Heavy Friends
Saturday May 3rd, 2025 with Heavy Ben
Electronic Sounds From Canada Part 14 - Pascal Languirand et Trans-X

This week on Heavy Friends we wish a happy 70th birthday to Pascal Languirand, who is a Canadian musician, composer, and producer, best known as the founder and frontman of the synth-pop group Trans-X. Born on this date May 3, 1955, in Paris, France, he grew up in Quebec City and Mexico, eventually relocating to Montreal and studying communications and electronic music McGill and cinematography Concordia University. Initially, Languirand released several solo albums in the ambient and electronic genres, drawing inspiration from artists like Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schultze and Pink Floyd. His 1980 album De Harmonia Universalia featured Gregorian chants processed through a Korg vocoder, showcasing his experimental approach to music. In 1983, Pascal Languirand formed Trans-X, a project that marked a departure from his previous work, embracing a more commercial, dance-oriented sound. The band took its name from Kraftwerk's 1977 song "Trans-Europe Express". The band's debut single, "Living on Video," became a global hit, selling over two million copies and charting in multiple countries. The success of the track propelled Trans-X to international fame, leading to the release of their debut album, Living on Video, which featured both French (Vivre Sur Vidéo) and English versions of the title track. Following the initial success, Languirand continued to develop Trans-X's sound, releasing several albums throughout the 1980s and 1990s. After a hiatus, Pascal revived the project in the mid-1990s, releasing updated versions of their classic hits and new material. In the 2000s, Languirand expanded his musical endeavors, exploring new age and ambient genres and the album LSD in 2003, credited to Cybernium. In recent years, Languirand has continued to perform and record under the Trans-X moniker, collaborating with various artists and exploring new musical directions. His work remains influential in the synth-pop and electronic music scenes, and he continues to be recognized for his contributions to the genre. https://www.progquebec.com/languirand.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-X (to embiggen the show icon, right-click and choose "Open image in new tab")