The 70's band) Arkham is reviewed at the Canterbury style review page

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More links :

http://www.belgianmusic.net/bmpframe.htm
http://www.muziekcentrum.be/home/home.asp?clr=1
Belgian bands list : http://www.astro.ulg.ac.be/~royer/links/let/belbands.htm
http://houbi.com/belpop/
Belgian music : http://www.astro.ulg.ac.be/~royer/links/belmusic.htm
with reviews http://houbi.com/belpop/albums/index.htm


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Lowlands      Aranis : II (B,2007)****

I looked forward to hear the reception of the evolution of Aranis. They gained popularity, and also found interest from outside Belgium. And now they have “found” pretty much their style. On first hearing in the background, I heard how the group on the surface kept a certain minimalism in their inspiration, something like but not exactly like going from one chord rhythmically to the next, and found also the “tango” in it. A “tango” with minimalism could be a dangerous self-absorbing territory leaving no extra room for different inspirations, or with real communications with the outside, and could tend to cocoon itself in repetitions but even with this, like minimalism it can also make the maximum out of the minimum, with energy and strength. At first, I wanted to hear the difference of such a start with some inspired minimalist album, to search for a different aspect with minimalist inspirations. I listened to Yann Thierssen’s “Rue de Cascade”. This last mentioned album has also folkloristic associations, tells stories and shows changes with real emotions and shows colourful changing visions. With its own specific body of simple minimalist ideas this composer showed attraction by shaping a variety of worlds, with a quality that made this album to be rediscovered later to use it for the great movie of “Amelie Poulain..” (but that is of course a different story). When listening closer to Aranis I heard that the emotional drifts I quickly noticed were more than just expressed with captivating fire and strength, and that real compositional ideas carry out intelligent structures that add new depths to the well arranged various actions. But even when some of the last few tracks lose themself completely in their own world, this has its own, different attraction which is to degree very filmic. The group on this album pretty much sounds like they sound live : well rehearsed, professional, energetic and passionate. Compared to the previous release I think the group also improved by showing a more consistent strength.

Audio : http://myspace.com/aranis
Homepage : http://www.aranis.be/
Lowlands      Aranis (B,2005)****

Aranis is a septet with Linde De Groof, violin and vocals, Liesbeth Lambrecht, violin, Marjolijn Cools, accordion, Axelle Kennes, piano, Stijn Denys, guitar, Jana Arns, flute and vocals, Joris Vanvinckenroye, double bass with guest Edwin Vanvinckenroye on violin, vocals, and Dick Van Der Harst on selmer guitar, both on one track.
This is a successful and perfectly disciplined ‘soft chamber music rock’ project, with professionally worked out tracks in a R.I.O. style, which becomes almost like a typical Belgian style. The tracks flow with rich melodic freshness from one to the other. There’s a lightness combined with a more heavy bass and rhythmic improvisational rock drive embedded in a classical structure. The subtle vocal/choir arrangements on "Yosu" give the music an extra higher dimension. Here and there, like in “Oyma” a few folk element touches or improvisations are carefully almost unnoticeablely swallowed in the musical structure, but perhaps these few elements are simply coincidental. Last few tracks, but especially "Pantra" and "Labyrinth" are more like tango chamber music.

Audio : "Indrigo", "Jona", "Vuur", "Yosu" (or here) & http://myspace.com/aranis ; live video here
Info : http://www.lowlands.be/pop_detail.asp?id=31090
Homepage : http://www.aranis.be/
Other review : http://undercoverman-kc.blogspot.com/search/label/Aranis
Dutch reviews : http://www.kwadratuur.be/releases.php?id=2053
& http://www.folktribune.be/d_stub.php?cat=112   
& http://www.folkforum.nl/content/view/5780/55/
& http://www.luister.info/Reviews/a/aranis.htm

Update this album now has a US release too : http://www.anticlock.net     next release ->

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Another good urban folk brass or whatever band from Belgium (Antwerp)
inspired on Balkan brass folk, Klezmer etc. fun is Traktor :

