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Intelligence And Sacrifice
[DHR]
After Carl Crack's death last year, Atari Teenage Riot's aficionados rightfully feared for the future of the little DHR gang. Alec Empire's newest release should put their minds at ease. For the price of a single album, this double CD pack presents the two alternate facets à la Dr Jekyll and Mister Hyde of this prolific and seething musician. The first CD, featuring Nic Endo ("sounds fx/noise layers"), reminds us of the ATR fiery with its raging guitars and vindictive slogans, i.e. pure energy leaving total devastation in its wake! As Alec Empire himself sums up, this first CD feels like "driving a very expensive car straight into a wall". The second album is more in keeping with Alec's conceptual solo experiments, based on voiceless and cyclical electronic explorations.
Like a mirror image of Alec Empire's wild and hybrid personality, "Intelligence and Sacrifice" is an unmarketable piece of work that will appeal to electronica, metal, punk and noise adepts alike.
Laure Cornaire |
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Early
[Soul Jazz Records]
Toward the late 70s, two Manchester-based tribes of young people lived together in a weird harmony. On the one hand, the bewitched devotees to the heretic smack of the Velvet Underground and to the ambiguous appeal of David Bowie (Joy Division, Section 25, Crispy Ambulance). On the other, the children of the Northern Soul, fans of black soul music. A Certain Ratio is the perfect link between these two cultures sharing a similar sense of repartee. No need to know how to play an instrument to create a rich musical environment, even when you opt for the difficulty of funky rhythms. "Early", launched at the initiative of the London-based Souljazz label, relates the history of a combo who, alike Cabaret Voltaire, cultivated an absolute taste for singularity (A Certain Ratio started their experimentation with magnetic tapes after attending a Cabaret Voltaire gig). Complete with 2 CDs and a Quicktime video, this anthology will sound like a total musical UFO to whomever never danced on icy-cold dancefloor hits such as Shack Up or Blown Away. The sophisticated booklet is an additional treat to those who still long for this very special period in time that only existed on a microcosmic point of the world's music map. Do the Du!
Anthony Augendre |
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| Black Tape for a Blue Girl | |
The Scavenger Bride
[Projekt]
As eternal reflections of leader Sam Rosenthal's moods, the successive albums of Black Tape for a Blue Girl have always been shrouded in the crystalline waters and the ethereal fumes of romanticism. "The Scavenger Bride", the band's eighth release, makes no exception to the rule, yet appears from the outset as a much more ambitious project. Centred around three characters plunged in the turmoil of passion, desire and solitude, this concept album (crafted in the shadow of Kafka) delivers Sam Rosenthal's most utterly poignant love confession ever. A work of art chiselled with sensitivity and grace, in which each instrument (guitars, piano, flute...) conveys the protagonists' emotions (regrets on Bastille Day, 1961, disillusion in Like a Dog). At time full of light and deeply dark, "The Scavenger's Bride" exhales muffled sounds floating like breaths evaporating from synths layers (Floats in the Updrafts) and whispering guitars (The Doorkeeper). Supported by Elysabeth Grant's angelic voice and several luxury guest stars (Attrition's Martin Bowes, Spahn Ranch's Athan Maroulis, Unto Ashes' Michael Laird, Audra's Bret Helm and Judith's Chris David), Sam Rosenthal crafted a pure and haunting ode to romanticism. The ultimate album for introspection and melancholy wanderings.
Stéphane Leguay |
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| Collection d'Arnell-Andréa | |
Tristesse des Mânes
[Prikosnovénie]
Six years had passed since "Cirses des Champs", Collection d'Arnell Andrea's previous album. After such a long silence, one had every right to ponder on the potential evolution of France's favourite Collection. The band's arrival on the Prikosnovénie label should yet have given us a hint: the judicious guitars of "Villers-aux-Vents" and "Cirses des Champs" have indeed totally vanished on this new album. Or call it rather a faithful reinterpretation of older titles selected among the band's first three albums, complete with seven brand new tracks. New tracks that exhale the endearingly old-fashioned fragrance of Collection's very own autumnal poetry and graciously merge into the delicate colours of near-classics such as Kergal and Les Temples élevés. Alas, this mixture of sounds past and present has nothing new to contribute to Collection's musical universe. Orchestrated like a chamber music piece dominated by the piano and the viola's melancholy voices, "Tristesse des Mânes" eventually ends up anaesthetising the listener - and yes, Chloe's beautiful voice is at time a trifle too affected (Un Automne restant). In the wake of exciting "electric" albums that seemed to unveil so many interesting new horizons, this intimist new release seems a little frustrating and leaves a bitter aftertaste - slight yet persistent, not unlike a late winter chill.
