4U-9525

After their 2011 "Premières vibrations", the French band La Théorie des Cordes returns in 2023 with a new album. Stéphanie Artaud/piano, prologue, Mathieu Torres/bass, electric guitar, Hugo Lemercier/mandolin, acoustic guitar and Heiva Arnal/drums return with the work "4U-9525" and right from the beginning it can be said that the wait was worth it.

The twirling piano wraps bewitching melodies, carried by guitars with a velvety touch. Far from being simplistic, the underlying rhythms also contribute to the growing interest that emerges over the minutes, the latter being reinforced by the regular breaks that dot each title. The beauty is that this work requires that time and attention be dedicated to it and that the listener ultimately remains totally immersed and absorbed in it for the whole duration. Only in this way will you be able to savor each passage, without losing the leitmotif of listening which gradually and progressively becomes more demanding over the minutes but at the same time, with the (inevitable) increase in emotional involvement, even more interesting and enjoyable. Of this record I like first of all the complex but extremely balanced writing, usable and without unnecessary burdens, the variations on the musical themes that recur during the listening giving a comfortable feeling of continuity, the captivating design of the melodies, the choice of arrangements and finally of the sound registers.

An incredible atmospheric story that has a special and enchanting touch is quite hypnotizing in its introduction to the world of high-quality sonic landscapes. The compositions possess brilliant tempo changes, walks in jazz fusion realms, progressive moments, and small hints of alternative rock, making this work a unique and very interesting journey. Attention is also drawn to alternating moments that are now calm and more aggressive. There is no lack of melodramatic atmospheres and the music sometimes veers towards almost psychedelic territories with the rhythms in evidence. At certain moments, it gets tense, growling bass lines, jazzy piano patterns, various playful to excessive guitar escapades, and the massive drums often connect in the foreground, leading to an extremely entertaining, lively and colorful phase. In the mentioned moments, the album moves a little away from the jazzy eclectic phase, to give space to greater research, sometimes bordering on the avant-garde. Then, the sounds, even those that at first might appear powerful, seem to soften and at times even dose off. All these elements come together in an elegant and often introspective musical form, melancholic and often introverted.

Music, technically and emotionally is at the highest level. Anyone who manages to enjoy these compositions in peace should have found a companion for many years to come.