Info : http://www.traktorband.be/
(listen to complete mini-CD and CD at http://www.traktorband.be/musick.html
with video at http://www.traktorband.be/video.html)
& http://users.skynet.be/vanimpe/muziekmakery/traktor.html &
http://home.tiscali.be/luc.vandereyde/traktor.html
& http://www.belgianmusic.net/traktor.htm

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Similar fun was another Antwerp (/Ghent ?) band,  Think of Fanfare, an of-shoot of Think Of One (http://www.thinkofone.be/). They were great fun once warmed up to full heat. They had great musicians, including a Moroccan percussionist. Think of One had a few releases. I don't think Think of Fanfare ever made an album. Think of One continued to work with Moroccan & Brazilian musicians. They travelled to Morocco which led to their 'Marrakech Emballages' releases.
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<--page 1 REVIEWS OF (NEW & REISSUED) MUSIC IN BELGIUM, PAGE 2     page 3->
BELGIAN URBAN "CHAMBER MUSIC ROCK" (R.I.O., ...) :
(<-- PAGE 1 : BELGIAN PROGRESSIVE / PSYCH / CROSSOVER MUSIC)
 
Univers Zero (2x), Boenox, Troisseur (2x), DAAU (2x), Present,
Cro Magnon (3x), Fukkeduk, Aranis (3x), Pierre Vervloesem, The Wrong Object

Cuneiform Rec.Univers Zero : Implosion (B,2004)***

Before starting to review this new release, I must repeat for those who are still not familiar with Univers Zero, a small introduction. It’s really odd to know that Belgian groups like Univers Zero, Present, Cro Magnon and others within the same genre hardly get any attention, if any in Belgium, especially not in the Flemish part, where music interests from official sites only list entertainment music, post-rock, classic rock or things like that, and the ministry of economy -and not education or culture- has the control over media interests.  Even most musicians don’t know the importance of this group, who in fact formed a standard for the Rock In Opposition styles, which like all spontaneously and independently developed groups in Belgium, is always more with the feeling of being an independent urban chamber music rock group. Their first album in 1977 was years ahead of its time, and combined ideas from Bartok with a rock band approach. Often their sound was pretty dark, but albums like ‘1313’, ‘Heatwave Zero’, ‘Ceux Du Dehors’ and perhaps ‘Uzed’ are recognized all over the world as being classics in the genre. ‘Heresie’ is their most dark work to date.
This work might be their most accessible to date. The dark elements are somewhat taken out or sound lighter, subtly modernized, like with tiny passages of experimental electro-acoustic ideas. There are added some brass arrangements here and there. In general the group is no longer strictly limiting itself within the area they created, but opening it up, perhaps with a bit more easy sounding ideas, or at least relaxed compositions. Here and there the direction is just new music, with “Méandres” as my favourite track in this style. ("La Mort de Sophocle" sound a bit like Art Zoyd's filmmusic).

My grading on older albums :
Cuneiform Records Univers Zero : 1313 (1977)*****
Cuneiform Records Univers Zero : Ceux du Dehors(1981)****°
Cuneiform Records Univers Zero : Heatwave (1986)****°
Cuneiform Records Univers Zero : Uzed (1988)****°
Cuneiform Records Univers Zero : The Hard Quest (1999)***

Audio "Out Of Space"
Web page at http://www.totalzoo.com/universzero/ and
(with soundfiles) at http://www.cuneiformrecords.com/bandshtml/univers.html
& http://www.progressiveears.com/asp/gepr.asp?geprPage=u%2Ehtml%23UNIVERSZERO
Picture of Univers Zero.(from Heresie) Picture of Trigaux.
Other reviews : http://www.progarchives.com/Progressive_rock_discography_CD.asp?cd_id=5565
& http://www.scaruffi.com/vol3/univers.html#imp
http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDSUB020406171435491079&sql=Aaq87gjur46iv
Reviews of other albums : http://www.progressiveears.com/asp/reviewsindex.asp?artistID=38


