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ARNAUD BUKWALD

Eclectic Prog • France


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Arnaud Bukwald biography
Self-proclaimed underground troubadour Arnaud Bukwald, a native of France, is certainly one of the more unique creative forces to enter the prog sphere in the 21st century. With a whimsical, unpredictable approach to composing music, Bukwald's output is every bit as eccentric as it is eclectic. After the world music-oriented Moondragore - ethnic collection, Bukwald's prog career began with the 2011 album bizarremporium. A humorous, almost vaudevillian work, bizarremporium marked the beginning of Bukwald's signature style, mixing jazz and psychedelic rock in a soundtrack-like context. Over the years, Bukwald's music shifted away from its jazz-heavy roots and began to explore psychedelic influences to a greater extent. Although his later output, such as 2016's la marmite cosmique trilogy, puts less emphasis on jazz than on his earlier works, fusion elements are still to be heard, in addition to space rock, electronic, and even symphonic-style keyboard work. For those who like their prog whimsical, Arnaud Bukwald's strange catalogue should offer plenty of amusement - and perhaps even bemusement.

-Magnum Vaeltaja

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ARNAUD BUKWALD discography


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ARNAUD BUKWALD top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.00 | 2 ratings
Bizarremporium
2011
3.50 | 2 ratings
Mysterious Vampire
2013
3.00 | 2 ratings
Juke-Box (Vocal covers)
2015
4.28 | 12 ratings
La Marmite Cosmique
2016
3.89 | 8 ratings
La Marmite Cosmique III
2016
3.77 | 7 ratings
La Marmite Cosmique 4
2018
3.46 | 3 ratings
La Marmite Cosmique V
2019
4.14 | 21 ratings
La Marmite Cosmique Six
2020
3.98 | 4 ratings
La Marmite Cosmique 7 - Uncle Bizarre
2023

ARNAUD BUKWALD Live Albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

ARNAUD BUKWALD Videos (DVD, Blu-ray, VHS etc)

ARNAUD BUKWALD Boxset & Compilations (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

4.00 | 1 ratings
Moondragore - ethnic collection
2010
3.75 | 4 ratings
retrospective
2013
5.00 | 1 ratings
the lost archives
2015
4.00 | 1 ratings
Téton Effrayant: An Evil Theme Through the Years
2020
0.00 | 0 ratings
La marmite cosmique - The Movie Soundtrack
2021

ARNAUD BUKWALD Official Singles, EPs, Fan Club & Promo (CD, EP/LP, MC, Digital Media Download)

3.92 | 6 ratings
La Marmite Cosmique Volume 2
2016
0.00 | 0 ratings
You're the Boss
2020

ARNAUD BUKWALD Reviews


Showing last 10 reviews only
 La Marmite Cosmique 7 - Uncle Bizarre by BUKWALD, ARNAUD  album cover Studio Album, 2023
3.98 | 4 ratings

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La Marmite Cosmique 7 - Uncle Bizarre
Arnaud Bukwald Eclectic Prog

Review by DamoXt7942
Forum & Site Admin Group Avant/Cross/Neo/Post Teams

4 stars 2023 has opened with a wonderful claim of Arnaud's latest album "La Marmite Cosmique 7 - Uncle Bizarre". This album is stuffed with colourful, kaleidoscopic Arnaud's oneman performances as well (interesting is such an expression like "composed and cooked by"). Lots of short tracks have various appearances based on his synthesizer- based melodies and rhythms, and every single song entertains us as much as possible. Basically his soundscape is clearly gentle and warm (sometimes quirky though) but simultaneously he gives us apparent excitement and amazement on a regular basis. It's obvious for us to find mysterious wonders through the sleeve pic (like a controlled brain lol). From the beginning of "Prologue" is an evident fantasy filled with eccentric synthesizer dissonances. Yeah we cannot help feeling what will happen from now on.

