Whisky weekend donning New Weirdo French

[Scrotum Scissor]

well done, so packed and impossibly intricate with ideas and whimps

That's supposed to come out as "whims", but whimps are obviously just as stupendous.

[Zeuhlmate]

Zoikhem ‎– Vox Clamantis In Deserto (1997)

https://soundcloud.com/rafael-kozub/...clamantis-in-1

https://centraldoprog.blogspot.com/2...erto-1997.html

[Scrotum Scissor]

This is just so great:

[Steve F.]

Sebkha-Chott's Nagah Mahdi from 2006.

This is an insane recording

Dealing with them / discussing doing a release with them wasn't any saner...

[Scrotum Scissor]

^ I can only believe, Steve.

[Steve F.]

^ ^ ^

Finally! Someone who understands!!

[Zappathustra]

Sebkha-Chott's Nagah Mahdi from 2006.

This is an insane recording; SO consistently well done, so packed and impossibly intricate with ideas and whimps that turn out to be integral juxtapositions to amazingly detailed level - like Lumpy Gravy merged with Disco Volante by Mr. Bungle. Production values are excellent as well. From what I understand, a couple of these folks (from a dozen-or-so members) are involved in prominent French hip-hop acts, and it shows/plays.

But in a sense, they were an omen; if music as astonishingly accomplished as this can conjure up as limited a following as evidently documented, then what the hell is there to expect from an upcoming?

this is very good, although a bit too much for my taste.

Anyway, great thread that will cost me a couple of months from my life (I already started checking out all the unknown music to me - which is a lot).

[Nashorn]

Sebkha-Chott's Nagah Mahdi from 2006.

This is an insane recording; SO consistently well done, so packed and impossibly intricate with ideas and whimps that turn out to be integral juxtapositions to amazingly detailed level - like Lumpy Gravy merged with Disco Volante by Mr. Bungle.

That description is spot on. I'm currently listening, it's available on Bandcamp: Nagah Mahdi - Opuscrits en 48 rouleaux
Wow, I like it!

[Trane]

Scrot,

ya forgot these guys

[Scrotum Scissor]

^ Funny you should mention that, as I just got it on vinyl (reprint) a few months back. I previously had a lousy CD-R rendition of -parts- of it, but this new one sounds way better.

Is it a "lost classic" on par with Artcane or Mosaïc or Exitae or Vortex? I'm not entirely sure, but there are bits and pieces on this thing that certainly deliver all the goods. It deserves to be heard by more folks.

[Trane]

Is it a "lost classic" on par with Artcane or Mosaïc or Exitae or Vortex?
It deserves to be heard by more folks.

Better than all of those, IMHO - though I've never heard of Exitae (can't find it on RYM either)

[TheH]

Better than all of those, IMHO - though I've never heard of Exitae (can't find it on RYM either)

Band is spelled Ex Vitae, rather rare stuff rereleased by Musea recently.

[Trane]

Band is spelled Ex Vitae, rather rare stuff rereleased by Musea recently.

That makes more sense now

[Zappathustra]

Is it a "lost classic" on par with Artcane or Mosaïc or Exitae or Vortex?

Yes, in my opinion it is. I love it

[Scrotum Scissor]

But now we're getting seriously off track here, as Plat Du Jour et al. are OLD Weirdo French.

Constitution-day here in Norse this upcoming Friday, so I guess there'll be Crémant- or Cognac-weekend donning Old Weirdo French then. I'll might even spin that Camizole CD from Spalax. Such a great treat for rejoycing of the 'hood.

[Zappathustra]

Why hasn't Chromb! been mentioned? They're new. They're weird. They're French. They're a great band.

[Mascodagama]

Why hasn't Chromb! been mentioned? They're new. They're weird. They're French. They're a great band.

Because this world is an evil place.

While we're on Dur et Doux bands, Ultra Zook deserve our attention. They are fantastic fun.

[Mascodagama]

^ Funny you should mention that, as I just got it on vinyl (reprint) a few months back. I previously had a lousy CD-R rendition of -parts- of it, but this new one sounds way better.

Is it a "lost classic" on par with Artcane or Mosaïc or Exitae or Vortex? I'm not entirely sure, but there are bits and pieces on this thing that certainly deliver all the goods. It deserves to be heard by more folks.

I have the Paisley Press bootleg CD (a needle drop, natch) which as far as I can tell is the complete album. Sounds decent enough for what it is. Highly rate the album. I like it better than Artcane or Mosaic, though nowhere near as much as Vortex (who are a big deal in my personal pantheon). Ex Vitae I don't think I have ever heard, will have to check it out.

[Scrotum Scissor]

^ You're absolutely correct about the Vortex (second album, I reckon); truly one of the magnificent achievements of this late-70s "other" progressive scene in France, and one which went a long way in redefining the possibilities of "academic" approaches to jazz/rock/contemporary sensibilities. This, to me, is the work which McLaughlin didn't succeed with on making Apocalypse under the Mahavishnu moniker.

[Scrotum Scissor]

Why hasn't Chromb! been mentioned? They're new. They're weird. They're French. They're a great band.

And they certainly apply. I only discovered them two years back after uncle Feigenbaum's toting. He always does that; kinda FORCES you to uncover stuff that you simply just HAVE to buy from him.

[Zappathustra]

I...though nowhere near as much as Vortex (who are a big deal in my personal pantheon).

I agree, this is on a class of its own.

[Zappathustra]

Fuck, Jack Dupon rules. You know you're listening to something really good when you don't know how to describe it to an outsider.

[Trane]

I have the Paisley Press bootleg CD (a needle drop, natch) which as far as I can tell is the complete album. Sounds decent enough for what it is. Highly rate the album. I like it better than Artcane or Mosaic, though nowhere near as much as Vortex (who are a big deal in my personal pantheon). Ex Vitae I don't think I have ever heard, will have to check it out.

Ex Vitae was no big deal for me (actually fairly conventional & boring).
But yeah, Vortex is an absolute must for me, though my preference clearly goes to their first (s/t) all-too-short (IMHO) album, though the two excellent bonus tracks on the CD 1 on the 2on2 Triton release are solving that problem.

I put the enhanced Vortex debut on the same platter as Plat Du Jour, AFAIAC.

[Scrotum Scissor]

^ That first Vortex is interesting enough, if a tad too overtly 'Softsy' to my ears. The second one amazes on the strength of both the material itself and the large scope of professional orchestration, arrangement and production. Somehow I wouldn't have expected this kind of music from anywhere else but France in the late 70s, although vaguely similar concepts were to some extent attempted by the likes of Pohjola and Gustavsson in Finland.

[Trane]

^ That first Vortex is interesting enough, if a tad too overtly 'Softsy' to my ears. The second one amazes on the strength of both the material itself and the large scope of professional orchestration, arrangement and production. Somehow I wouldn't have expected this kind of music from anywhere else but France in the late 70s, although vaguely similar concepts were to some extent attempted by the likes of Pohjola and Gustavsson in Finland.

TBH, if I must think of another group for that Vortex debut album, I'll think of Munich's Out Of Focus (especially on side A), though indeed the Softs & Nucleus come in stronger on the flipside.