Cuneiform Rec.Univers Zero : Live (B,2006)****

This is the first official live recording of the group, professionally recorded (wonderful sound !) from a concert in Brussels, Belgium and one in France in 2005. Here as a six-piece group (Daniel Denis-drums, Michael Berckmans-bassoon, English horn and oboe, Martin Lauwers-violin, Peter Van Den Berghe-piano and keyboards, Kurt Budé-clarinet and saxophone and Eric Plantain-bass) the compositions keeps their foundation in contemporary classical music worked out for a chamber music rock band, and the band sounds greater and closer to their fundaments than they did on their last few releases. The band has their recognisable and controlled sound. Just “Failing Rain Dance” like on a jazz concert, this track suddenly has some drum improvisation, followed by funky bass with violin.
This is an essential introduction to the band.

Audio : "Bonjour chez vous" & http://www.secondlayer.co.uk/sounds/sound1895.htm
Homepage : http://www.univers-zero.com
Other review : http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=20798
& http://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/2683
& http://cuneiformrecords.com/bandshtml/univers.html
& http://www.audaud.com/article.php?ArticleID=1167
& http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=70731
& http://www.znrcds.com/osc/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=5742
& http://www.secondlayer.co.uk/index/p1895.htm
German review : http://www.babyblaue-seiten.de/album_4336.html
Italian review : http://www.cloudsandclocks.net/CD_reviews/universzero_live_I.html
Private  Boenox : Studio (B,2003)*°°

Boenox is a chamber music ensemble with basic instruments Oboe, Bassoon, Cello and Bass. Then there are also added some modern electronic rhythms and simple samples. The often somewhat filmic compositions are easy going and the approach is a bit more from a pop group, but then with a chamber music ensemble. During their tour in France they called their music “Pop de chamber” (or “chamber pop”), which might be a pretty accurate description. I hope they will grow a bit in their ideas, because with the same elements the music could be much more adventurous. If you compare this for instance to the Flesquartet’s work (who combine a quartet with some electronics too) this is a bit too easily conceived. Favourite tracks are “Introïctus” and
the potential hit “Tic-Tac”, and perhaps "Obsession".

Info : http://www.boenox.com/ with soundfiles : http://www.boenox.com/audio-vids.php
Soundfiles of earlier album  : http://www.tigersushi.com/site/frameset.jsp?page=Rcd.jsp&RcdId=5192
Belgian music entry : http://www.belgianmusic.net/boenox.htm
Review (in Dutch) : http://www.guido.be/desktopmodules/articledetail.aspx?mid=357&itemid=1177&tabid=0&pageid=0
Interview (Dutch) : http://www.sjefke.be/is_kunstzinnig/artikelen/boenox_kasteel_bouckenborgh_10_11_2002.shtml
& http://www.cucamonga.be/interviews/Boenox0204.htm
EMI    Troissoeur (B,2004)**°°

Funny that 3 brothers with friend call their group something like “3 sister”.
I saw the group listed in a folk list but this release mostly is a post-poprock item with very good modern production and perfect mixing (like we can expect on EMI, here directed by Daniel B, former Front 242 sound designer), which includes (chamber music) orchestrations, and other much more modern arrangements (like electronic beats, piano, guitars,..). After two more (good) poppy tracks, (from which I really like “Little Dole”, surely after a couple listens), there are also three tracks between 7 and 10 minutes, and also one of 17 minutes, which is still unusually long for a partly ? pop-song orientated band. It is in such tracks where the group flourishes. The arrangements in these long tracks are less bound to the melodically repetitive character of pop music’s song orientation. Just listen first to the great instrumental part on “Kjilmé”, and how great “Sano M’ame” builds up during the track. The band are in fact good enough instrumentally to remain as a purely instrumental band. Compared to the strong instrumentation, the vocal parts are, for me, sometimes more ordinary, or still could use reconsideration in their final execution. The group sometimes use their own invented language for some songs, which is a good idea. There’s a more vulnerable singing on “Higher emotions”, with rather Gothic piano. Having listened to this track on two occasions it makes sense, with loops of ambient guitar and violin. On “Trays” there are some electronica, experimental whale-like violin sounds, some studio rhythm mixes mixed into an improvisational way of singing, with a slight overexposure in its emotional approach, still reminding me of better experimental rock voices, accompanied with guitar, modern use of rhythms, double bass, backing vocals, keyboards. On “No e Amo” they show their first origins of inspiration from Italian ? ethno-folk, using accordion, violin, double bass, with some electronic rhythm touches, -in a convincing way. The 17 minute 03” track, “Paving” starts as ambient pop, builds up slowly with an additional mixture of minimal chamber arrangements, with sometimes an hypnotic effect growing towards a moody and a more improvisational part, which leads to a full band improvisational driven closer, played by electric violin and double bass with electric guitar mostly. “Levina” combines the energy of improvisation, with a rock and ethno-folk drive, with great mixing, a fine chamber music layer, nice use of guitars, and electronic rhythm production effects. A nice closer for the album.
This an appealing release from a fine Belgium band which I’m sure will have a growing appeal on a bigger international scene.