"Daredevil" is such a powerful enjoyment. Poppy, catchy, danceable grooves with crazy jazzy hints are pretty acceptable. Guess this short track can be cut for a single record. Vigorous. We will be deeply absorbed into female hummings in "Out Of The Blue", full of mysterious melody lines and swingly atmospheric soft smooth rhythmic aromas. Another short gem "The Wizard" holds a good combination of creamy wind instruments and kinky synthesizers. What an enjoyable short story. And we can enjoy funky bubblings and bizarre melodic launches filled with jazzy big-band-y streams in "Fangs". On the other hand, the masterpiece "Mermaid Lullabies" involves much musical essence. The fresh and fruity melodic departure firstly intoxicates us. And the dry coolly swingy mainstream created by horn sections is awesome really. Rigid drumming is comfortable too. A matured juicy wonderland by lyrical flute playing should stabilize our inner mind. And what a fantastic, gorgeous moment a chorus in the latter part is. Sensitive delicate sound explanation with listener-friendly texture is essential. Over 16 minutes is not long nor lengthy at all.

Fascinating sound development like this is a sort of authenticity of Arnaud.

 La Marmite Cosmique 7 - Uncle Bizarre by BUKWALD, ARNAUD  album cover Studio Album, 2023
3.98 | 4 ratings

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La Marmite Cosmique 7 - Uncle Bizarre
Arnaud Bukwald Eclectic Prog

Review by BrufordFreak
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars Eclectic Renaissance man Arnaud Bukwald is back with his seventh installment of the La marmite cosmique series, and this time he lets his love for jazz, funk, and R&B come shining through within some undeniably proggy grooves.

1. "Prologue" (1:14) playful keyboard warm up using Fender Rhodes electric piano arpeggio chords (sounding a lot like Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood) and a slippery (Arp?) synth soloing over the top. (4.5/5)

2. "Daredevil" (1:52) funky soundtrack to some 1970s "Blaxploitation" film with some excellent interplay/conversations between the sax, synth, drums and bass. Excellent and fun! More of this, please. (5/5)

3. "Mermaid Lullabies" (17:20) one of Arnaud's epic journeys he takes us on in which he seemlessly, astonishingly, weaves together multiple seemingly-disparate musical styles together into one song. There are really three movements each expressing a totally different (and incongruous) musical style. The first is an example of what my daughter calls "White Man with a Guitar" as Arnaud sings in his amazing baritone like he's in a Beach Boys video. At 2:30, a slight key change occurs as the entrance of mezzo-soprano Cherry Pob's vocalise shifts this into a little different Prog Folk territory (which eventually comes to sound like Sweden's Moon Safari's Blomjlud). A pause and symbol crash at 4:24 signals the shift and entry into the second style that is that of 1958-61 Bill Evans/Miles Davis be-bop jazz. Sax leads the way over piano and "upright bass", but then at 5:35 there is another, gentler transition into a softer, "smooth" jazz realm similar to the stuff flutists Herbie Mann, Joe Farrell, and Hubert Laws were into in the late 60s and early 1970s. This shifts into Reggae land at 6:20 before a "dirty" Hammond organ takes over the lead at the end of the seventh minute. Flute returns at 7:20 before being joined by horns and multiple echoes of flutes in the wings, just before the bass elements re-enter and fill the bottom with a funky jazz stink. These synths are so Parliamentian! Pause for a very eerie section in which a discordant organ supports the haunting vocalise of Cherry Pob for a minute or so. Then, at 10:15 we fly into a new motif that still sounds like a soundtrack to a 1960s horror flick--but then we're off to Arabia for some sandy beach day dreams--thanks to zither, hand bells, and more of the amazing vocalise from chameleonic siren Cherry Pob. At 12:35 Zeuhlish keys and drumming with pulsing electronic bass signal another shift. We are clearly in the imaginary world of Kobaia (wherever that is) as Arnaud and Cherry team up to sing something in an extraterrestrial language known only to their kind (and maybe Christian Vander). At the end of the fifteenth minute the music shifts into something that sounds more Disney princess Cirque du Français. But then Cherry bursts my bubble by singing in English! while Arnaud subtly shifts the music more toward the stage musical for the big finish. (Okay, not so big.) Taking the song's title into consideration might help explain the drastic international shifts in musical styles that link together to make this suite. It's not really an epic so much as a tour--a peak inside the vast array of "favorite" mermaid hangouts. While not as cohesive in its flow, once again Arnaud (and Cherry) have taken us on a very interesting and enjoyable journey. (31/35)

