STRAVE

Serge Bringolf's first album, Strave, is an impressive effort. Classified as zeuhl, but including lots of jazz to it, he achieved to create a unique sound. Of course, since Bringolf is a drummer (and a good one), the drums are very important on this album. Adding to that the incredible bass player François Grillot, the impressive brass section consisting of Jean Golanet (trumpet), Philippe Gisselmann (saxophones) and Pascal Beck (trombone), you have a good idea of how the music sounds. You just need to throw in some great, effective choral vocals. It is also worth noticing the violin, which gives a folk emotion, by moments.

Strave is a double album that consists of four long epics, ranging from fifteen to approximately twenty minutes. Simply put, it is a long album. Surprisingly enough, it does not get boring, every moment of it is enjoyable, and that is quite a rare thing on albums of such length.

The first piece of the album, Délire, is probably my favourite as it efficaciously shows the intensity that Bringolf's band is capable of. It is the perfect example of the fusion between jazz and zeuhl I was speaking about.

Strave is good too. It is not the greatest piece of the album, but some violin parts are quite impressive, not in a manner of virtuosity, but as a powerful element in the music. It gives a folk note to the composition, as I was referring to. This piece also features a great drumming performance, showing Bringolf's mastering of his instrument.

Utopie is more of a "classic" zeuhl piece. I love the intriguing, but lively mood in it. The vocals are particularly noticeable here and the level of composition is once again admirable. It also features some of the greatest bass lines I have heard, and definitely Grillot's best performance of this album.

The album ends with Jodwerssen, which ends the album on a high note. It is definitely good as a closer. It could be described as a reminder of the previous pieces, as it mixes the best elements from each of the compositions, notably the bass and trumpet remarkable performances, the drums' jazzy feel, the virtuoso violin and the choral works.

If you are able to find this album, you definitely should take the chance to get it; I promise it is worth it. A truly inspiring mixture of genres.

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