[Home] [About Myself] [Music] [Lives] [Studio] [Collaborations] [Credits & Links] [Guestbook] [License] [Photos] [Register/Login]

Review by Jean-Pierre Malbec

Good. My Archos is at last powered on, its battery is still full??? My earphones aren’t already blocked by the wax?? Mummy won’t ask me to empty the dish-washer?? Perfect...So let’s go for the listening!!!!!!!! 1, 2, 3, 4....

This first track is quite simply an intro of about thirty seconds. We have in fact the impression to be enclosed inside a cylinder and to gather speed as one goes along: launching pad ready...Fire?

Interest: $$$/$$$$$ (great introduction)

The track begins with a long and tortuous complaint as background by a non-identified animal (if you think it is a wolf press 1; a whale press 2). Then comes some notes which cut, like hammer blows. Shouts are more present while unload, like an UFO, a music which is sweet but disturbing at the same time. We smell a big emotional tension. The musician maybe tries to expiate his feelings. Beautiful track, honest and full of messages.

Interest: $$$$/$$$$$ (for the emotion)

The lull comes with a beautiful melody, coming discreetly by sounds a bit « modified ».The break is skilfully orchestrated, nevertheless here he doesn’t make a break in the music. Too bad. One can’t succeed in all the time!

Interest: $$$/$$$$$ (for its lack of originality)

The track comes and immediately the listener is mad about it. The melody is once again one of the most favourable to scare, and remembers night walks in the forest near to grandma’s house. Bbbbbbrrrrr!!!! The progression is slow, precise. Then comes a sound worthy of the worse fantastic films from the 50’s: a must!! Despite the lasting, it’s maybe the best from the album. How not to think about something other than this track???? A great experience.

Interest: $$$$$/$$$$$

The Jarrian legacy is noticeable from the first keyboard’s notes of this track: here is a good beginning!!! These notes are really bewitching (tu du du du du I begin to whistle!!); then come a break (at last) really efficient which breaks the track, which begins now melancholic, nostalgic. The fact that the album had been composed during night is not making any doubt. Honestly, I’m fond of this track too!!

Interest: $$$$dot 5/$$$$$ (night, when you inspires us)

The track begins and is much rated. We have from the entering the sensation to break the air, pleasant feeling you see! A bell reverberates far off, and accompanies a noticeable effects crescendo. Then a change arrives without asking: basses reverberate, the huge number of notes is perfectly done. We have the feeling to achieve a journey in the stratosphere, the music inspiring us a feeling of liberty really pleasant. The bell is still here, and really makes a strong dynamism. A voice far off continues to shout itself hoarse, beautiful and sad.

Interest: $$$$/$$$$$ (baroque pleasure, bewitching)

Then comes unexpectedly this « paradoxal reason »: on a background music very « casino », even very video game (yes yes you will see) comes effects really good sounding a bit Arabic, really high-pitched and clear. Various, notes are pleasant to hear. It sounds like some sort of lunar harp. All that still keeps a big dynamism caused by the thing I call harp, which wants itself to be elusive and unstoppable, as a child defying his father to catch him (by knowing that this old guy can’t align three steps one by one) or as a little insolent bird. Really clever.

Interest: $$$$ dot 190789/$$$$$ (blunder…bank wins!)

A track which has never bear so well its name. Here, the lonely shows its nose, horrible, cold, freeze, not fightable. The music cries, hurt in its soul. The artist is alone in the dark, and all that is inspiring him. This track will affect without doubt all the persons on this Earth without exception. But sometimes, and this track tries hard to say it, being alone is beautiful.

Interest: $$$ dot 5/$$$$$ (I’m alone in this world)

Here the theme radically changes. Since the first notes come in my mind a view of a guy dressed with a distinguished dress playing on a piano in front of his love. The four walls of the room would be immaculate of white, but the piano would be black too. This track is really strong emotionally, carrying the irrepressible desire to love: how not to want to be alone together with his darling by listening to « Love Paradox »? The track, for its case, lasts in the same way many seconds, but is never boring. Then comes without asking (my phone is buzzing! oh no, this is the music) effects from the virtual OSCar (I am an expert) breaking this monotony. The whole tortures itself and symbolises perfectly what the love is: the feeling to be flighty, untouchable, but too the one of the kindness, because it’s before all a beautiful red rose with thorns.

Interest: $$$$$/$$$$$ (wait, I wipe my tears, snif !)

Once again, total break with the previous track. Either the artist knows really bad how to organise his playlist, or this one is so skilfully studied that it remains un-understandable during the first listening. I reassure you, we are in the second case. On a sound reminding the one produced by a mosquito a summer night, seconds pass. A voice suddenly comes, as the artist’s one asking for acknowledgements and attention. Then a sweet melody comes, which reminds me of the ones little child can hum during December month. Then all is mixed, as in a big shake up. The most beautiful effect, even if sometimes the insect noise pierces (a bit, huh?!) eardrums. It remains listenable and a good thing. The happy animal in fact here carries the track, accelerating very fast or squeezing sugary the brake pedal. Again a describing state, but here it is closer to the felicity.