4. "Woof Blues" (2:51) in pure 1960s Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention tradition, here Arnaud explores the perspective of a dog's life, with soulful French-accented English narration, in one of his comedic efforts--all set to the music of ABC's "Why Smokey Sings" combined with Martha Reeves & The Vandella's "Nowhere to Run." Very funny. Great musical choices. Frank would have loved it. (8.875/10)

5. "Floatsam" (1:50) another song that sounds like it came out of the 1970s Black film industry soundtracks--this one a tongue-in-cheek sexy-romantic piece. (4.33/5)

6. "Out of the Blue" (2:01) a jazzier take on Pink Floyd (and Clare Torey's) space-bluesy masterpiece, "The Great Gig in the Sky." Purely a study in imitation. (4.33/5)

7. "Moon Landing" (6:55) electronica taken back to use as a soundttrack to a 1960s sci-fi film. Interesting choice of sounds used to create this palette--including sitar. I like the experimental use of orchestra percussion panning/floating in the background. At 4:50 a Richard Wright (Pink Floyd) "Welcome to the Machine" synth (Prophet 5?) enters and takes the lead. In the final minute, wind sounds take over as the other instruments fade away, taking us to the end. Pretty cool! (13/15)

8. "The Wizard" (1:47) the resuscitation of the KING CRIMSON synth/Mellotron flute over/within which other synths, military snare, bouncy bass and violin keys join, all before an ELP "Lucky Man" portamento synthesizer enters to solo, to the end. (4.33/5)

9. "Fangs" (3:01) another interesting electronic and jazz combo that sounds very much like a tribute to Jean-Michel Jarre as much as to anyone else. The repetitive synth bass line gets a bit annoying pretty quickly.. I like the horn arrangements the best. I really wish Arnaud could have found a way to blend all of the last five or six songs together into one sci-fi kind of suite instead of offering these brife little "teases" that feel more like experiments to see if he could replicate--or find uses for--these "classic" sounds. (8.5/10)

10. "Nexus" (2:00) soul synth funk--George Clinton and Bernie Worrell would be proud--as would, I'm sure, some French pop artists that are unknown to me. Arnaud has such an amazing voice (like the late iconic 1970s, 80s, & 90s "Pillow Talk" DJ from WNIC FM Detroit, Alan Almond). I wish he'd use it more! (4.5/5)

11. "Maze" (7:54) another reflection/variation on classic PINK FLOYD sounds and songs. After the lengthy mid-song pause, the song turns into a variation on PF's opening movement of the "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" suite. (I keep waiting/expecting David Gilmour's lead guitar to invade the peaceful space-field.) (13/15)

Total Time 48:45

As always, Arnaud provides amazing sound production and gasp-worthy performances on his instruments--his mastery of so many instruments and mediums is truly astonishing. Arnaud does his typical nods to past classics by employing analogue synth sounds that were used in iconic (and often one-time) events--but then, as is also a pattern of Arnaud's, he will enmesh them within jazzy or funky or elctro-pop fabrics giving them a "fresh" or brain-teasing effect. Would that the prog world could be more receptive to this directional "push" toward electro-funk, I'd be a enthusiastic follower!

B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of boundary-pushing retro-electro prog funk; an album that I think everyone would enjoy and that I highly recommend you check out for yourselves.

