Laurent Garnier

Garnier is a French techno OG. A prominent DJ since the late '80s (he spun at Manchester's Hacienda and fueled the Stone Roses' and Happy Mondays' interest in dance music), he has consistently put a cheekily reverent Gallic slant on Chicago house and Detroit techno, combining melodic elegance and bumptious rhythms with abrasive textures and jazzy embellishments. Whereas 2000's Unreasonable Behaviour took sinister treks through dystopian metropolises, Garnier's beloved 1997 album 30 (recently rescued from oblivion and reissued by Mute) is a feel-good affair. Garnier takes surprising -- and excellent -- detours into subaquatic dub and Mo Wax trip-hop while flaunting sassy house and sleek techno chops. And with "Flashback," Garnier pays homage to acid-house legends such as Phuture and Hardfloor, proving that showing respect for pioneers doesn't have to make an artist staid.