Interest: $$$ dot 65/$$$$$ (of you are not angry with flying blood suckers)

Ophophop there! Papers please! ». Here, the artist makes a little break, really short, to take some oil in the motor and maybe to handle with tact the listener, who is still present. This interlude, because it is one, leaves us on a dozen of questions: what will happen next?

Interest: $$$/$$$$$ (because we are full of suspense, gggrrrr!!!)

Here he comes back, the maestro (yeah, I speak Italian!). And the less we can say is that he didn’t leave his creativity in the cloakroom. Notes come from the side of the mountain and are wonderful, light. Then a big background sound comes, making the whole track bigger, giving it certain seriousness. The sound effect comes, the seriousness is confirmed. Then another sound comes out of the magician’s hat, and makes me think about a saturated guitar. But the whole remains really beautiful to me!!!

Interest: $$$$/$$$$$ (good pickaxe)

Our friend loves ambiances, and makes us know it!! Here the industry is depicted: we hear steamrollers, heavy iron pieces which tan the ground. Nice. The best ambiance in my (humble?) opinion.

Interest: $$$$/$$$$$ (productivity control!)

Indeed, this track reminds me of the gomina time. Showing just beneath the surface, we think we recognised a known music from the 80’s, but it remains Kernish. Little notes turning and turning again are pleasant and gives the want to dance. A message of well-being vehicles itself, taking far away smells of bad-feeling. Great all that!!!!!!!

Interest: $$$$/$$$$$ (John Travolta powa)

The beginning reminds me strangely of a well known track…a track from Jean Michel Jarre?? No, this is one from Nicolas Kern. Yes, the introduction is very close to the fifth track; but don’t be afraid friend, here the imagination is inexhaustible. Effects comes suddenly just after to hide and suffocate this sound already, and takes us with it for a walk!!!!!! This passage is happy: notes are leaping, like a child (again a metaphor with a child ? how annoying he is!!) would be in a park. The good mood of the composer can be shared and like a STI, we can’t get rid of it! Thanks!

Interest: $$$$$/$$$$$ (I don’t care learning my English!! let’s play and smile!)

So here, I’d like to take the attention of the reader about the title of the track: yes, a little guy who makes electronic music can laugh (sometimes at his expenses) and can have humour! Here is the prove, to call a track « Chépa » is a great take of risks, no?? For my case, I’m fond of these jokes. Think a minute about the English-speaking fanatic who will try to translate this term in his mother’s language!!! Do you imagine him on an internet translator French-English, trying them for hours???? Ouarf!! I mislay myself…don’t hesitate to tell me it if it is the case. The music is strange: it reverberates on walls, without point. But it is not unpleasant. It is quite the opposite. No themes landed, but for God’s shake what does it change??

Interest: $$$ dot 75/$$$$$ (to listen, as the title prevails, at the second degree)

There are tracks which hang on as soon as the first sounds, first notes. This one is one of them. The beat shows the way to follow, the listener just has to close his eyes and let him be guided. The break coming after 30 seconds is wonderful, with an angel choir far off. The synth is precise, clear, despite a particular sound very deep which is very interesting. Then a fast passage comes to our ears and translates a certain skill from M.Kern. All that goes at 2000 km/h. the end comes: « What, already ». Crap, the time passes really very fast.

Interest: $$$$$/$$$$$ (well done, good job)

The beginning is amazing; nothing can be heard. The listener is directly waiting. Then we can hear far off some notes which let’s themselves be coaxed… we try to caress them, but here it’s worth the effort. A piano distil a clear sound, reverberated. Good job, the composer. Then, a track of calm and significant techno.

Interest: $$$/$$$$$ (death to DJs)

And there, boom: the next track breaks all!! Ouf, what a change (How unexpected it is!). The drumbox reminds me of the first known track of Nicolas Kern, Ishigaki. It’s always a pleasure to listen to this track. Synth notes are heady, as often in this album. Pleasant, inventive, they don’t leave a second. This is a good track we hold here. This track gives without doubt the « peach »; when listening to it, I have the feeling to assist to an important thing, at a particularly epic moment of our beautiful History of France. Notes are often renewed, translating a heavy work before. Congrats.

Interest: $$$$$$/$$$$$ (hey, strange mark, no !?)

Ouch ! « Final » he says. Okay…the music for its case becomes again nostalgic, and even melancholic of the time just elapsed. Yes, the fan will leave him after the listening of this disc, yes, this track is the last one of this album! here the theme is of course the leaving act. I become sad at the same time as Nicolas Kern. Good bye… until I listen again to « Paradox! »!!!!!

Interest: $$$$/$$$$$

To come