(4603 BATTEMENTS)

Dark, melodic, modern and original - great music from France

(4603 BATTEMENTS) is the 5th album from excellent French outfit Lazuli. The band is currently composed of Dominique Leonetti (vocals, guitar), Claude Leonetti (léode - an instrument designed by Leonetti himself and described on the band's website as an "improbable mix of a guitar, a synthesizer and a melodic saw"), Gederic Byar (guitar) and new members Romain Thorel (keyboards) and Vincent Barnavol (drums).

The album contains a convincing mix of acoustic and electric rock, with a decided predilection for melody and atmosphere over complexity and technicism. The clever combination of samples and synths with a more traditional use of acoustic guitars and orchestration makes the music sound fresh and modern while remaining within the boundaries of melodic rock tradition. Claude's use of the léode greatly contributes to create a unique sound for the band, which makes Lazuli stand out relative to other outfits proposing a similar blend of eclectic prog rock (indeed it was an airplay of the song "Je Te Laisse Ce Monde" with its fantastic léode solo that first caught my attention and encouraged me to find out more about this band). It is exactly the screaming sound of the léode, as well as the use of a brooding guitar sound and heartfelt vocals, that manage to infuse all songs with a melancholic but sinister atmosphere which brings to mind the latest Porcupine Tree or Norwegian electro-dark band Manes (although they do sound quite different from both bands). Some listeners might be put off by the fact that the lyrics are in French. In my opinion the use of French also contributes to the distinctiveness of the sound offered by the band. Moreover, the music alone is more than successful in conveying the moods and atmosphere.

Personal highlights of the album are the aforementioned Je Te Laisse Ce Monde, the more intimate Le Miroir aux Alouettes, the fantastic Les Malveillants with its catchy chorus, and the trippy Saleté de Nuit (great vocal performance by Dominique Leonetti here). But all songs on the album are consistently good, and the album as a whole is a very mature effort.

Highly recommended!

'(4603 Battements)' - Lazuli (7/10)

This year, France seems to be a hotbed of prog rock output. With French band Nemo sparking my interest with their latest album 'Revolucion', it is a joy to see another band from the land of cheese and revolution reaching my ears. Lazuli is a band that fits firmly into the sounds of modern prog; a band who is eager to venture forth with sounds, painting more modern sounds of music witht eh same passion and fire that the prog legends once did. '(4603 Battements)' is not the first album that the band has done, but alas, it is my first experience with the band, and- to start things off- I have been greatly impressed with the sound they have here. Although bearing a resemblance to the brooding atmospheres and songwriting of other, compatriotic acts, Lazuli carves out an interesting sound with this record. What we have here is an great piece of modern prog.

A broad comparison I could make for this band's sound would be Porcupine Tree and especially Radiohead. The largest difference between those acts and this album would likely be the fact that here, the lyrics are sung in French. It is not very common past the borders of Italy for a prog album to be sung in a language that is not English, so it is a nice change of pace to hear a different language being sung, even if I can only partially understand what is being sung. The vocals of Dominique Leonetti are very strong and richly accented, and while many English listeners may be hard pressed to enjoy his performance on a narrative level, his voice has got a great range to it, and works very well with the nuances of the French language. This album has a very modern sound for prog, meaning that I am sure I could show this music to an everyday listener and they would not see this as dated in any way; while there are tinges of psychedelia and vintage symphonic rock here, much of this is taken more as a root of influence, rather than the sound itself. Take the vaudevillian rocker 'Dans le formol au muséum' for example; a piece that screams the bombast of experimental Beatles albums, and the adventurous arrangements of King Crimson. when the sound emerges finally however, it comes out as something a little different than the music it draws upon.

The mood of the album is generally dark, and while the very dramatic way that Lazuli brings about this sound is executed very well, its not entirely effective the whole way through, and I cannot say I feel the music frrom start to finish. The two modes of music I am sensing on '(4603 Battements)' are mysterious mellow atmosphere, and theatrical symphonic rock. As far as the former goes, it is dominated by Leonetti's voice, where he gives his best performances on the album. For the harder rocking sections, the instruments take more of a precedent, especially when it comes to the intriguing synth and string patterns that add depth to the band's sound. While I would not necessarily call this pop music, there does seem to be an effort here to take some greatly ambitious and theatrical deliveries and condense them into something a little more bite-sized, although the entire album (including the mellow segments) has a larger-than-life feel to it. No song here particularly stands out to give the album that classic potential, but it flows decently enough, bookended by two short instrumentals; although it could have flowed a little better, there has been visible effort here to give the album a feeling of completion.

The music here will be quick to please the eager listeners of modern prog, and while I can't call '(4603 Battements)' a truly excellent album, it is a very good album that at times hints at a possible masterpiece in the woodwork. I did find my experience with the music waned a little when the dark, brooding nature of the music finally worn thin and broke, although it is a very consistent journey. A very good album for fans of Radiohead and the darker side of Porcupine Tree.

Review #8 Lazuli is a French band that was formed in 1998, and they have released 5 albums so far, with "4603 Battements" being their latest endeavor. The band's current line-up is: Dominique Leonetti - Vocals, guitar, mandolin/ Gédéric Byar ? Guitar / Romain Thorel - Keyboards, French horn / Vincent Barnavol - Drums, percussions, marimba and Claude Leonetti - Léode.

Initially, I'd like to say that they use "Leode" in their music! For those who might wonder what "Leode" is; it is pretty much a unique mid-electronic plug guitar instrument that comes with a unique sound. This instrument is used most of the times with distortion, and gives the band a very unique and personal sound. Another fact that gives Lazuli a unique sound is the use of French language in their songs. Well, there is a possibility that some people may find it not to their liking, but I believe that in Lazuli's case the French language matches their sound perfectly.

The album is a great combination of loud electric guitars mixed with more acoustic sounds, but also many melodic and darker parts. I mentioned it before, but I have to relate to 'Leode' once more. This bizarre instrument gives so unique a style to their sound which is very difficult for me to explain here. If you have never listened to it before you can't simply understand what I'm talking about. That's why my best advice could be to check this album. But not only for 'Leode'. Mostly because it is a really good work, with great production, interesting compositions, and, in a nutshell, it is a record that you should listen to, if not buy.

The best moment which catches your attention right away, is the song "Je Te Laisse Ce Monde" which is my most favorite by far. But above that, there are many other worthy songs here. For example, the more intimate 'Le Miroir aux Alouettes', the beautiful 'Les Malveillants', or the more trippy 'Saleté de Nuit'.

Of course this is just my personal opinion, other people might feel differently about the songs which are included in this album.

Speaking objectively, "4603 Battements" is surely a very solid and a very intriguing record, which I recommend not only to Progressive Rock fans, but also to eclectic listeners who wish to discover and enjoy unique bands like LAZULI. 3 stars from me