Info : http://www.troissoeur.be/ & on http://www.muziekcentrum.be/...
Intro to group : http://www.biomusic.hu/eng/zenekarok/troissoeur.shtml
& http://wwwutnws.utwente.nl/utnieuws/data/37/30/engels5.html
Info : http://www.cucamonga.be/interviews/Troissoeur0904.htm
Dutch intro : http://www.festivalinfo.nl/artist_detail.php?artist_id=1990
Opinion to group in Dutch : http://www.folkroddels.be/artikels/135.html
Dutch reviews : http://www.folkroddels.be/artikels/4811.html
& http://www.muziekcentrum.be/... & http://www.kkunst.com/kk/20040818256.php & http://www.kindamuzik.net/...
Hungarian page : http://www.pjmusic.cz/old/profiles/troissoeur.html
review of older 2000 release will be linked soon ->
privateCro Magnon & (Bub) : Brosella Suite (B,rec.2003;2004)***

For this project, several Flemish folk musicians were invited to participate. “Brosella” refers to Brussels, and is also a fine 2 days free festival in a beautiful park-podium location near the Atomium-monument in Brussels, with one day Jazz and one day folk performances. The specific track titles refer to several places and facts, mostly only known to people who are living in
Brussels. The release seems to have received support from the Ministry of the Flemish Community. Inside Belgium/Flanders however there wasn’t the deserved attention. The style, compared to the earlier releases, is a mature, and for the most tracks, a relaxed piece, which holds the middle between composed urban chamber music, with folk elements included this time too, especially how Flemish folkmusic at his best generally is consumed, slightly entertaining and rhythmic but also varied, (herefore Bub, a folk-band is responsible), and a somewhat documentary-like character in(to) the composition. 6 of 10 songs are by Geert Waegeman, who leads the urban chamber music style composition. Kim Delcour is another leading member for this project-group, who plays bagpipes and flutes. He has his share in the composition and performance, and composed three separate pieces as well, from which “Fanfare de l’abattoire” is my favourite, for it’s humour, mix etc.. The violinist Rik Verstrepen composed one other piece. Also “Noordstation” after “Fanfare..” is mixed with optimal dynamism. “Bagarre Centrale” after that uses jazz, folk and urban chamber music in an instrumental rock mix, as a perfect dynamic closer. The combination of folk with chamber music was a serious and successful attempt to create a kind of new ethno-folk with international character. It was especially composed for the Brosella Festival, and for the small tour that came after that. Cro Magnon currently has a new piece ready for recording. They will look for a label outside Belgium (a fine label like Cuneiform Records would be perfect for it) for its release next year.

