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.