|
|
"With "Watching Worlds Collide", with its jazz, soul, progressive and alternative rock ambiences, Esthesis asserts its personality and releases probably one of the best albums of this year."
|
5/5
|
|
|
|
In politics, promises are often only made to those who believe them. What about in music? When Aurélien Goude of Esthesis confided to us in his interview on the occasion of the release of "The Awakening" that the next album was going to be different, many wondered about the reality of such an announced choice. The first album was draped in a progressive ambient music that suits the conceptual work of the band, feeding on cinema and creating atmospheres. This aspect put forward ethereal moments with the use of long contemplative and introspective tracks, sometimes more nervous in order to arouse images and emotions. So will the release of "Watching Worlds Collide" confirm this commitment?
Esthesis, in the old way, knew how to keep the suspense almost until the release date of the album by revealing only one track, 'Place Your Bets'. This track partially lifted the veil on the styles that the band's leader had in mind for this follow-up. While keeping its base, without concession, to take the time to install atmospheres, Esthesis adds more contrasts by opening up to more developed horizons, by venturing into jazz and soul thanks to bass lines, guitar and drums that do not lack groove. The contribution of Arnaud, the new drummer, contributes greatly to this evolution.
The new album gains in intensity where the previous one could be considered as a totally assumed style exercise. By emancipating itself from its influences, which seem here less obvious or better digested according to the opinions, Esthesis refines its musical signature. If it does not move away completely from this ambient well present on '57th Street', kind of soundtrack of an old detective story, the addition in the whole of new sonorities such as the horns (present on five titles of the album of which the jazzy 'Amber'), the violin (on the touching ballad 'Skimming Stones'), the banjo ('Wandering Cloud'), the harmonica ('Through My Lens') and the piano confers it a warmer aspect.
Logical continuation of the previous album in this thematic research based on the quest for identity and the relationship to others, "Watching Worlds Collide" has the taste of a film noir soundtrack. It is a question of duality which translates musically the relations of forces, with this feeling to glimpse them under the prism of a female glance. The interventions of Mathilde Collet on vocals reinforce this impression ('Amber', 'Place Your Bets', 'Wandering Cloud' and '57th Street'). A very particular care brought to the arrangements accentuates the feeling of balance and underlines the monstrous work of the bass (the sublime instrumental 'Vertigo' which represents the 'The Dance Of Eternity' of Esthesis), as well as of the guitar with well felt soli ('Through My Lens'). In this respect, Aurélien is confident in his quality as a performer, the effects being less present on this new record, and distinguishes himself by modernizing his keyboards sounds.
By keeping his promises, Aurélien would make a bad politician but on the contrary an excellent composer and musician like the other members of the group. Let's avoid the pitfall of underlining the customary maturity of a second album: the project was already mature since its origin. Esthesis thus asserts its personality and especially its protean potential, while waiting for a third album which will be different once again. - Official website
|
|
|
|
|
TRACK LISTING:
01. Amber
02. Place Your Bets
03. Skimming Stones
04. Wandering Cloud
05. Vertigo
06. 57th Street
07. Through My Lens
LINEUP:
Arnaud Nicolau: Batterie
Aurélien Goude: Chant / Claviers
Baptiste Desmares: Guitares
Marc Anguill: Basse
Axel Foucan: Invité / Trombone
Maceo Le Fournis: Invité / Tenor Saxophone
Mathieu Vilbert: Invité / Violon
Mathilde Collet: Chant / Invité / Backing Vocals
Vincent Blanot: Invité / Banjo, Percussions
Yannis Beugré: Invité / Trompette
|
|
| |
|
(0) MIND(S) FROM OUR READERS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Top of the page
|
| |
|
|
(5) COMMENT(S)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
@mds49
D’accord avec ta remarque concernant Bowie, je me faisais également cette réflexion, les discographies des deux artistes ayant le point commun d’explorer énormément de styles radicalement différents (la différence étant que globalement Bowie a donné dans un format (entendez structures et durées des morceaux) plus standard, que ce soit dans la pop, le glam, la soul, le funk, et j’en passe, tandis que l’œuvre de Wilson est quand même très orientée prog). On pourrait effectivement voir en SW l’héritier moderne du Thin White Duke, de par leur éclectisme, leur refus d’être cantonné à un style propre et de stagner et leur innovation constante.
Concernant l’album d’Esthesis, je me dépêche de l’écouter !
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ma remarque portait sur la digestion des influences, et non sur les influences en elles-mêmes (tous les musiciens en ont forcément).
MW soutient les talents français toute l'année, il n'y a pas débat à ce sujet. Ce qui n'empêche pas que chaque chroniqueur ait son avis (et heureusement). La pensée unique serait la mort du site.
Quant aux influences jazz de Steven Wilson, réécoutez "Grace For Drowning".
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bien d'accord et c'est oublier aussi que Wilson lui même est très influencé par Bowie tant dans l'imagerie que la démarche eclectique là encore, Radiohead et Tears For Fears en dehors du domaine du rock progressif... les mêmes influences qui inspirent également Esthesis il me semble. Et Steven Wilson a été très comparé à Pink Floyd et Radiohead jusqu'à Lightbulb Sun... Soutenons nos talents français !
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Il est clair qu'Aurélien marche dans les pas de Steven Wilson,. Même démarche, même éclectisme tout en soulignant que musicalement, on commence à voir quelques différences (pas souvenir que Wilson soit allé jusqu'à présent du côté du jazz). Et alors ? Quand la musique est bonne ... Et on ne peut que souhaiter à Aurélien le même destin que SW non ?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Désolé Calgepo, mais pour une fois, je ne suis pas d'accord avec toi, notamment sur l'aspect "digestion des influences". Certes l'album est agréable, mais il est tellement influencé par Steven Wilson que ça en devient presque énervant. Le clip de 'Skimming Stones' en est la plus belle preuve.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Top of the page
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
READERS
4.8/5 (8 view(s))
|
STAFF:
4/5 (4 view(s))
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
IN RELATION WITH ESTHESIS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
OTHER REVIEWS
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
OTHER(S) REVIEWS ABOUT ESTHESIS
|
|