Stéphane Leguay |
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Daniel Ash
[Psychobaby]
Whereas he didn't exactly pull it off with his first two solo efforts in 91and 92, Daniel Ash's new release is a truly exceptional achievement. Although Love and Rockets may now sound like ancient history, the familiar echoes of the now-dead band resonate throughout the album. Behind the sophisticated drums, meticulous production and arrangements, the guitars convey a familiar Love and Rockets touch which, together with Daniel Ash's voice and an often boisterous rhythm, unmistakably takes us back to the band's hours of glory. The album's opening, Hollywood Fix, sounds like familiar ground, and Mastermind dares a playful revisit of the Christian Says gimmick on Tones on Tail. At time, Daniel Ash deliberately stays in the background, alternating song (Chelsea, Sea Glass) and instrumental pieces (Rattlesnake, Lights Out). As the album unfolds, the rhythm never falls off, offering a dazzling collection of tunes. The influence of DJ Keoki is undeniable through the electronic atmosphere that pervades the album, especially on precision numbers such as Burning Man. Last but not least, Walk on the Moon or the reinterpretation of Spooky are also moments of pure happiness on this homogeneous album whose quality definitely keeps up the whole way through.
Christophe Labussière |
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Anti'Christ
[Danse Macabre/Massacre]
At last! Let's out a heartfelt cry at the sight of this long-awaited new Das Ich album - indeed, it had been a long time since "Morgue" in 1998, despite an exciting remix collection, "Re_laborat", in 1999. And a sigh of relief, too: as "Anti-Christ" unfolds, opening with the implacable rhythms of Engel, it obviously announces the return of the intense and powerful Das Ich sound we so dearly missed in the wake of their mellower and rather frustrating previous opus. However skilful at crafting superb ambient soundtracks ("Das Innere Licht") or poetical pieces ("Morgue"), the Ackermann-Kramm pair especially excels at concocting their very own blend of staccato beats, symphonic ornaments and good old German lyricism. Declining past feasts of arms (from the "Die Propheten", "Staub" and "Egodram" albums) through 10 brand new tracks, from war hymn Krieg im Paradise to swan song Der achte Tag, the German pair transcends their art and style in a tragic intensity that literally sends a shiver down the spine (Tor zur Hölle, Vater...). Stefan's dramatic psalmodies, together with Bruno's inspired structures, are truly dazzling, conveying at time the darkness of a requiem (Garten Eden) or the brightness of an irresistible dancefloor hit (Das Dunkle Land). The striking evidence of an exemplary evolution despite the fashions, "Anti'Christ" is undoubtedly the band's best release since their mythic "Staub" album.
Stéphane Leguay |
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You Can't Fight What You Can't
[Jade Tree/Vicious Circle]
Few bands survived the all-U.S. hardcore domination that raged from 1991 and 1995. More discreet than most of the bands who headed the bill at the time, the 1990-born Girls against Boys carried on in their own sweet way, delivering pure objects of raw emotions and energy with each new album. The previous one, "Freak on ICA", in 1998, had marked a turning point in the band's evolution. The music, less punk, became permeated with the techno influences of the time, injecting fresh blood into the band's musical horizon and attracting the interest of a larger audience. Today, they get down to it again. Now that they eventually digested their numerous and varied sources of inspiration, their music is much more directly understandable and easier to sink into. And you can't help but fall for it; Scott Mc Loud's hoarse voice is as impressive as ever, the bass line still conveys the echoes of a noisy Joy Division, and the omnipresent guitar is here to remind you that once you've had a taste of punk, there's no way out. A pure delight from the first track to the last.
