ONZE DANSES POUR COMBATTRE LA MIGRAINE

Published for the first time on cd in 2003, the first Aksak Maboul gives a new perspective to the band that many of us knew at first as a strange RIO act like they were on "Un Peu de l'Ame des Bandits". Retrospectively,it seems the later album was more influenced than we first thought by the pair Fred Frith/Chris Cutler who brought a lot of Art Bears attitude on the mix. That does not mean that "Onze Danses pour Combattre la Migraine" does not contain its own quantity of weirdness. Weird it is but also far more focused. The pieces are short with sometimes an humourous feel that bring to mind the likes of Albert Marcoeur or Débile Menthol. It's definitely not a mainstream listen but will surely appeal to people in search of a bit of lunacy to keep them away from the real madness in the world outside. Almost childish sounding, "Onze Danses pour Combattre la Migraine" also shows a great curiosity for the eastern culture, the jazz idiom and the evergrowing electronic music that they succeed at melting together in one of the most intimistic progressive release ever.