Jen Cardini returns with first solo EP since the ’90s on Chloé Caillet’s SMIILEWAX
French DJ and producer Jen Cardini has announced their first solo EP since the late 1990s. Titled ‘Petit Monstre’, the release is scheduled for 27 March via SMIILE RECORDS, the label founded by fellow French artist Chloé Caillet. The EP will also mark the debut release of SMIILEWAX, a new vinyl-focused imprint launched by the platform.
Speaking about the project, Cardini explained the meaning behind the title: “‘Petit Monstre’ is French for a cheeky little troublemaker. I’ve proudly been a little monster since 1974 — still very active and very happy to join the SMIILE family. ” The upcoming EP represents Cardini’s first solo release since 1998’s ‘Usual Suspects’.
Over the years, the Correspondant Records and Dischi D’Autunno founder has collaborated with artists including Shonky, Ho, Egal, and 22 Crew, while continuing to shape underground electronic music through multiple labels. In 2023, Cardini also launched Færies Records, celebrating three decades of influence within the electronic music scene.
Looking ahead to the summer, Cardini will bring their Nightclubbing queer party concept to Paris for a special festival takeover. The event will take place at La Villette, the city’s third-largest park, as well as several nearby clubs and cultural venues. Originally launched in 2023, Nightclubbing is a queer-focused platform and party series that currently holds residencies at Outra Cena in Lisbon and RSO in Berlin.
The announcement arrives at a significant moment for the French scene, following the recent recognition of French electronic music as part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.