 La Marmite Cosmique Six by BUKWALD, ARNAUD  album cover Studio Album, 2020
4.14 | 21 ratings

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La Marmite Cosmique Six
Arnaud Bukwald Eclectic Prog

Review by kev rowland
Special Collaborator Honorary Reviewer

4 stars This is only the second album I have heard from Arnaud and given that was the first of the "Marmite" series and this is now the sixth I am not surprised to find this is very different indeed. Here we have singer Cherry Pob combining with Arnaud, who provided all the arrangements, on two length tracks: "contes lunaires" is more than 22 minutes length, while "dynamogeny" is nearly 12 (both are deliberately titled in lower case). Here we have Arnaud working very much in the territory of modern classical, combined with experimental prog and even jazz, to create something which is both sweeping in its ambition yet also delicate and refined. It is an album which demands to be played on headphones, so that one can really get inside all the nuances and not miss anything, as the listener needs to pay close attention. One never knows where the music is going to lead, and while the main track is one long suite it could well have been broken into different elements as we can move from percussion-led orchestra to electronic keyboards that are staccato, or move into lounge, and be either instrumental or have stunning vocals with the male and female styles intermingling or being dominant, whatever the requirement.

At times it is almost reminiscent of Art Zoyd in its experimentation and RIO approach, while at others it is way more mainstream, which in itself can seem unusual due to the context it has been placed within. However, even though there is so much going on and the music is often changing dramatically in terms of style and focus, it is also incredibly interesting to listen to and enjoy on first hearing. Themes are sometimes returned to, especially within the vocals, and the double- tracking makes it seem that there is a full choir at play at times, with vocals which are more in the classical form than the popular. The result is yet another compelling album which is pushing musical boundaries and bringing together forms in a way that somehow makes total musical sense. It is thoroughly enjoyable from start to end, and I can't wait to see what Arnaud delivers next.

 La Marmite Cosmique Six by BUKWALD, ARNAUD  album cover Studio Album, 2020
4.14 | 21 ratings

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La Marmite Cosmique Six
Arnaud Bukwald Eclectic Prog

Review by DamoXt7942
Forum & Site Admin Group Avant/Cross/Neo/Post Teams

4 stars Brilliantly colourful musical therapy in a progressive manner, let me say. A French multi-instrumentalist / wide-range progressive gift-child Arnaud BUKWALD launched the sixth album of the series "La Marmite Cosmique". Arnaud's terrific artistic virtuoso has been fully exerted in this creation. This album consists of two long tracks (especially the first one "Contes Lunaires" is over twenty minute long) but never redundant ... every single track tells you a kaleidoscopic variation of sound components. Sounds like they have mainly deep, fashionable, stylish atmosphere plus heavy, dynamic impressions here and there ... yes just like a mixture of sensitive, fantastic Bourgogne Rouge and astringent, powerful Bordeaux Rouge.

"Contes Lunaires" is a masterpiece. Magnificent opening and delightful female voices, seasoned with oriental flavour or sutra-ish taste, is another temptation. The following stage is quite lyrical jazz rock, that could remind you of the similar vein to Québécois versatile rock commune L' INFONIE. And comfortable is electronic spices. Symphonic female voices are kinda oasis, and it might be good such an oasis come between flexible jazzy movements. The latter part is quite exciting and thrilling, along with an attractive instruments parade. Intriguing guitar plays and solemn pipe organ chants are pretty of speciality. Wondering this soundscape would have been created by Arnaud himself? Excellent. Contrary to the first masterpiece, the second stage "Dynamogeny'' has quite different texture. Psychedelic organ pieces, slow-tempo shoegaze bluesy guitar explosions are melancholic but promising. Slightly lengthy but dreamy fluent synthesizer-oriented funky line-arts make you tonic. Arnaud's diverse soundscape can be heard through the entire creation.

In conclusion, you can digest his aesthetic music talent out via this album. A fascinating stuff.

 La Marmite Cosmique III by BUKWALD, ARNAUD  album cover Studio Album, 2016
3.89 | 8 ratings

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La Marmite Cosmique III
Arnaud Bukwald Eclectic Prog

Review by BrufordFreak
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars From Dijon, France, Arnaud Bukwald burst onto the Prog music scene in 2016 with not one, not two, but three La marmite cosmique album releases.

