ELEMENTS

Still in the biz of constructing angular avant-prog of the ages after 40 years plus, the Quebec City proggers MIRIODOR may only exist in a very small club of weirdo music appreciators but this band remains remarkable in its consistency for delivering top notch music that was seemingly delivered from an alternative universe. While the band dates back to as far back as 1980, these Canadians are only now releasing their tenth album ELEMENTS in 2022.

Founded by François Émond and Pascal Globensky four decades ago, MIRIODOR has constructed some of the most daring and even-keeled instrumental jazz-tinged rock in opposition in the vein of Univers Zero, Art Zoyd and Present for quite some time now and even the death of Edmond hasn't stopped these instrumental wizards from cranking out their unique brand of bizarro prog that juggles unthinkable time signatures in the context of jazz and heavier guitar rock.

After five years since the release of "Signal 9," ELEMENTS pretty much picks up where the band left off and with the opening "Boomerang," fans of this crazed musical style will be delighted that MIRIODOR has lost none of its labyrinthine psycho prog mojo. Each of the six tracks on ELEMENTS exhibits all that MIRIODOR charm of nurturing avant-grooves into prog excess majesty aided by the virtues of modern technological breakthroughs. The result is perhaps not tantamount to a masterpiece but rather an excellent take on the traditions that emerged in the fertile minds from Belgium and France so many decades ago.

With the mishmash of stylistic changes over an angular jazz-rock groove, MIRIODOR presents another outstanding example of the avant-rock underground in superior form and although in the vein of the chamber rock masters of yore, these Canadians (now whittled down to a mere trio) deliver the avant-prog goods in magnificent splendor. While nothing new from what came before, it really is the consistency and uniqueness of the band that warrants a business as usual approach with all those parades of tones, timbres and time signatures gathering in procession for rich dynamic aural enjoyment.

Nerd prog for sure but for those who have caught this bug, ELEMENTS will not disappoint one tiny bit. If i had any complaint it would be the lack of guitar rock heft on this one as MIRIODOR are masters of delivering King Crimson inspired disso-prog in abundance. ELEMENTS tends to be on the mellower side of the band's mood settings and while that hardly detracts from the other talents that the band displays in full regalia, i personally love some avant-prog that rocks out a bit more than ELEMENTS but at the end of the day multiple listening experiences has allowed the album to sink in and therefore i have come to appreciate the album on its own terms.

Absolutely nothing that will break MIRIODOR into the mainstream, these Canadians remain faithful to the rock in opposition ethos but are highly admired in the small but rabid nerd music underground. Although ELEMENTS is now the mere trio of Pascal Globensky, Bernard Falaise and Rémi Leclerc, there are a sufficient number of crazy sounds on board to simulate a much larger band experience. All in all these avant-proggers are like punctuators of time where they craftily insert beats, notes and musical motifs that defy logic yet somehow synergize into a soundtrack of a parallel dimension.

"Elements" is MIRIODOR's tenth studio album released in 2022 and voted as the tenth best album from that year by the collaborators here on this site. This band out of Quebec can do no wrong and the only record of theirs that I had trouble with was the self titled second release. I have to say that the debut "Recontres" is by far my favourite from them but different in style from the other albums.

"Elements" continues in that complex yet strangely melodic style they do so well. Some circus-like melodies and silliness so really this is MIRIODOR offering up angular and dissonant sounds and having fun at the same time. We do get some haunting and melancholic sections, lots of experimental pieces along with samples. Heck even a turntable at one point on that second track. It took me many looks but the cover art is basically a stove element with the different "elements" written across the cover in French like "oxygene" for example. Everything in the liner notes is in French by the way.

A trio here of keys and drums with the third member adding bass, banjo, guitar, keys and yes turntable. The drummer also adds electronics to great affect. Six songs over almost 43 minutes and this is very consistent with lots to like with every track and little that turned me off which isn't always the case with an Avant record. This band is just getting better in the style they do so well. "Signal 9", "Cobra Fakir" and "Avanti!" the previous three studio albums were amazing and this keeps the streak going. I can't even pick a top three that's how consistent this is.

Without question a top ten for me as well for 2022.