 | |
Spokes
[Warp]
Most of the band's fans (adepts of distorted melodies) don't expect anything from Plaid's new album. Used to the well-oiled machinery of this duo as influential as Aphex Twin and Boards of Canada, the genre's fans could go past a great record. The reason is simple: Ed Handley and Andy Turner don't promote much their releases. With no advertizing, with no boastfulness, nor ostentatious marketing, they manage to produce some scheming compositions. Where their electronica colleagues shut themselves up in a kind of ascetism, Plaid always pushes back further their melodic games and their rhythmics assemblages. They also avoid, with some success, to use a rigid musical language. In "Spokes", experimentation goes with humour, the atmospheres' blackness blend with the warm instrumentations. The evocative force of the ambiences make of this album a feature film which would have no pictures. A bit like in "Blue", Derek Jarman's film, where a monochrome blue screen during two hours was supported by the musics of Coil and Brian Eno. The latter claimed once that the problem with computers was that didn't have enough Africa in them. Following this aphorism that would like to conciliate hot and cold, Plaid put in their industrial jumble some Caribbean vibrations, African zouk and industrial techno. Imagine one moment the work of a Latin musician (Ennio Morricone?) composing in a cable car hanging down above a Norwegian glacier and you'll get the picture of "Spokes".
Anthony Augendre |
|
| |
Promise Of Love
[Wall Of Sound/Labels]
With their four albums, only available in import, American Analog Set was until now a relatively little known band in Europe, but this is about to change because Labels finally decided to distribute "Promise of Love", the band's fifth recently recorded album. This is the occasion for a lot of people to discover the elegant pop of these Texans (we could imagine them mates with Lift To Experience) that we could vaguely situate somewhere between dEUS, the Notwist and Calla. These comparisons aren't that important though, because listening to the eight tracks of this excellent album (like the previous ones, especially "Know By Heart"), we can only but realise that AmAnSet has got its own identity and its own sound: a mature pop with melodies accessible and elaborate at the same time, which can be tinged by rock or electro depending on times. Obviously, it's not very original, but the quality of the compositions is there, and "Promise of love" is a homogeneous and pleasant album. So let's welcome these Texans on the old continent.
Renaud Martin |
|
| |
Cellblock
[Cold Meat Industry]
With the first album of Atrium Carceri, aka Simon Heath, we directly enter one of the most introspective work that is. The listener would have hardly heard the well named "Cellblock" that his space would have reduced and ostensibly darkened. The claustrophobes may go their own way. To the others, the beauty of this journey, not without consequences, in the abyssal depths is a necessity. Simon Heath, which assumes all the responsibility for these "visions, sounds, life" doesn't spare us. We go smoothly but surely from airlock to airlock, perceiving some rare locks' sounds of doors slamming from afar, and then some oppressing ebbs like Megaptera's in their "The Curse of the Scarecrow" period where the only source of light will be track of piano (see Machine Elves). The descent goes on through ambient tracks worthy of Plastikman's "Consumed", that collide but are never deafening. Indeed, the darkness in "Cellblock" is dank, even sticky, but permeates until it slyly becomes familiar and fascinating. Some rare moments with voices' samples (inverted or cavernous and remote) remind to the listener there is still an outside. But even on Depth where a thump accompanies an oozing metallic sound which, little by little, becomes an omnipresent panting and then an instrument, the illusion is perfect. Anyway, Atrium Carceri succeeds in making of our uterine nightmares twelve dark ambient tracks, the most captivating that the label Cold Meat Industry offered us in a long time.
