Philippe Besombes (France), Electronic

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BESOMBES, PHILIPPE

Philippe Besombes is an underground but now cult french artist from the 70’s avant garde-prog scene. After a student doctoral degree to become a chemist he turned to music and was partly formed by Stockhusen and Xenakis. He rapidly showed an interest to electronic synth dispositifs (AKS, MiniMoog, Polyphonic ensemble Korg...). In 1976 Philippe Besombes had opened his own recording studio with Jean-Louis Rizet. He produced three major albums under his name. He recorded his most notorious effort in 1975 with Jean Louis Rizet. The duo published the enigmatic and complex “Pôle” (1975) for synthesisers orchestration and shimmering, spacious, nebulous electronic textures. The same year Besombes recorded the soundtrack of the movie “Libra”.The music delivers an hybridation of electroacoustic experimentations, bizarre ambient soundscapes and jazzy-folkish ingredients. In 1976 “Ceci est Cela” is a collection of experimental electronic pieces more in the genre of Pierre Henry and Stokhausen)
Philippe Besombes is also known for his group “Hydravion” and for being the founder of the obscure label “Pôle –Tapioca” (have been published different works from Magma, Gong, Pôle, Potemkine...)

Similar artists: The Cosmic Jokers, Fille Qui Mousse, Lard Free

: : : Philippe Blache, FRANCE : : :

Libra reviews:

 philippe 
(Philippe Blache) 
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Content Development & Krautrock Team 
 psychedelic "super project" from Philippe Besombes, initially recorded for a little movie. Extremely eclectic and intelligent, this effort conciliate unique sources of sounds mixed to luminous analog synth /organ textures, occasionally punctuated by voices, and acoustic, electric instruments. Unusual instrumentation including a vast exploration electronic gadgets and "collages". "La plage" is weird as hell, a difficult but subliminal listening for "dark" electric guitar chords, "somnambulist", linear organ sounds and fantomatic- hysterical voices, totally "orgasmic" vibration. "Rugby" is sonic, freak n roll composition with hammering drums, interstellar noises and freakish bass lines, "mega cosmic" trip! "Theme Grave" delivers a "sinister", "plaintive" electronic funeral theme for glacial organic chords, spectral voices in the distance. "Ballade en velo" is a musical rupture, delivering a charming folk ensemble for brass instruments and acoustic guitars, a sunny melody is floating in the air. "Ceremonie" reveals an almost religious, incredibly awesome organ melodie accompanied by church like chorus coming from an other world, eternal! Despite the incredible personal atmospheres delivered in each composition I regret that there aren’t any «epic» songs, playing with time and duration for a better progression in the musical movement. Anyway this remark is minor. A wonderful, "hyper-inventive" album with no equivalent elsewhere. At the top of the French prog electronic classics! Far better than Philippe Besombes side project called “hydravion”. 

Report this review (#109125) | Posted Saturday, January 27, 2007 | Review Permalink 

Sean Trane 
(Hugues Chantraine) 
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Prog-Folk Specialist 
 3.5 stars really!!!
Originally a chemist, preparing a PhD at the university of Paris, but always fiddling around with free jazz and contemporary music for a passion, even working with a ballet troupe until the summer of 72, when Besombes embarked on a typical hippie trip to Afghanistan and Pakistan. On his returning, he met Jean-Michel Jarre (then still working for a radio research centre) and started a duo with him, playing electronic music and played live a few gigs in early 73. Commissioned by Pattern (an association of moviemakers) for the soundtrack of a seldom-seen movie Libra, Besombes took quite a while to work on this album, thus ending informally the Jarre partnership. The movie project proved difficult, because it became a dialogue-less 90-min project that was, as usual, under-financed. When it finally came out in 75, the project was critically well received, but remained confidential.
The album has a very wide scope ranging from strange TD synths and sounding like Pierre Henry (the opening Plage with its orgasmic voices and q) to some weird “bruitage” ala Faust (Les Diapos), passing through some Ron Geesin-like Floyd moments (the Ballade En Velo with the Geesin-like horns ala AHM) and some pure RnR moments (the out-of-context Boogimmick) and some downright Floyd ambiances (Cérémonie or Jaune, which sounds like Saucerful Of Secrets, the track). You even get some Indian music (Raggacountry) and some almost-normal prog rock (Hache 06) and much more. The second side holds the longest tracks, but this does not make the album anymore direction, as it ends on a weak English-sung Tis A Song.
While there are some outstanding (and even sublime moments), there are some rather embarrassing moments as well. The album is actually quite uneven and it goes a bit aimlessly in every direction. While I can never thank enough MIO to release such lost French gems, I wish they’d have given us some kind of info on the origins of the four bonus tracks, but most likely, they were part of the movie as well, since they sound quite a bit like the rest of the album. My guess is that if MIO records named the-is album Libra Vol.1, there will be yet another one.
Besombes will record a second “solo” album in 76 than found Hydravion (his best-known project in 78), before recording the last of the album (eponymous) I know him to have recorded in 79. Nevertheless, this debut album is very much worth investigating it, even if I would not call this work essential. 

