VOIX DE SURFACE

As likely as it sounds, now that I've put some thought into it, there felt something rare in a Swiss band with RIO sensibility; I guess I've not come into contact with much in the way of any Swiss art. But those involved in Nimal certainly had already, and continuing hereafter, made their mark. And if you tell me Nimal is ready-made for fans of Samla et al, I think that'll just about do it; I'm in. I feel, too, I know ultimately little from Avant-Prog/-Rock released after the '80s. Voix De Surface (1990) is the second of just three albums released by this actually international group, a mix of studio and live recordings [Thank you, Sean Trane, ca. 2007 haha].

"Une Lucie" launches right into Euro folkways, with bright instrumentation--I heard bouzouki is featured, and its clearly heard for a solo (by bandleader Momo Rossel? could be three peoples) approaching 2:00--and more prominently accordion. Quirky rhythms, all full-steam ahead, a happy collision of bowed and plucked strings and percussion. This is the style in which, I always immediately think, Estradasphere has a home. At the close, it's pure drama, all dropping down deeper than half-time; just made this great opening track even moreso. Tension picks back up on "In tenda"! Our feature soloist from the start is Tom Cora (Curlew, Skeleton Crew, The Ex) on the cello, at times performing in a most alien manner. Delicious; spunky, funky oddity. "Sale temps, mais les couleurs sont belles" is next, an eerie number befit with creepy crawlers and Art Zoyd ambience best to psych you out. Percussion picks up and up, and we relax into more East-Euro tune (harmonically, to the Patton nerds, reminiscent of "John Travolta/Quote Unquote"). Quite a lot more lighthearted is "Tarotska"; the accordion just goes and goes, now with even more yodeling! It's still pretty mad haha.

Turning over to an apparently new page, "Le Soleil" picks up with brightness and queer optimism. It definitely feels more like a traditional/folk dance; but its silly nature is definitely an additional winning factor. Being yanked back to some slightly more tension, next is "La marelle". Shoutout indeed due to drummer-percussionist Pippin Barnett, also of Curlew; he really holds down each track's individual uniqueness. "Le 4eme jeudi de la semaine" is a track for which I'm incredibly grateful, an unexpected reprieve. Beautiful and mysterious. "James River" has a cool vibe, but there's something about it that felt a tad monotonous and grating, sharp/harsh melodies aside. A total release must occur following that, as "Maligne" thereafter is peaceable, for starters, but still oddly tense. Maybe it's a little early for some of this music haha. This is followed appropriately by "Le 2eme Jeudi", a solo taken up on, I assume, accordion; it doesn't not sound like melodica (either way, assumed by Slovenia's Bratko Bibic of Begnagrad). Definitely more traditional Euro-folk than it is RIO, but no fear...

"Le 3eme Jeudi" (the tracks translating to "The 4th...", "...2nd..." and "...3rd Thursday", respectively) is here, with a great return of bouzouki. Another case of who's-who, assuming the great, more prominent (though still muddy) bass is from Jean-Vincent Huguenin. Definitely a favorite track of the whole. Another with more digestible tension is "Animal triste". "Le Tram" to follow reads 'so Eastern European' to my ears, it is carnival; frankly, I've always loved this sort of thing. It eventually devolves still happily into a certain madness. Under more control, we haven't left the nuthouse, in my head haha, on "Au Zoo" ("At The Zoo", how fitting). I don't think my memory is lacking here: another I identify as sort of proto-Estradasphere. Low, slow and dramatic, this'n. And finally, after a whopping 14 tracks, we get "Un drame", initially low and slow, evoking sort of worldly tribal intensity. It's got balls, even with the instruments down lowest. Percussion is absolutely winning here, though, as compared with most of the album. And a solid closer all round, at that, the intensity crescendoing steadily throughout to a sudden halt.

True Rate: 3.75/5.00