Contact Cro Magnon : Geert Waegeman :
English intro for Cro Magnon : http://www.belgianmusic.net/cromagnon.htm
& http://users.skynet.be/vanimpe/muziekmakery/cro-magnon.html
& http://www.gnosis2000.net/reviews/cromagnonbelg.htm
Live pictures of Brosella suite : http://www.folkroddels.be/beelden/2003_1/brosella_suite_handelsbeurs_gent_05_03_03/
with Dutch article : http://www.folkroddels.be/artikels/252.html
Dutch review of CD : http://www.folkroddels.be/artikels/1756.html
& http://www.kwadratuur.be/releases.php?id=967
& http://www.muziekcentrum.be/publications/publications_detail.asp?iID=195418
More background info on Greet Waegeman (in Dutch) : http://home.scarlet.be/~braaklan/lev2.html
Carbon 7Cro Magnon : Zapp! (B,1992)***°'

This was a fantastic debut of dynamic « urban chamber music », like they described it themselves. The combination of chamber orchestra with alto/soprano but especially baritone sax and electric bass gives a contrasting sound. The music has parts of minimalist music but is much more varied than that ("Cleo"; "Kongo!"). A track like “Tears for Fears” has something of industrial rock with chamber music in it and reminds me of industrial chamber music from groups like Tuxedomoon (just remember their works like “Desire”,etc..). Here and there more modern sampling and keyboards were used (like on "Jacques Tati part 1"), combined with the classical orchestra and sax, rhythmic, fresh and young . A few other tracks were clearly more classical inspired. A classic.

Label entry : http://www.carbon-7.com/cd/005.htm
Japanese page : http://x-rec.com/main/belgium/zapp.htm
Review : http://www.expose.org/archive/exp01/NewReviews.html#cromagnon-zapp
& http://www.gnosis2000.net/reviews/cromagnonbelg.htm
French short review : http://petit.sebastien.free.fr/cromag.html
Old (Dutch) article with funny picture : http://www.veto.student.kuleuven.ac.be/jg24/veto2417/cro.html

LowlandsCro Magnon : Bull? (B,1997)****'

Cro Magnon’s second release was even more unique. The compositions and execution is dynamic from beginning to end (sometimes electric guitars, but always electric bass, often as contrast for two violins and (alt, soprano & baritone sax). The group sounds here at its best. They received help on cello, snaredrums, trumpet, French horn, clarinet,..with other musicians on some tracks. The basic compositions have one foot in classical music, with the other in the dynamism of a city life, rhythmic, brooding, urban music. Great stuff !

French review : http://www.lafactory.com/fiches_musique/autres_cro_magnon.htm
Lowlands       Fukkeduk : Ornithozozy (B,1994)***°°

This is another chamber music rock group from violinist Rik Verstrepen (member from Cro Magnon). This is wilder, more driven music with a chamber music “rock” edge. It is sometimes even very wild and crazy, then it is moving as being driven by a Balkan folkrock background, with some weird jazzy elements, played as if partly improvised, like a brassband-(heavy) rock band. Even when 90 % of the music keeps the full complexity of composed chamber music, the heavy jazzrock can drive it in the fire of the moment far away from it, without ever losing ground-. Apart from such (wow) "serious music moments" we also notice of few tracks with some ska-like humour. Highly recommended to the serious music fan !

English intro : http://www.belgianmusic.net/fukkeduk.htm &
http://users.skynet.be/vanimpe/muziekmakery/fukkeduk.html
Dutch interview : http://www.dma.be/p/verschillig/back/fukkeduk/fukkeduk.htm
privateDAAU : Tub Gurnard Goodness (B,2004)**°°

The style of DAAU (=Die Anarchistische Abundunterhaltung!) which attracted my attention with their first album, and now when checking out again, with this 6th release is chamber music with some Balkan-folk and Klezmer-like influences, especially in use of clarinet. At the same time we also notice considerable minimalist-and tango-like arrangements, at an early stage it is almost psychedelic, or with ethno-folk-like repetitious layers and patterns in waves of increasing energy. Here this is embedded in, and has perhaps even matured and has adapted more details with the musical evolutions. It is especially the Cello, violin and accordion which are building this aspect of energy up. Melodically there are many moments of classical and contemporary classical music style composition. Mostly, this release holds the middle between all those styles. It is arranged nicely, and in an intelligent way, perhaps slightly improvised. Strange to have a reggae-like track in between the other compositions too, called “A little Funny Feeling”,  with vocals by Angélique Wilkie, with simple but perfectly fitting arrangements, including some dub percussion !? But hearing a clarinet with such styled music still is at least unusual. There’s also another song near the end with the same singer, entitled “In My Midnight skies”, also with percussion by Roel Poriau. This one is arranged with a bit lmore complexity. All compositions are by DAAU, except one very good Radiohead interpretation, “2+2=5”. The album sounds really fine.