Catherine Fagnot |
|
| |
Something Wrong
[Recall]
The delightedly bucolic sleeve (a naked woman leaving Bardi Johansson blackout in the middle of a green mountainous desert), hides the second album of the Icelandic duo, whose got a curious name to say the least. For this record, the versatile Bardi and his singer Esther Talia Casey had the excellent idea to invite some talented colleagues. So, our compatriot, Keren Ann sings in her native language (English) on the sumptuous There Was a Whisper, which, with its melancholic melodies and its Ennio Morricone-like guitars' arpeggios, could be a serious candidate for the Top 5 of the best trip-hop tracks ever. Then, we find the voice of Daniel August of Gus Gus on the languorous In the Morning and the one of Nicolette (of the unforgettable "Protection" of Massive Attack) on the classy and jazzy Contradictions. And these are not the only remarkable tracks of this album, the electric Find What You Get and its new-wave guitars, Inside and its cinematographic trip-hop, or the very "peace and love" single, Stop in the Name of Love (cover of the Supremes) catch the attention at the first listening. Really, nothing is wrong on "Something Wrong", which is one of the best pop/trip-hop album of this year.
Renaud Martin |
|
| |
99 Cents
[Labels]
The Chicks On Speed are really great fun, they quote Cindy Sherman and Jeff Koons in their songs and dress in a strange way to make fun of the fashion victims that come to their concerts (where there are many lamé mini-skirts and fluo pink tights). Yet, one of the fashion guru, Karl Lagerfeld himself, photographs them for their single sleeve, "Fashion Rules", they created a clothes collection with Jeremy "mullet head" Scott and their music is widely used on the catwalks: so, the Chicks On Speed make the most of what comes along their way. But, by dint of dispersion and make believe their band is a do-it-yourself concept "which doesn't take itself seriously", their records are always average and once again, that's the case here. Yet, this third album had everything to succeed, just take a look at the guests' list. Only on the (rather banal) cover of Wordy Rappinghood of Tom Tom Club, we hear in turn: Kristin Erickson (alias Kevin Blechdom), Inga Humpe (2raumwohnung), Miss Kittin (also present on another track), Nicola Kuperus (Adult.), Soffy O., Le Tigre or Tina Weymouth herself. On the production, we find Gerhard Potuznik & Ramon Bauer (which are part of the family), but also Glove, Mika Vainio (for the hidden track Flame On) and Cristian Vogel (with whom they're currently working on a fourth album). So, plenty of talented people and even one track (the noisy single We Don't Play Guitars) recorded with one of the most "bankable" artist of the moment: Peaches. According to its authors, "99 Cents" is an ode to "cheap art" (whence the title) and true enough, this record is cheap.
Carole Jay |
|
| |
Hai!
[Sioux Records/Chronowax]
Warning: those of you who only know The Creatures through "Boomerang" or "Anima Animus" might be disconcerted by "Hai!". Indeed, with this fourth album (if we don't take in account all the EPs, the singles, the remixes' albums and the limited edition live albums), Siouxsie Sioux and Budgie make an amazing come-back to their origins, towards the first recordings of their parallel project which became the main project since the split of the Banshees. If you want to find an equivalent to "Hai!", you'll have to look towards "Feast" and its minimalism rather than the electro ambiences of "Anima Animus". Recorded during the recent Japanese concerts of the temporary reformation of Siouxsie and the Banshees, this album was, above all, created because the couple wanted to work with Leonard Eto, ex-member of the Japanese percussionnists' band, Kodo. So, the album is mainly composed of rhythms and chants, using many drums and percussions on which Siouxsie puts her still as characteristic, powerful as ever voice, making us forget on the same time the defects of the previous album, "Seven Year Itch Live". Very simple, aligning rough melodies (except for the catchy Godzilla, the first single of the record), the Japanese sounds (which are never clichéd) and the throbbing ambiences, "Hai!" isn't easily accessible, but ends up bewitching you throughout the listenings. You'll let yourself be hypnotized by the tribal rhythmics of the first tracks, before being wrapped up in the padded atmospheres of the more ambient second part. The real fans should appreciate it.
