The
Temple Ouvert aux Pasoliniens Individualistes* (Topi) is a French association
regrouping admirers of all the music we love, starting with Coil, of course,
and their suckling brothers. In addition to a radio show they animate regularly,
they have just published a magazine revealingly titled Ostia, limited to
250 copies. And what would be a magazine without its accompanying compilation.
Although the review will be printed in the forthcoming coming days, we,
being the happy subscribers that we are, have already received the record.
This record should have been released in February 2000, but a few recurrent
technical problems increased the gestation period by eight months, which
explains why some titles are already known to us, this considerably attenuates
the surprise effect, if one already owns the albums in question, of course.
We rediscover with unfeigned delight Matt Howden’s graceful arpeggios,
with a god-blessed Lucullus, taken from Intimate & Obstinate.
Matt is also present with a splendid Sieben track, sung by Jane and Sally,
which proudly deserves its inclusion, presenting a title from their superb
album Sleepy Memory. Martyn Bates offers us one of his most beautiful
compositions, The Mountain Tomb, the last song of the album Imagination
Feels Like Poison. Mist will be the next album from Tor Lundvall,
bearing the ethereal whirls of 29, a magnificent aerial trek that
flirts with highest summits of the genre. Sol Invictus deliver us The
Widow, taken from L’Orchestre Noir, recorded live in Hollywood at the
beginning of this year. Two heroic tracks from Andrew King deserve close
attention, with an a cappella version of Henry My Son, taken from
British folklore, and an other traditional song, George Collins II,
marvellously accompanied by delicate drones and dark loops, assisted by
John Murphy on percussions. David Sanson, from That Summer, is also present,
distilling a melancholic and nostalgic new wave. It is also the return
of Lonsai Maikov, who gain in energy and rhythm, with the appearance of
an accordion, on a track divided in two parts, sung in English then in
French, dealing with the evolian theme of Lieder gegen die moderne Welt.
Their side project, Dissonant Elephant, turns out to be more melodic, but
still filled with a contagious sadness of a cold and immediate beauty.
The cheerful Gaë Bolg is also part of the festivities, reciting Latin
verses over an incantatory rhythm leading to the usual symphonic and martial
tunes of the minstrel of the church of Fand. As conclusion, Eigenwert,
a French formation that I had never heard of before, agreeably surprises,
with sampled speeches and ode to schizophrenia, set to a background of
neo-classic and ritual sound collages.
A
beautiful compilation well worth waiting for, even if, petty and whimsical
as we are, more unreleased titles would have lead the experience to ecstasy.
Excellent
from start to finish!!!!!
You can
still order the Ostia review and its compilation for the sum of 100FF at
the following address:
Topi
C/o
Olivier Gérard
10,
rue d Condé
69002
Lyon
France
e-mail: topi.ostia@libertysurf.fr
*:
Open Temple for Individualist Pasolinians Stéphane
Fivaz
November
2000
Translation
Ian C.