1. "From Dusk to Dawn" (3:36) a very cinematic (in a very 1970s B-movie way) piece to start with, but then, surprise of all surprises, it turns into an Emerson, Lake and Palmer piece at the one-minute mark. And a brilliant imitation it is! At 2:10 it pauses to reset before reforming into a ELP-tinged return to the comically-eery opening motif. (8.875/10)

2. "Chimères" (10:57) a very interesting musical piece that incorporates what feels like several completely different motifs into one 11-minute song. As a matter of fact, there are long blank pauses between each of the suite's three sub-sections--as if waving the abuse of song inclusion in our helpless faces. There are themes that are styled in very funked-up-jazzy, jazz-rock, and even Canterbury palettes--and very creatively so, I must admit: this is all quite unusual and unique music despite its odd nostalgic familiarity. Then there's the case of Arnaud's deep basso voice: it is also something quite unusual (perhaps even unique) for Prog World. Rated slightly down for the seemingly random scattering of ideas and themes. (I wonder if Arnaud works with film or video as he creates and edits his music.) (17.5/20)

3. "Serendipity" (1:22) interesting with female vocalise soaring over the top. (4.375/5)

4. "Zebra 3" (3:06) great groovin' 1970s "Black exploitation" soundtrack music. Arnaud is without doubt an expert in these funk styles--and his sound engineering is always flawlessly clear and clean. Heavy on the slap fretless bass, clavinet, congas, and funky alto saxophone. Switch in the second minute into more of a KOOL AND THE GANG/HUBERT LAWS groove Jackson. Sax and Hammond get some lead time over the awesome funk. Another odd ending/departure: kind of just leaving us hanging. (9/10)

5. "Zappo's Grill House" (5:21) opening with a section of awesome 1970s woodwind and Fender Rhodes-led smooth jazz-rock fusion à la Hubert (or Ronnie) Laws, the Jazz Crusaders, Deodato, or even the house of Dave Grusin. The long slow chord and key changes paced by the walking bass line as doubled up by piano and bass are wonderful--like a study in song pacing--while the rest of "the band" add their little idiosyncratic flourishes and riffs. (8.875/10)

6. "Post-Modern World" (4:45) Amazing space funk that reminds me of Deodato, Parliament, Newcleus, or even Pink Floyd, or, later, KOOP. Space wind break at the halfway point before accelerating again into a funked up Floydian "Welcome to the Pleasure Dome" continuation. Very, very cool! Daevid Allen, Pierre Moerlin, and Ed Wynne would be very impressed! (9/10)

7. "Mandala" (2:24) taking us on a journey into the Indian sub-continent, sitar, tablas, harmonium, violin and a host of other Indian instruments are perfectly mixed and matched to render this nearly-perfect expression of non-European music. Awesome! (9.5/10)

Total Time 31:31

B+/4.5 stars; rated down slightly for brevity; an excellent addition to any prog lover's music collection; highly recommended.

 La Marmite Cosmique Volume 2 by BUKWALD, ARNAUD  album cover Singles/EPs/Fan Club/Promo, 2016
3.92 | 6 ratings

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La Marmite Cosmique Volume 2
Arnaud Bukwald Eclectic Prog

Review by BrufordFreak
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars I thought I'd been following Arnaud's output fairly closely since I discovered his music in 2016, but somehow I missed this one--his obvious tribute to Gong guru Daevid Allen--whose passing surely prompted Arnaud's creation of it. Though the opening song, "children of the full moon," opens as a near-perfect WEATHER REPORT replication, it soon shifts into total and complete GONG You "Isle of Everywhere" territory. Arnaud's solo production is such a near replication, his own instrumental performances so striking for their smooth accuracy and soul-ful conveyance, it can't help but beg the question, Can Arnaud really play all of those instruments with the accuracy, dexterity, and virtuosic fluidity as Steve Hillage, Didier Malherbe, Pierre Moerlin, Tim Blake, and Mike Howlett? It appears so!

The second song on this brief EP is entitled "to Daevid." It is an Eastern Indian-influenced space meditative piece that serves perfectly as the appropriate sendoff for our Magick Brother. It makes me smile with joy at the reaction I imagine Daevid would have to this piece.

