Flat Beat

"Flat Beat"
Single by Mr. Oizo
from the album Analog Worms Attack
B-side
  • "Monday Massacre"
  • "Sick Dog Try to Speak"
Released22 March 1999 (1999-03-22)[1]
Genre
Length
  • 5:25 (original version)
  • 4:00 (radio edit)
LabelF Communications
Songwriter(s)Mr. Oizo
Producer(s)Mr. Oizo
Mr. Oizo singles chronology
"Analog Worms Attack"
(1999) 		"Flat Beat"
(1999) 		"Last Night a DJ Killed My Dog"
(2000)
Music video
"Flat Beat" on YouTube

"Flat Beat" is an instrumental by French musician Mr. Oizo. It was released on 22 March 1999 through F Communications and was included as a bonus track on his debut studio album, Analog Worms Attack. An accompanying music video was released on VHS. The music video features Flat Eric, a puppet, head banging to the track.

Widely publicized by Flat Eric's appearance in many commercials for Levi's and the popularity of the music video, the track became a surprise European hit.[5] "Flat Beat" peaked at number five on the French Singles Chart and reached number one in Austria, Finland, Flanders, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. In 2003, Q Magazine ranked "Flat Beat" number 175 in their list of the "1001 Best Songs Ever".[6]

Background

In an interview with XLR8R magazine, Quentin Dupieux stated that it took him only two hours with a Korg MS-20 to produce. The instrumental is mainly composed of a repeated bassline, and it samples "Put Your Love in My Tender Care" by the Fatback Band.

Reception

Critical reception

Stevie Chick from NME wrote, "Leading sociologists are calling it the 'Flat Eric Phenomenon'. Red-top tabloids print instructions for the Flat Eric window moves and White Van Man is overjoyed. Yes, helped along by his friends at the Levi's company, Mr Oizo could soon be celebrating the inevitable outcome of such a profitable partnership, a Number One record. And that would be a fine thing, not least because 'Flat Beat' is a sleek slice of supremely filtered, speaker-busting electro that would undoubtedly be a minor specialist hit in its own right if released without the might of this high-profile campaign, but also because Flat Eric, the ice-cool yellow muppet, is one of the most fascinating creatures to have entered the crazy world of rock'n'roll in recent memory."[7]

Commercial reception

The song was a surprise international success in Europe,[5] topping the charts in Austria, Finland, Flanders, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom.[8][9][10] In the latter country, it was the seventh song featured in a Levi's advert to top the UK Singles Chart and the 25th instrumental single to top the chart.[11][12] On the Eurochart Hot 100, "Flat Beat" peaked at number two and was Europe's 11th-most-successful hit of 1999.[13][14] "Flat Beat" was not as successful in France, where it peaked at number five and did not receive airplay, selling only a quarter of the copies as it did in the UK.[4]

Legacy

In 2003, Q Magazine ranked "Flat Beat" number 175 in their list of the "1001 Best Songs Ever".[6] In September 2005, Stylus Magazine included the track's bassline at number 13 in their list of the "Top 50 Basslines of All Time",[15] while Mixmag included it in their "The Best Basslines in Dance Music" in 2020. The magazine added, "Disclaimer: it's likely you'll be thinking there's a bees' nest in the corner of your room after listening to it. Don't let that put you off, though. "Flat Beat" boasts one of the best basslines of all time."[16]

Music video

A still from the music video

Prior to the "Flat Beat", Dupieux created Flat Eric, a fictional puppet character, for Levi's commercials for Sta-Prest One Crease Denim Clothing, built by Jim Henson's Creature Shop.[17] The popularity of the commercials lead to a music video for the song being created, also featuring Flat Eric.

The accompanying music video for "Flat Beat" was directed by Quentin Dupieux and released alongside the single release. The video was released on VHS and later on digital download services and YouTube on the official F Communications channel. The video was listed in Maxim's list of Best Puppets in a Music Video.[18]

Track listings

French VHS single[19]
No.TitleLength
1."Flat Beat"3:06
European CD single[8][20]
No.TitleLength
1."Flat Beat" (radio edit)4:00
2."Monday Massacre"3:36
UK CD single[21]
No.TitleLength
1."Flat Beat" (radio edit)4:00
2."Flat Beat"5:25
3."Monday Massacre"3:36
UK 12-inch single[22]
No.TitleLength
1."Flat Beat"5:25
2."Monday Massacre"3:36
3."Sick Dog Try to Speak"3:36
UK cassette single[23]
No.TitleLength
1."Flat Beat" (radio edit)4:00
2."Flat Beat"5:25
Australian and New Zealand single[24]
No.TitleLength
1."Flat Beat"5:25
2."Monday Massacre"3:36
3."Sick Dog Try to Speak"3:36
4."Flat Beat" (radio edit)4:00

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)[56] Gold 25,000*
Belgium (BEA)[57] Platinum 50,000*
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[58] Gold 5,075[58]
Germany (BVMI)[59] Platinum 500,000^
Sweden (GLF)[60] Gold 15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[62] Platinum 678,000[61]
Summaries
Worldwide — 3,000,000[63]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ a b Lorenz, Christian (27 March 1999). "Eric's Prospects Anything but Flat" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 13. p. 9. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  2. ^ "Discover the Story Behind Mr. Ozio's Worldwide Hit 'Flat Beat'". 24 October 2016.
  3. ^ "Sander van Doorn's label is releasing a track that sounds like 'Flat Beat' – and Mr. Oizo is not happy – FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music". 7 January 2015.
  4. ^ a b Bouton, Rémi; Lorenz, Christian (15 May 1999). "French Electronica's Domestic Strife" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 20. p. 10. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  5. ^ a b Visser, Menno (24 April 1999). "Airplay – On the Air" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 17. p. 20. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Q – 1001 best songs ever (2003)". Q.
  7. ^ Chick, Stevie. "This Week's Singles March 27 1999". NME. Archived from the original on 4 October 2000. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  8. ^ a b c "Mr. Oizo – Flat Beat" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  9. ^ a b "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 18. 1 May 1999. p. 12. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  10. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  11. ^ Masterton, James (28 March 1999). "Week Ending April 3rd 1999". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  12. ^ Siegler, Dylan (April 2000). "Mr. Oizo". CMJ New Music (80). College Music Journal: 39. ISSN 1074-6978.
  13. ^ a b "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 16. 17 April 1999. p. 7. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  14. ^ a b "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1999" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 1. 1 January 2000. p. 11. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
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  21. ^ Flat Beat (UK CD single liner notes). Mr. Oizo. F Communications. 1999. F104 CDUK.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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  23. ^ Flat Beat (UK cassette single sleeve). Mr. Oizo. F Communications. 1999. F 104 MC.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  24. ^ Flat Beat (Australian & New Zealand CD single liner notes). Mr. Oizo. Creative Vibes. 1999. 137.01 04.22 / 081P.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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