A shame I lost sight of this group for a while , since they at first seemed to me to moving away in different directions. But this release still proves the original aspects recognised in the first release still are there. The new elements in the instrumental compositions, have made the sound I think more mature, complex and interesting, and even more worthy of repeated listens.

PS. The name of the band refers to a quote from Herman Hesses’ book “Steppenwolf” saying “Anarchistic evening entertainment! Magical theatre. Entrance not for everybody. Only for the insane. Entrance costs sanity.”

The debut “Drieslagstelsels" is a very improvised kind of contemporary classical music with a fire of psychedelica or a certain rock drive. Last track was folk inspired. That album was first privately released (the first print of the cover was different as the final result), and re-released by Sony.
The second album went into more mainstream territory, featuring An Pierlé (piano/vocals) and electronics, shortening their name into DAAU. With this album I lost track for a while, but afterwards I read that since the third album they went back to the old sound. I checked out the 2006 album. See review below.

Info : www.daau.com (click "eintritt") & http://users.compaqnet.be/antwerpmusic/daau/home.htm
& http://users.skynet.be/vanimpe/muziekmakery/daau.html
& http://www.frankduchene.com/DAAU.htm
& http://www.donkeydiesel.be/bio_guests_daau_story.htm
Bio (English) : http://users.compaqnet.be/antwerpmusic/daau/bioeng.htm
Dutch info : http://www.paleisrevolutie.nl/content/band_daau.htm
Interview & info in Russian : http://www.soup.aha.ru/bands/daau/daau.htm
Dutch review : http://www.goddeau.com/content/view/517
Other reviews : http://houbi.com/belpop/albums/daau.htm
http://musiclover.blogsome.com/2005/04/01/daau-tub-gurnard-goodness/
Soundfiles : http://www.yurk.net/daau/Media.html
First album review : http://www.dma.be/p/ultra/ultra1.1/anarch.htm
Dutch reviews of older album : http://www.dma.be/p/ultra/1996/cluste10.htm


Radical Duke Ent.DAAU : Domestic Wildlife (B,2006)***°

This new album sounds a compromise between a mostly calm (rock) improvisation, with jazz touches (especially bass player shows some jazz references just now and then) and ‘classical composition’. While especially lower notes of strings (most often cello) seem to lead more often, this is done in combination with the accordeon, which gives a Piazolla chamber orchestra tango effect here and there. Different from the previously mentioned albums, there is also some drumming, which is kept often rather modest or simple, in a rock way, but it is able to give extra drive touches as well (in combination with bass). Just here and there a few electronic touches are added in the effects, or as incoming loops, showing the free anarchic position of the group. Last few tracks confirm also their ability to express in a more free (jazz) way. Violin and clarinet follow most often the composed core, always with a classical hint. For this album, the quartet had evolved to a sextet, but  bass player Fré Madou, bass, left the band shortly after the recording.

Line-up is Buni Lenski : violin ; Simon Lenski : cello, electronica ; Han Stubbe : clarinet ; Roel Van Camp : accordion ; Geert “Boots” Budts : drums, electronica ; Fré Madou : upright bass.