Christophe Lorentz |
|
| |
Indéfendable
[XTT/Timer Records]
Six years after "?", Dickybird releases "Indéfendable". A concept title? A marketing scuttle? An agreed wink towards the critics? Dickybird always put its foot in its mouth. Lead by Doris, a determined charactered woman, guitarist and lyrics' writer, with an unforgettable voice (somewhere between Janis Joplin and Lydia Lunch), this trio from Le Havre which started in 1993, offers us once again, the most striking visceral album. Steve Albini's production only transcends the energy the band borrowed to rock'n roll (on Warned or Reputations), to noise (see the bruitist and tense Wanna Be In or I Did It which reminds of the phenomenal Germ on "?") or even to pop (see Your Eye). Far from the nice cloned bands of America which surf on the revival rock, "Indéfendable" is full of a real rage, of sweat, tears, laughters that we could think sarcastic or spontaneous, and courage. This corrosive album is simply alive and proud of it. And so it should.
Catherine Fagnot |
|
| |
Winter Hymn Country Hymn Secret Hymn
[Constellation]
Canada doesn't give birth to worldwide famous industrial bands only, but also to guitar bands with blurred outlines. It's the case with Do Make Say Think who have just released their fourth and autumnal album. From long instrumental tracks in an almost ambient rock style towards more jazzy tracks, the journey is one of those that last for an eternity. Fredericia starts like a nice lullaby before becoming a fragile monument where the brass become oppressing and threaten the edifice, with every side ripped to pieces by blade-like sharpen guitar strings. Fortunately, the almost two minute long War on Want and it's mad violin let the listener rest for a while, then ready for another journey with good company; in fact, the guitars on Auberge le Mouton Noir and Ontario Plates immediately remind of the latest Red House Painters' LP, and no one would be surprised to hear Mark Koselek's voice on that slow garage track. Guitars howl like sirens and Outer Inner & Secret reminds of the chords and moods back when Slowdive were at their best. A pleasant trip to the confines of a mysterious world, where it's better to be on one's guard if we pay attention to the sleeve the band made, as it leaves a doubt about the passenger's identity: does he carry a big scythe or is it his seat-belt?
Bertrand Hamonou |
|
| |
Lost Sides
[Heavenly/EMI]
Careful! this "new album" by Doves isn't one, but almost is. In fact, first released after their debut "Lost Souls" LP, this "Lost Sides" first generation gathered the b-sides of the singles from the first album. Released as a confidential edition at the time, it's now being re-released with a slightly different track listing in order to present the Pounding and There Goes the Fear singles b-sides, and is embellished with an extra remixes cd. An occasion to (re)discover excellent tracks like Your shadow lay across my life and Down to the Sea, a magical version of their legendary Sea Song. Let's not forget the energetic instrumental Crunch and its guitar borrowed from Bernard Sumner, along with the emotional Willow's Song and Far from Grace. In all, twelve excellent tracks that prove that Doves do their best to satisfy their fans. As for the second CD clumsily named remixes, it's simply the second pearl of that double record. Offering new delicate versions of 7 songs from "The last broadcast", they've got nothing to envy to the original ones. One only has to listen to these new interpretations of Words and the moving The Sulphur Man and Satellites to yield to the facts: Doves' melodies can be declined to infinity. A must have for the ones whom never got over the treasures and the accuracy of "The last broadcast". Recommended to the others.
Bertrand Hamonou |
|
| |
Teleportation
[Dernière Bande/Wagram]
This is not Frigo three members' trial shot, as the band managed to book concerts and release some EPs since they formed in 2000 in Quimper (France). Certain of their own compositions, the ones on "Teleportation" are far from being jokes. Evolving in an off-centre modern electropop, where nothing's really fixed as every track seems to be made of 5 other ones, Frigo studiously build a musical puzzle made of simplicity, efficiency and sobriety as shown by the pale white models of this EP modern sleeve. In order to make that puzzle possible, simple materials are stored in this larder where ideas multiply like bacteria in a badly insulated fridge. Half Duplex is a mountain of strain ready to collapse at any time, with a little something borrowed from The Cure's "Pornography" era, and most of all, that penetrating voice that will chase yours at the first occasion. When listening to XYZ, we subconsciously think about Playdoh before even knowing that they'll share the Glaz'Art stage in Paris at the end of November. Close to feels like it's been composed within a strobe where Dressed to Succeed Where you Always Failed makes ingenuity & minimalism compete. As for Maria Sabina, it's for sure the most successful song on that 6 track EP, summing up in 6 minutes what gives Frigo a unique sound, to be discovered at any price. This record is a great success and we're now waiting for the album we're dreaming of by listening to Friedrichstrasse and its crystal-like guitar notes.
