Mr. Oizo

Though it’s a sure bet he’ll linger in the minds of most for his omnipresent Levi’s advert and 1999 European chart-topper “Flat Beat,” music video director Quentin Dupieux turned in some excellent electronic productions as Mr. Oizo. Far from the madding crowds of ad-oriented hipster trance or jungle, “Flat Beat” was a midtempo techno production with heavily distorted effects and a playful nature that fit perfectly with the visual focus, a lovable yellow puppet. Following the infectious single’s freak success, Dupieux continued releasing bizarre, innovative Mr. Oizo records, influencing numerous styles of left-field dance music.

While still a teenager, Dupieux began directing short films for French television, and turned in no less than eight works between 1994 and 1998. His associations with the music world began in 1997, when leading French dance citizen Laurent Garnier serendipitously bought a car from Dupieux’s father. Dupieux directed the video for Garnier’s “Flashback” single, as well as the long-form video Nightmare Sandwiches, starring and featuring music by Garnier. That year, he also moved into music production, with his debut single, “#1,” appearing on Garnier’s F Communications label. After the video he (naturally) directed for second single “M-Seq” landed on an ad-agency desk, he was tapped to direct the commercial that launched Levi’s vaunted non-denim line of trousers. The eccentric advert — featuring a puppet named Flat Eric  maniacally bobbing his head to the music in the passenger seat of a Chevelle while a nonplussed human driver concentrated on the road — soon became famous across Europe, and the single (also on F Communications) hit number one all across the Continent. (It eventually sold over two million copies.)