Audio : http://www.playloudershop.com/release/~domestic-wildlife-file-0/
& http://www.myspace.com/daaudieanarchistischeabendunterhaltung
& on http://www.radio1.be/... & on http://www.amazon.fr/...
Info on group : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DAAU
Other press intro : http://users.skynet.be/madinbelgium/daau/index.htm
Dutch introduction from around this album: http://www.culturanova.nl/voorstellingen/daau.aspx
Homepage (with audio) : http://daau.be/
Fan website : http://www.yurk.net/daau/news.htm
Other decsriptions & reviews on http://www.waysidemusic.com/...
Dutch description : http://www.folkroddels.be/artikels/29288.html
and reviews : http://www.humo.be/cps/rde/xchg/humo/hs.xsl/Muziek_CDs.html?review_id=2955
& http://www.kindamuzik.net/recensie/daau/domestic-wildlife
& http://www.goddeau.com/content/view/2488
French reviews : http://www.popnews.com/popnews/daau/
& http://www.krinein.com/musique/DAAU-Domestic-Wildlife-5341.html
& http://90plan.ovh.net/~lamagicb/Chroniques.php3#2718
& http://www.musiqualite.net/...
& on http://www.presto.presse.fr/chroniques.d.html
click to see group picture
DemoAranis : Pantra-Jona EP (B,2005)****

This two-track demo of this new young Antwerp group Aranis shows for me a very promising group with a distinctive sound, thanks to a very good driven combination of classical composition with great thematical variety, coloured like a minimal music ensemble and with a Rock In Opposition ability, with touches of ideas derived from folk, classical music, but going beyond all this.
Full release is expected the second half of this year.

Audio : "Pantra", "Jona", "Indrigo"
Dutch article : http://www.folkroddels.be/artikels/8659.html
Webpage : http://www.aranis.be/
Live pictures : http://www.folkroddels.be/artikels/6391.htmlthe full release->


NEXT REVIEW PAGE OF BELGIAN MUSIC 3 ->

Other chamber music rock pages :
see Fleshquartet at the Swedish reviews page
and Chamber Music related inspirations page 1, page 2, page 3
and at the RIO pages (not updated yet)

back to Belgian reviews page 1
back to progressive music index
go back to general index



Cuneiform Rec. Present : A great Inhumane adventure (B,2005)**°

Present was founded by Roger Trigaux of Univers Zero in 1979 adding more hard edged rock to the semi-classical compositions. Like Univers Zero they never succeeded in getting public recognition in Belgium, not even now, but in the US and Japan both bands are recognised as important, also in terms of a musical historical perspective. For me, "n°6" from 1999, still is my favourite recording by them (graded at that time as ****° or *****).  A bit before this, after Present's fifth album "Certitudes", the band was invited into the USA for a huge, full booked US tour with 5 weeks of concerts. On the final date of the tour the band was invited to a studio to record another performance. It was with Roger & Reginald Trigaux on guitars and vocals, Pierre Chevalier on piano, Jean-Pierre Mendez on bass and Dave Kerman on drums, with Keith Macksoud as guest bassist on the last track.

I had to play the recording a few times on a few different occasions because of the density of the music and the somewhat loaded sound and compositions and the almost overloading bass on my equipment when listening with normal sequenced settings, before being able to listen with complete attention to the release for review purposes. Also I had to get used at first hearing to the occasional more “normal” coloured voice on the first tracks against the more intense band performance. With all sequences set perfect and listening under best circumstances, I had a more prepared experience.

The recording is a live recording of a well rehearsed band. A certain loaded darkness in the composition and performance remains present. The compositions on its own sound like classical music into rock. Although played just perfect the band seems often to be a bit slightly "tired" in sound too ; perhaps there's much more bass than high notes which might cause this slightly exhausting effect. "Le Poison Qui Rend Fou", "Laundrey Blues" and the closer "Promenade au Fond d'un Canal" (with more piano) are the more outstanding tracks of an overall good album.

Audio : "Delusions".
Homepage (with audio of earlier albums) : http://www.totalzoo.com/present/html/home.htm
Info : http://cuneiformrecords.com/bandshtml/present.html
Other reviews : http://www.progreviews.com/reviews/display.php?rev=pre-agia
& http://www.jazzreview.com/cd/review-16853.html
& http://www.squidco.com/miva/merchant.mvc?...
Dutch review : http://www.subjectivisten.org/caleidoscoop/archief/001752.php
German review : http://www.schallplattenmann.de/artikel.html?topic=113469