Ten Fingerz produces tracks brimming with dance floor energy, influenced by acid house, 90s techno, French Touch, jazz, and afro-house sounds. An insatiable vinyl collector, when he’s behind the decks, his ten fingers dance to deliver furious, powerful, and groovy house music, flirting with the funkier side of techno. Audiences at the Rex, Djoon, Mazette, Sacré, Concorde Atlantique, and the Marvellous Island festival still remember his performances.

The Frappé label, co-founded with Basile de Suresnes, develops a unique and powerful sonic identity focused on the dancefloor, through Various Artists EPs that have already featured renowned artists such as Demuir, S3A, Art Of Tones, Mr Raoul K, DJ Sneak, Mark Blair, Floyd Lavine, Déborah Aime La Bagarre and Jamie 3:26 He also performs at venues like the Rex Club (Paris), the Djoon (Paris), Sisyphos (Berlin), Renate (Berlin) and various festival across france. He is a long time vinyl collector and likes playing his favorite records in this format every time it’s possible. He draws his influences from Chicago House, acid house, Detroit techno, productions from the French Touch era and also the work and back catalogue of great labels such as Soma Records, F Comm, DKO or Classic Music Company to quote only but a few.

After his debut release on Dealt With Records in 2021, which paid tribute to the late José Padilla with the track Café Padilla, Ten Fingerz returns with a new three-track EP titled ‘Reflektionz.’ We sat down with the in demand Frenchman to discuss the release and much more…

WWD: Hey Ten Fingerz, great to meet you! What’s happening in your world at the minute?

It’s snowing in Paris and I’m working on some new tracks for 2025 before taking a cool Xmas Break at La Réunion Island with my girlfriend. 

WWD: Congratulations on releasing ‘Reflektionz EP’ on Dealt With Records. Talk us through the release? 

Thanks guys, glad you like it and thank you for the support! Donny and Suzie at ‘Dealt With’ have become friends after the 1st release I did with them (a Track named Café Padilla in 2021). We were talking about a new EP together, but I’m a slow producer and running the Frappé Label with my friend Basile de Suresnes also keeps me very busy! So it took me ages to wrap up these tracks and I wanted to do something a little deeper and more emotional for them, as it fits their imprint. Finally I got these done over the summer,3 tracks with different production techniques, and inspirations. Hence the title ‘Reflektionz EP.’

WWD: What’s the meaning behind your artist name?

I really am a DJ to start with – slowly becoming more confident with my production abilities, working hard on crafting my own sound – but I started DJing a long time ago and have always wanted to be recognized as a DJ first. I look up to DJs like Jeff Mills, Dave Clarke, Derrick Carter, DJ Sneak, Laurent Garnier. And I like to do little tricks when I play, I play a lot of vinyls too, so my hands and fingers are constantly busy at the decks. 10 Fingerz on the mixer is the idea.

WWD: How did the collaboration with the label come about?

They approached me after I released this track called ‘Stereojazz’ on Frappé. And I was very touched that they did, I think they were the first label to ask me for demos. Funny thing is they are from Glasgow and I lived in Edinburgh from 2002 to 2006. I love Scotland and know the country well! They are passionate and super nice, so we decided to work together. And I’m now back with this new record.

WWD: For those who are just discovering your music, what do you hope they feel or experience when they listen to your productions?

I hope they want to dance, want to play them if they are DJs, and that they feel the emotion you have on the dancefloor. I’m trying to make music that touches people. I don’t know if I always hit the spot but it’s always the intention.

WWD: Can you describe the connection between your music and your French roots, and how they continue to influence your music today?

French popular music, the equivalent of french pop is mainly crap, so don’t have connections with that really, apart from the fact that I hate it :p I got into electronic music through techno so the first French music that I really connected with was French DJs like Laurent Garnier, Agoria, Kiko, Miss Kittin. And french labels like F Comm, Logistics. This sort of thing before the infamous “French touch” filtered sound, which I love too, Daft Punk (Homeworks mainly), Crydamoure, DJ Gregory and all the productions from the golden era, the non radio stuff which annoys me. I think you’ll hear some of the techno influences on Jens Dance…

WWD: What has been the highlight of your career so far? Can you talk about a specific moment or accomplishment that stands out as particularly meaningful to you? 

I’m lucky to have accomplished a few things I’m really proud of already, I really feel blessed for this. Getting my music on vinyl is an accomplishment for me, I’ve bought thousands before having my name on one of them! Want to thank Black Pattern records for producing my first solo EP this year and pressing it. (Flip Da Floor EP). As a DJ, playing my 1st Rex at 40 year-old in 2021, for a night we’ve set up with Frappé is something I will remember forever.

WWD: Can you share some insight into your creative process when producing music? Do you have any particular rituals or methods that help you stay inspired? 

Not really, sometimes I have an idea and try to make it into a track. Sometimes I’m toying with machines or samples and something triggers the creativity and gets me started on a new project. But for this EP actually, on Jens Dance it was a bit special. As I did this one track with my friend Jens Schwan from the Clubmap (Berlin) in mind. He loved my track NS (out on JTEKKEN EP on Frappé) and was very supportive of it. We’ve never met but I was very touched by the fact that this track connected us, from different countries and having never met. It’s one of my most personal tracks actually, It’s a tribute to the Nuit Sonore festival in Lyon where I’m from, that got cancelled during lock down. SO I tried to blend the rawness of acid, with something a little deeper, almost soulful but using machines. And here it is.

WWD: As someone deeply rooted in the electronic music scene, what state is it in right now? What notable artists are emerging?

It’s splitting 2 ways in my opinion, between “entertainers” of the decks and people still doing it for the culture and actually working their ass off to be good djs and producers, keep the real house and techno sound going. I’m not interested in the entertainers bunch and I see some DJs, labels and producers trying to follow the trend and the money, I pity them. There is still some interesting stuff coming out, always have and always will be. On the French scene I like what the Floorfillers do, the guys from Taylor Rhythm also, my friends from Black Pattern too (based in Switzerland but they speak French :p) Elise Masoni, JKS on the techno scene.

WWD: When you are not busy with music, what might we find you doing? 

Watching MotoGP, supporting Fabio Quartararo forever, he’s gonna come back if Yamaha gets him a decent bike, haha. Cooking for my girlfriend, spending time in Lyon. Enjoying simple things really, like watching from my window the 1st snow falling out right now…

WWD: Finally, tell us about three of your best dancefloor fillers… 

That’s a tough one guys…

Austin Ato has to be in it with ‘What U want’ 

Kink with ‘Existence’

DJ Sneak with ‘Message of Love…’ ALL TIME CLASSIC

But I could have quoted some old green velvet, my friend Basile de Suresnes who’s doing some badass stuff right now, most of the Classic Music Company vinyl back catalog from the 1st era. Go dig…

WWD: Great choices! Thanks for the chat, Ten Fingerz! 

The ‘Reflektionz’ EP is here