published: 17 /
7 /
2018
Label:
Crammed Discs
Format: CD
Eclectic and experimental live album from critically acclaimed Toulouse avant-garde outfit Aquaserge
Review
After releasing music on a plethora of other outlets, Benjamin Glibert (guitar and vocals), Julien Gasc (keyboards and vocals), Audrey Ginestet (bass and vocals), Manon Glibert (clarinets), and Julien Chamla (drums) who are collectively known as Aquaserge (a play on words meaning both ‘Aquatic Serge’ and ‘What Am I For’?) release ‘Deja-Vous?’ on Belgian label Crammed Discs. Aquaserge have an eclectic sound because of their influences which include Neu! and Faust, Anglo-Saxon pop, the Soft Machine and Frank Zappa to name but a few. Its musicians want to explore chanson française, psychedelia, progressive and noise rock, in turn pushing the boundaries of classic pop/rock formation (guitar, bass, keyboards, drums) just that little bit further with each offering.
The band started gigging in June 2008, notably as openers for Bertrand Burgalat and April March. Members of the band have also collaborated with Kawabata Makoto and Acid Mothers Temple, Kinski, Monade, Moodoïd, and played on stage with Laetitia Sadier, Stereolab, April March, Tahiti80, Tame Impala, Melody’s Echo Chamber, Damo Suzuki (Can), Dorian Pimpernel and Jef Barbara. They performed at the Klangbad Festival and have also appeared alongside the likes of Gong and Art Bears. Using snippets of media such as French film music, psych rock and free jazz they take on an even wilder dimension on stage, and they're viewed as one of today's most exciting live bands.
Aquaserge push the boundaries with ‘Deja-Vous?’, which is their third full-length outing. It follows in the wake of 2017's acclaimed ‘Laisse Ca Etre’, which is a slightly jazzier offering than 'Déjà-Vous?' and is a live album which was created from recordings made during several shows in 2016 and 2017. Of its eight tracks four are taken from ‘Laisse Ca Etre’, three from the band's previous releases and there is also a version of 'My Funny Valentine'. The opening ‘Virage Sud ‘plods along like a futuristic jungle track, while ‘Rendezvous’ and ‘Tout Mais’ are total jazz trip excursions. They lead on to the funkier, heavier sound of ‘Travelling’ (which reminded me of the theme tune to a 70’s blaxploitation film), which gives way later to the more sedate ‘Je Veins’.
An eclectic and experimental album!
Track Listing:-
1
Virage Sud
2
L'ire est au rendez-vous
3
My Funny Valentine
4
La ligue anti jazz-rock (intro)
5
C'est pas tout mais
6
Travelling
7
Tintin on est bien mon loulou (extrait)
8
Je viens
Band Links:-
https://en-gb.facebook.com/aquasergee/
http://www.aquaserge.com/web/index.php
Label Links:-
http://www.crammed.be/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Crammed
https://twitter.com/CrammedDiscs
https://www.youtube.com/user/CrammedDi
https://plus.google.com/+CrammedDiscs
https://crammed.greedbag.com/