Bertrand Hamonou |
|
| |
Lady & Bird
[EMI/Labels]
Lady & Bird offers with this album a real alchemy of sound and sense. We're carried along in a journey step by step, and even if we already know some of the references, it still is an experience as intriguing as it is pleasant. The duo revisits Suicide is Painless, the theme of the film "MASH" and its sweet and sour melody, as well as the splendid Velvet Underground's Stephanie Says (also covered by Daniel Darc on the album "Parce que" in his days). With a subtle reinterpretation and neat and precise compositions, Lady & Bird offers us a strange kind of melancholic, almost disarming, soft and padded pop. One acoustic guitar and a nuanced orchestration discreetly dress up these ten compositions on which Keren Ann's crystal voice settles beautifully. Lady & Bird is the result of the unexpected collaboration between the ex-colleague of Benjamin Biolay and the Icelandic Bardi Johansson (Bang Gang), more exciting together than apart.
Christophe Labussière |
|
| |
Seuls au sommet
[Prohibited/Chronowax]
Former members of the label Lithium (which includes, among others, Diabologum, Programme, Experience), Pascal Bouaziz and his friends were already responsible for the very good "L'Avenir est devant" (1997) and above all "Quelque part" (2000), an incredibly black and tense record, which lyrics still echo in our heads. With this third album, ironically entitled "Seuls au sommet" and cut in two C and D sides (they even pushed the envelope by leaving a few blank seconds to mark the separation), we've got the impression to breathe better, the musical ambiences got airier, more varied and lighter than their usual darkness (see the pop melodies Tout refaire, or Je me réveille, the perfect candidate for a single). But don't trust this apparent change, after reading Pascal Bouaziz's long lyrics and listening several times this, relatively difficult record, we quickly realise that "Seuls au sommet" always chronicles the raw, desperately ordinary, life of suburbanites. An unique and real writing, miles away from the current fashionable chitchat of Biolay or Bénabar.
Renaud Martin |
|
| |
Fatherfucker
[Kitty-Yo]
Peaches is quite foolhardy. With a touch of bad taste (should we give her an award for the ugliest cover sleeve of the year?), a small dose of vulgarity (she uses words we can't even find in a dictionary!), but also a good serving of broad jokes, she chases on this second album her electro-libidinal demons. The electrocrap queen, as she calls herself, likes to show her bum in tight pink shorts, to dance on stage and take over-suggestive poses, and above all, to talk rawly of sex. So, it's not surprising Iggy Pop accepted her invitation to rock his pelvis and use his organ on one track (Kick It). We also find on the album the Canadians Gonzales and Taylor Savvy (on Stuff Me Up), both part of the Kitty-Yo's team. Always as trash, but musically more minimal than the previous one ("Teaches of Peaches"), this new album has a very punk spirit. The first track which brutally opens "Fatherfucker" with the scream "I don't give a fuck!" gives the tone... And the avalanche of obscene soft whisperings, languorous beats and guitar riffs gives an explosive energy to this simple electro, which like her author doesn't lack character!
