HELDON IV - AGNETA NILSSON

3.5 stars

HELDON's best studio album of the intermediate 1975-1977 period. After the fripp-ian stop of "Allez-Teia" and the experimentations of "It's Always Rock And Roll", Richard Pinhas and co. manage to emancipate from their influences and define their musical identity. "Agneta Nilsson" marks the return of a more important use of sequences since "Electronique Guérilla", and shapes the dark, oppressive, hypnotic electronic style typical of the french band.

"Perspective I" opens the disc with a very slow, somber, spacey synthesizer-dominated soundscape. This music could be related to drone. Mesmerizing. "Perspective II" features mainly a short sharp sequence, reminiscent of TERRY RILEY. My least favorite passage is "Perspective III". A dark oppressive loop supporting a chaotic distorted guitar solo. This track has not many changes, and is a bit too long and repetitive.

As its title may suggest, "Bassong" is the intruder here. Despite its strong KING CRIMSON's "Red" atmosphere, this short pause is welcomed during the listen, as it brings respiration in the middle of the album. The 22 minutes long "Perspective IV" suite starts with an ambient guitar introduction and strange sound effects. It then reuses the sequence theme from "Perspective II", but after evolves into a very original space electronic rock jam with energic drumming. The keyboards sound even sometimes jazzy! Be careful, the ending is quite sudden. Undoubtly the best track of the record, with "Perspective I", announcing HELDON's future musical direction.

Despite weaker and lengthy passages, this fourth effort shows HELDON shaping their own somber, oppressive synthetizer-rock style. As quite representative from the french band, "Agneta Nilsson" may be a good album to start with. Recommended if you enjoy dark, claustrophobic, repetitive electronic music.

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