Thomas Bangalter is stepping deeper into his post-Daft Punk era with Mirage – Ballet for 16 Dancers, a new album that also serves as the score for a full-length ballet created with choreographer Damien Jalet and artist Kōhei Nawa. Set for release on June 5, the eight-track project continues his move toward more formal composition, but does it in a way that still feels curious, physical, and deeply tied to movement. Inspired in part by the sculptural ideas of Iannis Xenakis, Mirage sounds less like a side project and more like another clear sign of where Bangalter’s head has been since the duo’s split.
That shift has been building for a while. Between Mythologies, Chiroptera, and the larger performance worlds he has helped shape in recent years, Bangalter has been steadily carving out a second act that feels less interested in nostalgia and more focused on form, space, and structure. At the same time, he has not completely stepped away from the DJ side either, with recent sets alongside Fred again.. and Rampa reminding people that he can still surprise from multiple angles.
What makes Mirage – Ballet for 16 Dancers especially compelling is that it does not feel like a retreat from what came before. It feels like an expansion. Bangalter is still chasing atmosphere and tension, he is just doing it through a different frame now.
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