As always, brilliant work from this master of many styles and sounds.

 La Marmite Cosmique Six by BUKWALD, ARNAUD  album cover Studio Album, 2020
4.14 | 21 ratings

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La Marmite Cosmique Six
Arnaud Bukwald Eclectic Prog

Review by BrufordFreak
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

5 stars The most creative master of synthesizing old sounds and styles into knew and exciting (and often witty) compositions is back with yet another jaw-dropping adventure into sonic magic-making. I am continuously in awe of Arnaud's uncanny ability to replicate and/or adapt old sounds, styles, and riffs and then meld them into something totally new and fresh. It is truly an amazing gift.

1. "Contes lunaires" (22:14) orchestration and operatic vocals! Am I on the set of Camelot? And then the sly slide into Zeuhl with the pairing of Arnaud's bass voice with Cherry Pob's mezzo! Genius! But then, holy sh*t! At the end of the second minute, the music slips into jazz--a fusion of early Magma Zeuhl and Soft Machine Third Canterbury! Wow! this is an even better fusion than SETNA! At 4:22 comes another sudden shift--into a variation on "Slightly, All the Time"--using piano-based jazz combo with sax and vibes--and then that Canterburian funky saw-organ! At 6:45 Arnaud again turns, this time into pure chordal Zeuhl structure, using echoed flute as his lead to distract us. Acoustic guitar, piano and the wafting, lilting voice of Cherry Pob take over at 7:32. I am in awe! Arnaud, you have truly outdone yourself! This is Annie Haslem Renaissance/Mike & Sally Oldfield territory. At 9:22 those acoustic guitars start to strum as Mellotron, cymbals, and "horns" join Cherry and synth-flutes. "Can You Hear Me?" At 10:52 we shift back into Zeuhlish jazz--a slow pace that shows off the two vocalists (who possess a magical DEAD CAN DANCE Brendan Perry/Lisa Gerrard chemistry). Wow! The tears are streaming down my cheeks! (and this is the third time through the song!) At 13:33 we get a shift into some kind of mystical forest of glass and wind as vibes/marimba flutes and cymbals create this spacious soundscape before being joined by the odd, sometimes discordant strums of a zither. Definitely a dream interlude. At 15:35 we transition rather suddenly back into a more angular, DAVE STEWART-oriented style of Canterbury. While multiple instrument sounds used are straight out of the Canterbury lexicon, Arnaud cleverly brings in a few sounds that are on the fringes--though definitely from within the jazz fusion world. When the church organ begins mounting its ascending attack and the bass, drums, and bank of multiple vocals join in, we are in the realm of the gods--Prog Valhalla! Reverse-engineered guitar solos and then fades while the organ continues its slow, repetitive climb toward heaven. I think we've made it! Pure brilliance--from start to finish! Arnaud's finest hour! (45/45)

2. "Dynamogeny" (11:50) take an early Pink Floyd journey into psychedelia and throw in a little Procul Harum like- organ in the beginning and some upbeat 1940s (or -60s!) Eurojazz-pop, but then give it a metronomic yet-soulful Can-like penetrating Krautrock beat and you've got "Dynamogeny." What a trip! What a creative genius! (23/25)

Total Time 34:04

Those of you who have not give this master chameleon a chance, you are really missing out. There is true, rare genius happening here!

A/five stars; a true masterpiece of eclectic or crossover progressive rock music from the 21st Century's master synthesizer of our favorite sounds from the past. Congratulations, Arnaud! You've truly outdone yourself! A truly astonishing display of composition and realization!

The best album I've heard of 2020 (so far)!

 La Marmite Cosmique by BUKWALD, ARNAUD  album cover Studio Album, 2016
4.28 | 12 ratings

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La Marmite Cosmique
Arnaud Bukwald Eclectic Prog

Review by kev rowland
Special Collaborator Honorary Reviewer

4 stars Released in 2016, this was the fourth album from keyboard player Bukwald, and the first to be titled 'La Marmite Cosmique' although there have been three more since then. Although this album is available through Musea, I would much rather have expected this to be a Cuneiform release as there are times when it fits that label absolutely perfectly. Given the French title I did check on Google to see if 'marmite' was something different to horrible black stuff which comes in jars with yellow lids, and was pleasantly surprised to see it means a cooking pot, so we have here 'The Cosmic Pot', and that is a really good title for this jazz-based album which musically is all over the place and consequently a really interesting piece of work.