Frédéric Thébault |
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Herzattacke
[Minuswelt / Sony Music]
Two years after their previous album, "Love Kills", was released at critical acclaim and unanimously praised by the indie press, In Strict Confidence is back under the limelight of the electro-goth scene. And this 2002 vintage is as tasty as the previous one, even if the 8 tracks composing Herzattacke are but a logical follow-up to "Love Kills". Herzattacke is an undeniable hit, with no less than 5 remixes to convince even the most dubious listener. Heavy rhythmics, German lyrics, lugubrious vocals and cybernetic sounds, the winning formula of this music of chaos has already been tried and tested. The three remaining tracks are unequally interesting: whereas Into Ashes sounds like a catchy ballad with a warlike tune, Kaleidoscop is a wearisome and monotonous instrumental piece. As to Final Embrace, its oppressive atmosphere yet leaves a feeling of incompleteness. Conclusion: I've seen better, as any self-respecting demanding cyborg would say. Will it be enough to help us wait until their next full-length album?
Stéphane Colombet |
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From Death To Passwords
[Hydrogen Dukebox]
Lee Norris is the archetypal contemporary electronic musician. Alike fellow aquatic hippies Boards of Canada, he lives in the countryside with his wife and kids. Like Richard D James, he doesn't like publicity and like Uwe Schmidt, he is involved in a variety of side-projects under different names. When he's into Detroit techno, call him Norker. When he manages a neat electronica label, Lee turns into Neo Ouija (the proud producer of Infant, Sense, as well as of the two volumes of the already famous "Cottage Industries" compilations). But this is where easy comparisons stop, because this new Metamatics release, deeply shrouded in a dream-like cloud, doesn't own anyone anything. The off-beat structures may sound a little naive at first, but the harmonies and the overall aesthetics of the album definitely plunge the listener into a daydream contemplation. The alliance of vocals and poetry is truly successful. A very sincere and touching album, so far away from the surrounding austerity.
Anthony Augendre |
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Oxydes
[Parametric]
Remy Pelleschi is a well-known perfectionist, taking as much care of his sound creations as of their aesthetics. This double CD-pack, complete with a carefully crafted artwork and booklet, is another demonstration of Pelleschi's know-how and mastery. Yet despite this carefully controlled aesthetic universe, where nothing is left to chance, the listener is once again left with no guidance whatsoever as to how to approach the music.
Whereas the previous opus, "Fe2 03", was clearly divided into 2 distinct parts, "Oxydes" rejects all attempts at organisation. "Quiet" pieces are juxtaposed to devastating rhythms in no apparent coherence. The album's articulation, though slightly disturbing, avoids repetitiveness. What is generated here seems more consistent than ever. Neurotic soundtracks such as Pbo, Li20 and Rho, are endless sources of creation for images and atmospheres... at time, you'd almost think you're listening to the dialogues of the psychotic films that unfold inside your brain. Mlada Fronta is a machine that plays tricks to your imagination and controls your psyche. With its bare rhythms stripped to the bone (Mno, NO) and unknown textures, "Oxydes" feels like a new kind of organic ore, neither solid nor anything else known so far.
CD 2 contains 8 very interesting remixes (Tarmvred, Dither, Mimetic, Milligramme, Gom, Data Raper and Mlada Fronta) and no less than 4 video live tracks.
Christophe Labussière |
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Dust
[Metropolis]
Peter Murphy's affinities with Turkey are well-documented. So far rather discreet in his inspiration, they're here fully exposed for the first time, making "Dust" a very special album in Murphy's discography. The tracks' lengths stretch from 6 to 10 minutes, and music requires you full-time attention in order to penetrate the artist' universe.
