TRISKAÏDÉKAPHOBIE

Let me first of all add that I am not an avant-garde expert. I have never heard anything by Univers Zero either. But most importantly, I am not even a nuclear fission engineer. This is a review written by a humble IT guru and an open minded soul. For the experts, see the other reviews.

This is Present's debut album and contains two big pieces and a shorter track. The two big pieces clocks in at just below twenty minutes each. They are based on some medium complex rhythm patterns produced by bass, drums and most importantly; piano. The piano is both used as the second bass in this music ensemble and as a melody texture creator. Some of it atonal as in zeuhl. The solos is mainly done by the electric guitars......... and we are not talking Apache by The Shadows here. The guitars are distorted and sometimes atonal.

The music........ The opener Promenade Au Fond D'un Canal is a bit hesitant before it ends up in a claustrophobic duel between repetitive pianos and discorded electric guitars. A very good tune. The second track Quatre-vingt Douze is much more open which some times also closes in on claustrophobia. It also have a good jazz and zeuhl feel waking over it's eighteen minutes. The final song Repulsion is more an epitaph than a piece of music.

Although this album has it's great moments, I am too hesitant to call it a great album. There is too much which does not work here. Half of the two long tracks, to be precise. The final song does not work too well either. But it is still an album well worth checking out. It is a good album and I am eager to explore the rest of Present's albums.

3 stars