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Not just outside the box, but denying the existence of boxes.
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Reviews

Art Zoyd — u.B.I.Q.U.e.
(In-Possible AZ 2000 , 2000, CD)

by Peter Thelen, Published 2001-12-01

u.B.I.Q.U.e. Cover art

They’re back, and more sinister than ever. Anyone who thinks that Art Zoyd was losing their edge after some of their early 90s albums surely needs to give this one a listen. Their first new release since 1997’s Häxan, this one sports a lineup featuring new members Mireille Bauer (midi-marimba, keyboards, electronic percussion) and Emma Stephenson Poli (keys), as well as longtime members Gerard Hourbette and Patricia Dallio, plus percussionist Daniel Denis (Univers Zero). Joining with them is L’Orchestre d’u.B.I.Q.U.e, a 40+ piece orchestra featuring massed guitars, brass, saxes, drums, and percussion. Loosely based on the writings of Phillip K. Dick, the album contains two major pieces for ensemble and orchestra: “Glissements Progressif de Plaisir,” and “Metempsycose,” both compositions by Hourbette, each broken into numerous movements, totaling over 73 minutes. The orchestra provides a good balance to the band’s more recent electronic orientation, neither dominating, but interacting within the framework of each piece, and highlighting the best of both approaches. There’s a lot of music here and most of it is well beyond the reach of words to describe it, other than it is like nowhere Zoyd has gone before. Given the very dense and foreboding textures and the dark-ambient nature of these pieces, this tends to become a fairly challenging listen at first, but after all, isn’t that what we are all looking for? Recommended!

Filed under: New releases, Issue 23, 2000 releases

Related artist(s): Art Zoyd, Daniel Denis

 

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