Report this review (#119768) | Posted Thursday, April 26, 2007 | Review Permalink 

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/b/besombes_philippe/libra.shtml

Pôle reviews:

 philippe 
(Philippe Blache) 
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Content Development & Krautrock Team 
 Bombastic "cosmic" synth experiments and a hybrid electronic rocking "journey" from Besombes and Rizet in this classic project called "Pôle". Very far from the "urban" and semi- industrial "hypnotic" loops delivered by frenchies from Heldon and Lard Free. "Pôle" features nice exhibitions of analog synth variations: the psychedelic synthesiser trippiness of "Haute pression" with its propulsive electronic "patterns" and drum parts, the floating & meditative "Evelyse" for synth / acoustic flute combinations. The album also includes a furious freak 'n roll jamming session in the surprising "Armature double" and humorous collage sounds in "Rock a Montauban". "Lundi matin" is a groovy, powerful electronic jazzy piece. The track which closes the album (synthi soit il) is a weirdo minimal "droning" essay for phasing synth lines and a beautiful "levitating" melody. A majestic, strangely abstract composition. The last minutes take back the initial theme of the song, covered by "hypno" & rhythmical electronic motifs. This album is mostly made of synth equipments for semi- improvisations, really "trippy" in its own way with a vast catalogue of electronic sounds (sometimes in a rather old fashioned style). Highly recommended for fans of vintage cosmic soundscapes. 

Report this review (#111253) | Posted Friday, February 09, 2007 | Review Permalink 

Also have a listen to HYDRAVION 

Philippe Besombes cult project with Cooky Rhinoceros and Christ Saint Roch : a fusion of amazing electronic / synth treatments and funky-groovy sonorities
==Philippe Blache==

http://gnosis2000.net/reviews/besombes.htm

http://progressive.homestead.com/france.html

http://direct-waves.blogspot.com/2007/03/philippe-besombes-cesi-est-cela-1976.html

