LES FOUS D'OR

Fourth and very schizophrenic album, Les Fous d'Or is again in Igor's logical musical continuity, going more experimental, but keeping a lugubrious doll-related esoteric/religious concept, that I won't even bother understand and explain. Figure it out for yourselves, but the artwork his from his brother George. Just know that the project was coupled with a dance choreography under Carolyn Carlson's direction.

Opening on some kitschy French-spoken narrative, the Cornerstone side features some lengthy soothing and cosmic electronic soundscapes, interrupted by dumb liturgical mass lectures. A while later, one has to "suffer" some Devil's Trill violin lines with some agonizing diva (Eva Brenner) yodels, rendering the listening particularly difficult if you're afraid of ridiculous and sinister rising-from-the-dead ambiances. The Fous D'Or flipside is not much easier, because the agonizing diva hasn't croaked yet and she's billing overtime hours on your brains' patience budget. Even the 'tronic soundscapes are patience-grinding and are fast eroding it, especially once the newborn cries, loony laughter and clown-horns are spilling from your speakers.

To be honest, this is easily Igor's lesser and more ridiculous work, mixing French narratives and declamations with English titles. To think it took two years for Igor to generate such nonsense is actually just as mind-boggling as the music is, but this is not a positive thought. Best forgotten if you ask me, but you might not have a choice in avoiding it, because it comes in the 6-discs Don boxset, but no doubt it will stay at the bottom of the box.