The listener
encounters some respectable
credentials on this tripartite collaboration between electroacoustic
composer (and Metamkine owner) Jérôme Noetinger, saxophonist
Michel Doneda, and electronic artist/avant-DJ eRikm. I feel
MIMEO, that
large-scale ensemble of which Noetinger was a part, is an astute
reference point for pinpointing these three tracks, which employ an
abstract combination of electronic noises and free sax-playing, as
well as a significant amount of negative space. The emphasis here is
on changing passages of sound, with each composition varying greatly
throughout its duration. Twenty minute opener "Grandeur Nature"
(translated: "full-scale") is exemplary in this sense; jump around
from spot to spot on the track, and you'll encounter an eclectic and
seemingly unconnected array of timbres, textures, and dynamics. At
one point we hear a tortured sax gasping for air above a noxious
electronic haze; skip ahead and it's mind-numbing, high-pitched sine
waves crossed with randomized blips and puts; earlier on, glimpse
liquid saxophone amid a crisp rain shower (a recurring motif, as the
cover confirms).
Dos D'ânes is a provocative work of
experimental electronic improvisation. At the forefront is Doneda's
sax playing, which is curiously inspired, and quite often
verging on unidentifiable. Noetinger and eRikm accompany the sax
playing skillfully, their playful, spasmodic kookery sometimes
playing the part of background ambiance, but at other fine times
joyfully weaving and toying with Doneda's reedy utterances. Reserved
for those moments where one craves a hectic sonic challenge, this
record rewards the brave listener.