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avestin Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 18 2005 Status: Offline Points: 12625	Topic: Philippe Besombes (France), Electronic Posted: May 11 2008 at 04:23
	BESOMBES, PHILIPPE Philippe Besombes is an underground but now cult french artist from the 70’s avant garde-prog scene. After a student doctoral degree to become a chemist he turned to music and was partly formed by Stockhusen and Xenakis. He rapidly showed an interest to electronic synth dispositifs (AKS, MiniMoog, Polyphonic ensemble Korg...). In 1976 Philippe Besombes had opened his own recording studio with Jean-Louis Rizet. He produced three major albums under his name. He recorded his most notorious effort in 1975 with Jean Louis Rizet. The duo published the enigmatic and complex “Pôle” (1975) for synthesisers orchestration and shimmering, spacious, nebulous electronic textures. The same year Besombes recorded the soundtrack of the movie “Libra”.The music delivers an hybridation of electroacoustic experimentations, bizarre ambient soundscapes and jazzy-folkish ingredients. In 1976 “Ceci est Cela” is a collection of experimental electronic pieces more in the genre of Pierre Henry and Stokhausen) Philippe Besombes is also known for his group “Hydravion” and for being the founder of the obscure label “Pôle –Tapioca” (have been published different works from Magma, Gong, Pôle, Potemkine...) Similar artists: The Cosmic Jokers, Fille Qui Mousse, Lard Free : : : Philippe Blache, FRANCE : : : Libra reviews: philippe (Philippe Blache) SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Content Development & Krautrock Team psychedelic "super project" from Philippe Besombes, initially recorded for a little movie. Extremely eclectic and intelligent, this effort conciliate unique sources of sounds mixed to luminous analog synth /organ textures, occasionally punctuated by voices, and acoustic, electric instruments. Unusual instrumentation including a vast exploration electronic gadgets and "collages". "La plage" is weird as hell, a difficult but subliminal listening for "dark" electric guitar chords, "somnambulist", linear organ sounds and fantomatic- hysterical voices, totally "orgasmic" vibration. "Rugby" is sonic, freak n roll composition with hammering drums, interstellar noises and freakish bass lines, "mega cosmic" trip! "Theme Grave" delivers a "sinister", "plaintive" electronic funeral theme for glacial organic chords, spectral voices in the distance. "Ballade en velo" is a musical rupture, delivering a charming folk ensemble for brass instruments and acoustic guitars, a sunny melody is floating in the air. "Ceremonie" reveals an almost religious, incredibly awesome organ melodie accompanied by church like chorus coming from an other world, eternal! Despite the incredible personal atmospheres delivered in each composition I regret that there aren’t any «epic» songs, playing with time and duration for a better progression in the musical movement. Anyway this remark is minor. A wonderful, "hyper-inventive" album with no equivalent elsewhere. At the top of the French prog electronic classics! Far better than Philippe Besombes side project called “hydravion”. Report this review (#109125) \| Posted Saturday, January 27, 2007 \| Review Permalink Sean Trane (Hugues Chantraine) SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Prog-Folk Specialist 3.5 stars really!!! Originally a chemist, preparing a PhD at the university of Paris, but always fiddling around with free jazz and contemporary music for a passion, even working with a ballet troupe until the summer of 72, when Besombes embarked on a typical hippie trip to Afghanistan and Pakistan. On his returning, he met Jean-Michel Jarre (then still working for a radio research centre) and started a duo with him, playing electronic music and played live a few gigs in early 73. Commissioned by Pattern (an association of moviemakers) for the soundtrack of a seldom-seen movie Libra, Besombes took quite a while to work on this album, thus ending informally the Jarre partnership. The movie project proved difficult, because it became a dialogue-less 90-min project that was, as usual, under-financed. When it finally came out in 75, the project was critically well received, but remained confidential. The album has a very wide scope ranging from strange TD synths and sounding like Pierre Henry (the opening Plage with its orgasmic voices and q) to some weird “bruitage” ala Faust (Les Diapos), passing through some Ron Geesin-like Floyd moments (the Ballade En Velo with the Geesin-like horns ala AHM) and some pure RnR moments (the out-of-context Boogimmick) and some downright Floyd ambiances (Cérémonie or Jaune, which sounds like Saucerful Of Secrets, the track). You even get some Indian music (Raggacountry) and some almost-normal prog rock (Hache 06) and much more. The second side holds the longest tracks, but this does not make the album anymore direction, as it ends on a weak English-sung Tis A Song. While there are some outstanding (and even sublime moments), there are some rather embarrassing moments as well. The album is actually quite uneven and it goes a bit aimlessly in every direction. While I can never thank enough MIO to release such lost French gems, I wish they’d have given us some kind of info on the origins of the four bonus tracks, but most likely, they were part of the movie as well, since they sound quite a bit like the rest of the album. My guess is that if MIO records named the-is album Libra Vol.1, there will be yet another one. Besombes will record a second “solo” album in 76 than found Hydravion (his best-known project in 78), before recording the last of the album (eponymous) I know him to have recorded in 79. Nevertheless, this debut album is very much worth investigating it, even if I would not call this work essential. Report this review (#119768) \| Posted Thursday, April 26, 2007 \| Review Permalink http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/b/besombes_philippe/libra.shtml Pôle reviews: philippe (Philippe Blache) SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Content Development & Krautrock Team Bombastic "cosmic" synth experiments and a hybrid electronic rocking "journey" from Besombes and Rizet in this classic project called "Pôle". Very far from the "urban" and semi- industrial "hypnotic" loops delivered by frenchies from Heldon and Lard Free. "Pôle" features nice exhibitions of analog synth variations: the psychedelic synthesiser trippiness of "Haute pression" with its propulsive electronic "patterns" and drum parts, the floating & meditative "Evelyse" for synth / acoustic flute combinations. The album also includes a furious freak 'n roll jamming session in the surprising "Armature double" and humorous collage sounds in "Rock a Montauban". "Lundi matin" is a groovy, powerful electronic jazzy piece. The track which closes the album (synthi soit il) is a weirdo minimal "droning" essay for phasing synth lines and a beautiful "levitating" melody. A majestic, strangely abstract composition. The last minutes take back the initial theme of the song, covered by "hypno" & rhythmical electronic motifs. This album is mostly made of synth equipments for semi- improvisations, really "trippy" in its own way with a vast catalogue of electronic sounds (sometimes in a rather old fashioned style). Highly recommended for fans of vintage cosmic soundscapes. Report this review (#111253) \| Posted Friday, February 09, 2007 \| Review Permalink Also have a listen to HYDRAVION Philippe Besombes cult project with Cooky Rhinoceros and Christ Saint Roch : a fusion of amazing electronic / synth treatments and funky-groovy sonorities ==Philippe Blache== http://gnosis2000.net/reviews/besombes.htm http://progressive.homestead.com/france.html http://direct-waves.blogspot.com/2007/03/philippe-besombes-cesi-est-cela-1976.html
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avestin Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 18 2005 Status: Offline Points: 12625	Posted: June 30 2008 at 22:08
	bump
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avestin Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 18 2005 Status: Offline Points: 12625	Posted: February 28 2009 at 22:07
	Bump to have more comments and more people to get to know this musician and reissues of his albums are to be found for good prices at on-line vendors (look at the link in my sig), from the "late" MIO label.
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