MESSE EN RÉ MINEUR

Rune2000's review of this album absolutely hits the nail on the head with the comparison to Mike Oldfield's work. Wapassou's Messe en Ré Mineur is a single side-long piece - just like all of Oldfield's work to this point (if you overlook On Horseback from Ommadawn) - and often the use of guitar and keyboards will show the influence of Oldfield's work. But at the same time, because the piece is performed by a full band lineup and relies less on using the studio to create a perfectly engineered and crystal-clear sound, it's different enough from Oldfield's work to consider in its own right. The different recording techniques involved result in a more naturalistic, warm and intimate sound than Oldfield often attains, and there's a "live in the studio" air to things which makes the work a particularly impressive accomplishment.