But patience and attention always pay in return, for the spookiest thing about "Dust" turns out to be its awesome strength. Deeper and more insidious as in any of his previous works, "Dust" never takes the easy way out. And though you keep coming across Peter Murphy's unmistakable and enticing sound over these 70 minutes in length (for 9 tracks only), yet the rhythm is more muffled, the tracks more span out, the rhythmics truly surprising, the whole being further enriched with the original arrangements and the variety of instruments. The tracks stretch out, evolve, deconstruct themselves and deliberately cloud the issue. Peter Murphy obviously opted for difficulty, his voice sometimes remaining the only melodic element left over a subtle, rich and meticulous musical structure.
A disconcerting work, "Dust" is sparing with clues yet skilfully avoids the elitist experimental trap. Peter Murphy's natural nonchalance and casualness make it a truly attaching experience indeed. A record for patient people.
Christophe Labussière |
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L'enfer tiède
[Lithium]
Born in the early 90s, France's Diabologum was never what you might call an hilarious act. Whereas their debut album managed to not totally sink into despair, things grew worse with time. Two albums later, the band, whose characteristically phrased lyrics had become a trademark, put the seal on the break-up, dissolving into Expérience on one hand, and Programme on the other. After a rather interesting but complex debut album, "Le cerveau dans ma bouche" (The brain inside my mouth), it's now time to see whether Diabologum's second broken branch kept its promise. And one's forced to recognise the band's obvious evolution. The noisy guitars that gave so much energy to their first tracks are gone. What's left is an terrifyingly ice-cold and experimental music à la Throbbing Gristle, that will delight aficionados without offering much to the uninitiated. A powerful and purely animal non-music straight from the depths of the soul, without the slightest touch of casualness or humour.
Frédéric Thébault |
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Assembly
[Nuclear Blast]
Same players shoot again! A year after their exceptional "Musique", Norway's former doom-goth heroes now turned cyber-romantics go at it again with a brand new CD entitled "Assembly". Convinced that the electro pop metal mixture achieved on their previous release was the perfect recipe to feed the audience, Theatre of Tragedy believed they could take the easy way out and apply this winning formula once again to the 11 tracks of their new album. Missed! The metal has mellowed under the weight of a synthetic and overdone production creating an overall artificial and insipid taste. Whereas inspired tracks such as Image or Machine inevitably scored with their catchy refrains, today's Automatic Lovers and Play sink into mechanical and boring combinations. 2000 had marked the band's exciting discovery of electronic delights and devices such as the vocoder; their systematic use of synthetic elements and neat guitars (Superdrive) now fails to convince. Despite a handful of good tracks such as Universal Race, Let You Down or Envision, "Assembly" is quite a poor effort.
Stéphane Leguay |
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Read And Burn 01
[Pink Flag]
Following the recent return of punk veterans such as The Damned, The Buzzcocks and The Exploited, numerous leading bands of the 80s indie scene are successively taking up their instruments again. With Fad Gadget back in the limelight, more confidential bands such as A Certain Ratio suddenly reappearing and a multitude of young bands paying tribute to their 80s musical influences, the dark godfathers of the early 80s are now turned into the heroes of an emerging 21st century. It is now Wire's turn to issue a set of new releases, 25 years after scathing hymns such as "Pink Flag", "Chairs Missing" and "154" that has caused a sensation between 1977 and 1979. In 1986, the group's first form up had resulted in a string of excellent albums providing a quite off the beaten tracks and innovative new wave, before dissolving into oblivion again - or so they said until 1991, with the release of "The First Letter" under the name Wir (the deleted "e" standing for the drummer's departure, following a "back to nature" trip). Today, within the space of 6 new tracks, just over 15 minutes in length, new wave's nearly-granddads (mind you, guitar player B.C. Gilbert was already way in his thirties in 1977) play it punk-like, their cold and monolithic atmospheres topped off with up-to-date sonorities. And worst of it all, you really get your kicks out of it! None of the six tracks composing Read and Burn 01 ever sounds outdated or corny. Should Wire consolidate their gains with a full-length album, as rumours suggest, expect to see three generations of fans pushing up to attend their gigs, post-techno youths side by side with fifty-ish potbellied punks. Meanwhile, let's just savour this new object, it's really worthwhile.
Frédéric Thébault |
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