HR137 - Sebastian Gandera - Le Silence N'Était Pas Tout À Fait Calne - C46 — 1989
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FACE 1:
Le départ La visite au musée Derrière cette grille rouillée Le marais aux images La tentation du vent Le peintre suspendu |
FACE 2:
L'automne à genou Les nuits humaines La destinée du journaliste Et L'obscurité toute entière pour me rappeler cela Le retour |
REVIEW by Jerry Kranitz
Sebastian Gandera is the name by which Frenchman Eric Morin records. The 11 songs on this C46 album are characterized by pleasantly melodic piano and synth instrumentals, colored by strange vocals and voices.
This is an alluringly strange set. After a brief solo piano introduction, we’re treated to a dreamily robotic organ grinder and piano ditty. About halfway through, a backward sounding kewpie doll child voice rattles off indecipherable words. Next is a piano and synth melody plus strange voices, one a corrosive child and the other sounds like a gargling goat. Despite those seemingly unpleasant analogies the music is curiously enticing. These tunes are like a cross between B-movie soundtrack and children’s songs. The next two tracks feature a variety of minimal vocalizations combined with droning, symphonic ambience, which is contrasted by skittish, kindergarten tribal and clatter percussion. The last song on the A Side is a little different in that there’s a heavier symphonic feel and darker intensity to the music, plus a grating Popeye style of vocals.
Side B is a little different, getting into more overtly experimental territory. The first track lays a foundation of incessantly throbbing and pulsating synth rhythms which are accompanied by spoken, efx’d, and shouting female vocals, piano, blasts of rushing water and other effects. The melodies are still prominent on these songs but there’s more happening, like an equally upfront male delivering an impassioned narrative in French, punctuated by bursts of banging. Another song features a jamming melody that sounds like a cross between harmonica and kazoo, plus a delirious swirl of backing melodies, and voice samples from the movie Citizen Kane. I like how the music and melodies are crucial components on these tracks, though more varied voices and percussion make for fuller, quirkier, yet by no means chaotic compositions. A VERY interesting set!
Sebastian Gandera is the name by which Frenchman Eric Morin records. The 11 songs on this C46 album are characterized by pleasantly melodic piano and synth instrumentals, colored by strange vocals and voices.
This is an alluringly strange set. After a brief solo piano introduction, we’re treated to a dreamily robotic organ grinder and piano ditty. About halfway through, a backward sounding kewpie doll child voice rattles off indecipherable words. Next is a piano and synth melody plus strange voices, one a corrosive child and the other sounds like a gargling goat. Despite those seemingly unpleasant analogies the music is curiously enticing. These tunes are like a cross between B-movie soundtrack and children’s songs. The next two tracks feature a variety of minimal vocalizations combined with droning, symphonic ambience, which is contrasted by skittish, kindergarten tribal and clatter percussion. The last song on the A Side is a little different in that there’s a heavier symphonic feel and darker intensity to the music, plus a grating Popeye style of vocals.
Side B is a little different, getting into more overtly experimental territory. The first track lays a foundation of incessantly throbbing and pulsating synth rhythms which are accompanied by spoken, efx’d, and shouting female vocals, piano, blasts of rushing water and other effects. The melodies are still prominent on these songs but there’s more happening, like an equally upfront male delivering an impassioned narrative in French, punctuated by bursts of banging. Another song features a jamming melody that sounds like a cross between harmonica and kazoo, plus a delirious swirl of backing melodies, and voice samples from the movie Citizen Kane. I like how the music and melodies are crucial components on these tracks, though more varied voices and percussion make for fuller, quirkier, yet by no means chaotic compositions. A VERY interesting set!