Laure Cornaire |
|
| |
Like Hears Swelling
[Constellation]
After several EPs released on his own label, Audi Sensa, and then on Alien8 Recordings, "Like Hears Swelling" is the first album of Sandro Perri alias Polmo Polpo. Constellation houses this musician from Toronto whose complex musical universe is in relative contrast with the label's other productions: rather difficult to describe, it's a kind of superposition of different sound layers, ambient and melodic at the same time, rhythmed with obsessing loops. Mixing remarkably well electronic and more acoustic instrumentations (from slide guitar to accordion and the sick violin of Gen Heistek from the duo Hangedup who appears on the track Like Hears Swelling), the five strange and fascinating tracks of this album take you far away (we recommend a headphone listening). Here's an excellent organic ambient record, the missing link between the Constellation's sound, Third Eye Foundation's strange creatures and the marine ambiences of the fabulous Piano Magic's "Bliss Out vol 13".
Renaud Martin |
|
| |
Room On Fire
[RCA]
Remember, at the end of August 2001, a band of irreverent hairy youths of reputable families from New-York, revealed to the world with their first short, impetuous and romantic album, that rock music wasn't that dead after all. Well, nothing was really a novelty and after listening to "Is This It?", we were reminded of the Velvet Underground, Sonic Youth, Television, The Clash and many others. But thanks to the media, this album caused, rock music rejuvenated a bit and dozens of more or less talented and/or opportunist bands followed them (among those worthy of remembrance there were Liars, Radio 4, The Kills, Interpol, BRMC, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Rapture and above all the White Stripes). So, it was interesting to see what the Strokes would do on the long run, to make sure it wasn't just a passing fad. The long expected result is a bit disappointing: it's not that "Room On Fire" is bad, but the effect of surprise we had two years ago has worn out, and unfortunately, this second album sounds too much alike the first one. Indeed, we have the impression, while listening to the eleven energetic urban rock hits (the whole lasts 33 minutes), to hear a clean repeat of "Is This It?". Of course, if we except these similarities, the whole album is really enticing and efficient, as much in the writing than in its interpretation and production. As a conclusion, we'd say that the Strokes passed the merciless second album's test, but only by the skin of their teeth.
Renaud Martin |
|
| |
Axis of Evil
[Dependent]
Nothing new under the sun. That's how we could sum up "Axis of Evil". Those of you who know and appreciate Suicide Commando will understand. But the others shouldn't worry, there isn't any surprises because "Axis of Evil" is flawless, as usual. All the qualities of Johan Von Roy are here. Like his constancy and his incomparable faculty to impose a powerful sound and communicate important messages, the whole oozing of despair, anger and pain, as always. The pain is maybe even deeper here than it ever was. Indeed, more than ever, the state of the world is to Suicide Commando a source of inspiration (and unfortunately, an endless one) and they don't fail at it. Plastik Christ, Neuro Suspension or Face of Death are as many decisive pieces to add to the endless list of trophies Johan Von Roy has on his honour roll. "Axis of Evil", three words that stigmatize and focus the world's madness, is the title of a dark album which ends with three other awful words: "Time to Die".
Christophe Labussière |
|
| |
Radio Blackout
[Novamute/Labels]
Behind this curious name (inspired by a William S. Burroughs' short story entitled "The Dreamcops", "Die Traumschmiere" in German) hides Marco Haas, founder of the label Shitkatapult and a fairly important character of the German underground techno scene. For his new album, the Berliner composed a set of tracks which all together could form the rather diverse playlist (punk, electro, hip-hop, rock) of an imaginary underground radio. So, some tracks you can keep and some you can forget in this lampoon album, all the tracks aren't really convincing, and some are even tedious and uninteresting (the singles Monstertruckdriver and Rabaukendisco for instance). Nevertheless, there are some good tracks, like the electro instrumentals Wir Kinder Vom Bahnhof Strom and Querstromzeraner, or the freaking The Game is Not Over, with the vocal performance of Miss Kittin as the guest star. So, it's not terrific, in fact this "Radioblackout" should be taken with a pinch of salt, and then you'll find it funny and likeable, but not more.
