles's Franck Vergeade said the single was "highly addictive" upon a first listen, and compared it the the music of the band Phoenix.[8]

KCRW's Travis Holcombe said Braxe and Falcon's instrumental "emanates warmth and is almost like a slowed-down version" of the four-on-the-floor tracks that originally brought them acclaim, and said Lennox's "incredible knack for melody and optimistic lyrics" were perfect alongside Braxe + Falcon's production, creating an "all-time great track".[18] Another Pitchfork editor, Philip Sherburne said that the rest of the EP "pales in comparison", hailing it as "a languid yacht-rock-disco number" and praising its chord progression. He felt the song's best part was Lennox's, who "delivers one of his most stirring performances", praising the relatability of his part, which Sherburne found uncommon in most dance music.[2]

The staff of KCRW listed "Step by Step" among the best songs of 2022,[18] The Guardian ranked it 18th on their 20 best songs of 2022 list,[3] whilst Pitchfork considered it to be one of the best electronic songs of that year.[16] In August 2022, readers of Stereogum ranked the album at number six on the site's "2022 Song Of The Summer" poll;[19] at the end of the year, they ranked it at number seven on the site's list of the "Top 10 Songs Of 2022" as part of the site's annual Gummy Awards readers' poll;[20] on his ten-song contribution to Stereogum's "50 Favorite Songs Of 2022" list, Stereogum staff writer Scott Lapatine ranked "Step by Step" at number 3.[21]

Personnel

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Credits adapted from the Step by Step extended play liner notes:[22]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Holcombe, Travis (30 June 2024). "Guest Mix: House legends Braxe + Falcon flex their French Touch". KCRW. Archived from the original on 14 September 2024. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Sherburne, Philip (6 July 2022). "Step by Step EP: Alan Braxe / DJ Falcon review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 23 January 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  3. ^ a b "The 20 best songs of 2022". The Guardian. 5 December 2022. ISSN 1756-3224. OCLC 60623878. Archived from the original on 1 February 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Szatan, Gabriel (29 March 2022). "The Return of French House Pioneers Alan Braxe and DJ Falcon". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 23 January 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d e Holcombe, Travis (10 November 2022). "Daft Punk pals Braxe + Falcon on 'Step By Step' and loving Dinosaur Jr". KCRW. Archived from the original on 18 April 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Turner, Danny (1 September 2022). "Braxe + Falcon: "These days, most kids just crack tons of plugins and don't really cherish what they have"". MusicRadar. Archived from the original on 22 February 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  7. ^ Shopmaker, Zoey (29 March 2022). "Alan Braxe and DJ Falcon join forces as Braxe + Falcon on new EP, Step By Step". Resident Advisor. Archived from the original on 1 April 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  8. ^ a b Vergeade, Franck (29 March 2022). "Alan Braxe et DJ Falcon en pleine French Touch". Les Inrockuptibles (in French). ISSN 0298-3788. Archived from the original on 26 December 2024. Retrieved December 31, 2024.
  9. ^ Bloom, Madison (25 August 2022). "Braxe + Falcon Announce U.S. Shows, Share New "Step by Step" Video: Watch". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 23 January 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  10. ^ Coridian, Samuel (25 August 2022). "Braxe + Falcon font l'apprentissage du skate dans le nouveau clip du single "Step By Step"". Les Inrockuptibles (in French). ISSN 0298-3788. Archived from the original on 11 July 2024. Retrieved December 31, 2024.
  11. ^ Strauss, Matthew (18 May 2022). "Braxe + Falcon Detail EP, Share New Song "Elevation": Listen". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 23 January 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  12. ^ Davis, Ted (27 January 2023). "Braxe + Falcon - Step By Step feat. Panda Bear (Axel Boman's In The Air Version)". Resident Advisor. Archived from the original on 30 January 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  13. ^ Minsker, Evan (20 March 2023). "Panda Bear and Sonic Boom Announce U.S. Tour | Including an appearance at Pitchfork Music Festival, plus dates with Braxe + Falcon". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 23 January 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  14. ^ Brodsky, Rachel (22 July 2023). "Watch Braxe + Falcon & Panda Bear Perform "Step By Step" Live For The First Time". Stereogum. OCLC 1142733705. Archived from the original on 21 July 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  15. ^ Chaplain, Idriss (8 September 2024). "Paris 2024 Paralympic Games Closing Ceremony: Full Playlist". Olympic Games. Archived from the original on 3 October 2024. Retrieved December 31, 2024.
  16. ^ a b "The Best Electronic Music of 2022". Pitchfork. 8 December 2022. Archived from the original on 22 January 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  17. ^ "The 5 Best Songs Of The Week". Stereogum. 1 April 2022. OCLC 1142733705. Archived from the original on 22 July 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  18. ^ a b "KCRW's Favorite Songs of 2022". KCRW. 14 December 2022. Archived from the original on 20 May 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  19. ^ DeVille, Chris (10 August 2022). "Here Is Your Song Of The Summer 2022". Stereogum. OCLC 1142733705. Archived from the original on 30 April 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  20. ^ DeVille, Chris (19 December 2022). "The Gummy Awards: Your Top 10 Albums And Songs Of 2022". Stereogum. OCLC 1142733705. Archived from the original on 18 July 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  21. ^ "Stereogum's 50 Favorite Songs Of 2022". Stereogum. 13 December 2022. OCLC 1142733705. Archived from the original on 25 January 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  22. ^ Braxe + Falcon (2022). Step by Step (liner notes). Domino Recording Company. 192152050214.
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