While there are times when we are heavily into late Seventies lunge jazz there are others where the music is so heavily ELP that one wonders why they never released the material. In 'Fairy Tales' we moved between ELP and Wakeman with ease, and at times we are treated to the sound of birdsong, at others full on early Genesis with swathes of Mellotrons or it could be someone walking through deep snow or just the crackling of a fire. One quickly realises that Bukwald is working with a myriad of ideas and sounds at his disposal and has managed to master all of them. This isn't someone attempting to create music which has come before in the style of yet another copyist, but instead is bringing together elements from lots of bands linking them all together in a true melting pot. This is an album which most definitely takes time to get inside and appreciate the full beauty ' don't just play it once and then wonder what all the fuss is about. This is complex, layered, bringing together influences from the jazz and progressive fields, mixing them with folk and film scores and then moving between orchestral and big bands elements to something that is far more simplistic. Now I have heard this I am certainly intrigued to understand what the others sound like this in this series, certainly something to investigate further.

 La Marmite Cosmique V by BUKWALD, ARNAUD  album cover Studio Album, 2019
3.46 | 3 ratings

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La Marmite Cosmique V
Arnaud Bukwald Eclectic Prog

Review by BrufordFreak
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

5 stars Master synthesist of familiar musical styles Arnaud Bukwald is back with the fifth installment of his fascinating "La marmite cosmique" series of album releases--all of which seem to choose several prog subgenres or specific artists from the past to emulate. What makes Arnaud's work so unusual and enjoyable, though, is that though you recognize the sounds and the styles within each song, the compositions and performances are all so fresh--it's as if he has discovered old tapes or manuscripts from past masters that no one has ever heard and then performed and published them himself.

I think his work genius. Whereas on previous "marmite cosmique" releases he has masterfully replicated the sounds of such stalwarts as Frank Zappa, Greg Lake, Genesis, Camel, Mike Oldfield, Pink Floyd, as well as many, many Canterbury and Krautrock artists (as well as many modern artists), this one presents some Zeuhl, modern West Coast Psychedelia, Berlin School, as well as electronic masters like JEAN-MICHEL JARRE.

1. "Z'hr" (12:27) opens like POPUL VUH before presenting the theatricality of MAGMA and then turning into the engaging melody-delivery medium of BRAINTICKET, this song rocks like CAMEL and it surprises and it sucks you in like KLAUS DOLDINGER's PASSPORT with its grooves, twists and turns, instrumental sounds and skills, not to mention its multiple earworm melodic hooks and ecstatic choral Zeuhlish parts. The best prog epic I've heard so far in this year of 2019. (24/25)

2. "New Dawn" (2:05) West Coast funk on the level of STARVING DAUGHTERS and BRIAN ELLIS. Awesome! Another little gem of Arnaud's that I wish went on and on. (That's why we have repeat and playlist mixes.) (5/5)

3. "Mandarine" (5:46) wonderful Kosmische Musik of the Berlin School ilk. (9/10)

4. "Kinky Boots" (3:58) funky psychedelia that doesn't work as well as "New Dawn." Nice elements but they don't gel as well as I'd like. (7.5/10)

5. "Theremoon" (9:24) opens with some light, playful fairy-like TANGERINE DREAM or JEAN-MICHEL JARRE synth play which is then joined by dobro, percussion and another wooden flute-like synth playing mostly in the lower registers. I can't quite peg the influences/references, but I like it. A lot. Cool space weave. Maybe KITARO or Larry Fast's SYNERGY or Patrick MORAZ's I (or a combination of all of the above) are also appropriate comparisons. Just before the 4:00 mark a truly spacey synth makes a brief appearance before African hand drums enter. While the song never really goes anywhere too exciting or unexpected, it contains great weaves throughout and incorporates genius sound/instrument selections. (18/20)

Total Time 33:40

Five stars; a minor masterpiece of wonderfully creative, nostalgic instrumental progressive rock music.

