HELDON II - ALLEZ TEIA

Richard Pinhas' electronic band project explores compelling musical territory on this second album, steering between ambient electronic dreamscapes, Krautrock/Zeuhlish fury and the odd bit of Frippertronics. Although the opening track is named in honour of Robert Fripp - probably in response to his "retirement" from the music industry, though as we all know "King Fripp"'s abdication would not last for long - the most derivative track on here is Omar Diop Blondin, which sounds like an early Frippertronic experiment with Brian Eno - except I think it's actually mildly more compelling than No Pussyfooting. The rest of the album explores a range of electronic and ambient styles, with the result offering something to suit anyone with a taste for the avant, but at the same time it feels like Heldon is still searching for a distinctively "Heldon" sound, of a sort which arguably they wouldn't finally settle on until the dark, intense visions of Stand By and Inferface.