Renaud Martin |
| | |  | | |
| |
|
It's been a few weeks now that Celluloide put on their website a series of rather surprising covers you can download. The treatment they give to Lush, Sisters Of Mercy, Cure, Siouxsie, Dead Can Dance and Lio is totally amazing, as much in the choice of the artists than in the result they get. "Naphtaline EP" is an unexpected tribute to the anachronistic, first choice but full of humour treatment of an intelligent synth-pop which should reconcile us with this genre. And those of you who can't do without the good old CD will be delighted because, except for six MP3 files of excellent quality, Celluloide put a "ready to print" CD cover-sleeve which will allow you to make a real record of this "Virtual EP".
The good surprise is "In-Macula", Lethargy's new album. A kind of neat and very melancholic electro lead by a female voice we could compare to Anne Clark and Chris And Cosey. The Spanish formation who signed this new album with the Polish label Black Flames, deserves all our attention, because "In-Macula" is rather well done and offers us an unexpected but very pleasant cover of She's in Parties of Bauhaus.
A few months before the release of Front Line Assembly's new album, it's hard to be satisfied with this too short single which only offers two new tracks and a remix. It's not enough to realise if, as Bill Leeb told us a few weeks ago, Rhys Fulber's come-back will be as spectacular as expected. So, even if everything is here in Maniacal, the big artillery, the background, so rich it becomes the main element, the imparable gimmick, the choirs taken from Delerium, the energy and the power. But that's much too clean, logically, and maybe too spontaneously arranged to guarantee that the Canadian pair will blow us up with their album "Civilization" we should hear in January. That's the least we can expect of it.
The result of the collaboration between Empusae and Hulet to create the soundtrack of his latest comics, "Extra-Muros" is amazing. With such a good sound accompaniment, the reading of this comics is totally transcended so much the ambiences we're put in with these (too short) 16 minutes are astonishing. There's only one "track", but it is broken down in several parts in which different atmospheres follow one another. The result is very efficient, the talent in this operation is that they didn't choose the easy way which would have consisted in a cinematographic approach, because the images here are fixed and the ambiences excite the imagination rather than accompany it.
Christophe Labussière
|
Recorded more than one year ago, but only available now, the four tracks of COH's EP, "Electric Electric" (Mego), could have been more exactly qualified of "hypnotic". A familiar adjective for the well-named Ivan Pavlov who's coming back here to the very Slavic sternness of his first tracks on Raster-Noton, with a touch of effervescence in bonus. Ascetic, repetitive rhythmics loops of a minimal simplicity like his mentors Carsten Nicolai or Pan Sonic, COH offers us a record as much compact than aerial. The routine.
"Director's Cut", the new album of Rechenzentrum on Mille Plateaux, shows more than ever that the main interest of this Berliner band dwells in its way to link sound to picture (and vice versa), to the point we could hardly imagine one without the other. Presented on a DVD that goes with the CD's album, the poetic pictures, even if they're sometimes repetitive, perfectly stick to the atmospheric and minimalist electronic sound of the trio. Or maybe, the pulsations and the tones are jibing with the movement of the pictures? Never mind, the audiovisual synthesis that follows is very pleasant. Let's also mention that "Director's Cut" received an honorary award at the Prix Ars Electronica this year.
With "Viva 6581", his latest EP, Tarmvred proposes us a mix of "bit pop/harsch beat", or more precisely an inventive alliance of saturated rhythms and some robot-pop dear to Suction which work marvellously well. Giving in to the chiptunes' trend (that Malcolm McLaren considers as a new musical revolution...) this jubilant record is easy to listen to, even if it sometimes uses too much vintage sounds with some delirious 70s' synth solos! A rather logical digression for this versatile man, who assuredly gets better with times and is undeniably the best discovery of the label Ad Noiseam to this day. We'll see if his new album which should be released in December, confirms this.
Carole Jay
| |
