Heldon's real excellence as a band is dramatically demonstrated with this fine recording. A dashing young left-wing intellectual,
Richard Pinhas was something of a cult figure in his native France, or at least had the potential to be one, but he wisely rejected the role of rock & roll guitar hero with backing band, in favor of something much more interesting and radical.
Patrick Gauthier on moog and
Francois Auger on percussion had played with
Pinhas on and off for the previous several years, and at this point they had developed into a solid sympathetic unit with a strongly rhythmic orientation. The intricate interlocking rhythms, created by percussion and several synthesizers, have a
proto-techno quality at times, and suggest both the German group
Can and, on at least one piece, early
Ash Ra Tempel. Some of
the Grateful Dead's long, free-form jams might also serve as a touchstone, and tracks like
"Bal-a-fou" even begin with loose, vaguely
psychedelic fragments which gradually coalesce into a very trippy and propulsive collective improvisation. On several pieces,
Pinhas'
Robert Fripp-inspired guitar lines provide still another layer of intensity. The tour de force is the long title piece which ends the CD. At close to 20 minutes, it builds slowly, gradually adding layers of rhythmic complexity with drums, synthesized percussion, sequencers and
Pinhas' electric guitar, which doesn't even show up until nine minutes into the piece. ~ Bill Tilland
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