 La Marmite Cosmique V by BUKWALD, ARNAUD  album cover Studio Album, 2019
3.46 | 3 ratings

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La Marmite Cosmique V
Arnaud Bukwald Eclectic Prog

Review by TCat
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin

2 stars Arnaud Bukwald is an Eclectic Prog artist that calls himself the underground troubadour and an astronaut. His music consists of a wide array of influences and styles. This multi-instrumentalist has been making albums since 2011. His 7th album, released in August of 2019 is the fifth (four albums and one EP) in a series named "La Marmite Cosmique" (literally translated as The Cosmic Pot). This album is completely performed by Bukwald except for the guest vocalist Cherry Pob who provides vocals for tracks 1 and 4. The album consists of 5 tracks with a total run time of over 33 minutes.

The first track is "Zohr" (12:27) and is the longest track on the album. A sustained synth provides a light drone and the word Zohr is repeated with Bukwald and Pob harmonizing in dissonant manner. Rolling and crashing cymbals build tension, and finally percussion, psych organs and keys, and some brassy instruments work together to play a nice progressive, jazzy music that has a nice psychedelic ring to it. The mostly instrumental track is driven mostly by synths and brass with occasional appearances of guitar. The rhythm switches up throughout the track to keep it from getting too stagnant, even slowing up a bit in the middle section, removing percussion and then reverting to that strange zohr vocals again. Finally at 8 minutes, different words come into play for a short time before it switches back to mysterious instrumentals provided by synth and brass, this time adding in some cool effects. Soon, the keys start a rhythmic pattern, and more repeated singing of the word zohr. The tracks first half was definitely much more interesting as the 2nd half doesn't really ever catch hold, but kind of meanders about.

"New Dawn" (2:05) starts off with birds and natural sound effects before the beat kicks in and a jazzy and slightly cinematic sound kicks in with the synth providing a melodic line. The sound has a 70's funky vibe to it with a Herbie Hancock-style vibe. "Mandarine" (5:46) starts with a repeating synth loop and space effects and noises swirling around it. The music builds aided by crashing cymbals and a gong, the background pattern getting louder as the effects continue. It's not until the 4th minutes that anything with a semblance of a melody comes in, and the music loses the repeated pattern and becomes more pensive and soft, fading to almost nothing when the repeated synth pattern returns quietly in the background as it ends with a minimilistic sound. "Kinky Boots" (3:58) goes for the funky vibe again, Buckwald reaches for his inner Herbie Hancock again. Cherry Pob sings mostly wordless vocals as she improvises along with the melodic lines established by the synths. At 3 minutes, the music cuts out leaving only a percussive noise sounding like someone walking, then suddenly a full band sound comes in sounding like a piece of another fully developed song, but quickly ends.

"Theremoon" (9:24) begins with a nice atmospheric ascending and descending synth while other keys play softly around it. This space jive continues for a while, it's nice, but it doesn't really develop into much as a melody soars and abates randomly around the repeating synth background. Finally, at 4 minutes, percussion comes in with a layer of sustained chords that help to ground this flighty track. As it continues, it all seems more like underdeveloped improvisation on the synths to only fill up time. It just goes on forever without much change.

Not much really happens on this album as it seems more like one long track that has a strong first half and then meanders around on the 2nd half, 3 tracks of mostly patched together material and another long track of improvised space music without any real foundation or direction. Sure, there is some interesting melding of styles, especially in the first and 2nd tracks that bring psych, jazz and electronica together in a nice way, but unfortunately, those tracks just don't justify the laziness of the rest of the short album. The first part of the album lives up to it's eclectic and eccentric nature, but the remainder just feels like music without a real direction or haphazardly pasted together.

Thanks to epignosis for the artist addition.

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