Urtovox (label)
21 March 2009 (released)
21 November 2009
There is so much material being released today that it is sometimes all too easy to miss a gem amongst the swathes of absolute toot. That is my excuse for missing Les Fauves when this was first released – and now I need to make amends.
This is a bizarre and unsettling little masterpiece without really falling into any set genre but at a pinch I guess I would pigeon-hole it as electro-punk-jazz with pop tendencies.
The opener ‘Everlasting Soup’ seems to be working on multiple simultaneous rhythm tracks and key signatures and the eerie synth sound that is twiddling behind the off-key vocals sounds akin to Brian Eno on mogadon; but you are hooked! As you listen the music seems to gel into a coherent and sensible structure until, just as you think you are ‘getting it’ it finishes! And you have to go back and experience the whole thing again because no-one in their right mind would make something as disjointed and incoherent as that deliberately – except that this lot would!
The album continues to confuse and puzzle and as track after track go by you find that the different strands work with you at different times – once you can focus on one strand and eliminate the others it makes sense! And then you focus on another and that makes sense. And then you ‘de-focus’ and the sense of unease creeps back into your brain until you realise that they are messing wit’ you – at least I hope that they are!
There are a few tracks that stand out from the rest: ‘Drops Drops Drops’ has a poignant charm and ‘Back To The Anal Phase’ has a fuzzed guitar line and sounds like something out of ‘Barbarella’ (‘60’s pop space adventure).
Never easy listening and unless you are ready for ‘difficult’ music you should beware but if you like a challenge dive right in.
