Various - Je Suis Un Etranger

  by John Clarkson

published: 18 / 5 / 2005

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Review

One of the common themes of the Ronda label in its past has been the ways in which we communicate with each other, and the ways in which, despite the internet, mobile phones and other developments in technology, we don't. The label's new sixteen track compilation, 'Je Suis Un Etranger', could be seen to be the natural conclusion of this. For it Luc and Nicolas Reverter, the busy Parisian brothers who run Ronda as well as fronting their own band Melmac and respective solo projects Lucky R and Anaconda, have linked together post rock and electronica acts from all over the world by inviting them to contribute a track each. Each act has been given the unusual assignment of creating a piece of music using samples in a language other than their own. Mils get the album off to a strong start with Polish number, 'Noika', which humorously combines what sounds like a 'Teach Yourself Polish' language cassette lesson with scratchy beats and some wonky, sparse piano. Do Shosha's contribution, Arabian track, 'Flying Carpet Arab Remix' is another surreally powerful piece, merging clip-clopping hip-hop rhythms with the cathartic, mantra-like wailing beloved of that region. Bleetch, who have been given the job of producing a track in Norwegian, on their song 'Teach Me How' evocatively conjure up images of glaciers and ice with shimmering, slowly surging synthesisers. Many of the other acts, however, sadly have less of a sense of imagination and place. Far too often, 'Je Suis Un Etranger', far from being a celebration or a critique or criticism of communication as intended, is reduced to little more than a monotonous and dull series of scrapes and bleeps, the only real variation between one track and the next seemingly being the fluctuating speeds at which the samples are played. The Reverter brothers have undoubtedly come up with an intriguing premise for 'Je Suis Un Etranger'. It is an album of some very fine moments, but one which is ruined by each subtle idea being matched by a weak or a lazy one. Often disappointing, and a plan which works better on paper than in practice, it is a decidely patchwork effort.

Track Listing:-

1 Mils- Nouka
2 dDamage- Verstehe Ich Nicht!
3 Transbeauce- Sven
4 Lucky.R- Fonte Nova
5 –Aka_Bondage + Aki Valo + Adoplh Oszo + Vladimir Dirkev + Milo Torre- Kivalo Dolgozo Vagyok (To Barnabas)
6 Sun Plexus + Loner- Grua Telefonoj Tre Derri
7 Silencio- Tumbleweed
8 Dscl- Mais Faites La Taire
9 Xerak- Arigato Tokyo Jogging
10 C.H.District- Speller
11 Depatie- Men Fall
12 Displacer- One More Tune
13 Do Shaska! avec Mr Marmela- Frying Carpet Arab Remix
14 Bleetch- Teach Me How
15 Seb.R- Neimateiv
16 Hypo & Musicometre- Een Brief Voor Kersmis