RG

Aural remnants from France’s underground electro-improvised sector, this is the first report from meetings with saxophonist Quentin Rollet and synthesizer player François Galland. Rollet whose background includes work with acoustic musicians like Akosh S and David Gribbs also has a history alongside plugged in partners including Jean-Marc Foussat and Jérôme Lorichon. In contrast Galland is more likely to be found as part of rock or punk bands or even playing in the circus.

Premier rapport’s two extended live and three shorter studio tracks are dominated by electronic textural crushes since Rollet adds Korg Monotron Delay to alto and sopranino saxophone timbres, while Galland manipulates the modular synthesizer. Still there’s enough contrast among the dial-twisting wiggles, suckles and hisses from multiple sources that  ample space for unsegmented or discordant reed trills, flutters and flatulence exists. Nonetheless some of the echoing hisses and vibrating reflux come from the saxophonist’s dynamic pitch control and shading.

At points the points of congruence are thin enough so that isolating contrapuntal parts isn’t difficult. That means bongo-like pops and Jew’s harp-like twangs are likely from the machines while toots and puff suggest reed work. Strangely enough timbral identification is more difficult with “Commune mesure” and “Lune de Septembre”, the two live tracks. Each begins with overriding rumbles that could be sourced from a racing car. However in both cases prevailing signal processed squeaks and buzzes soon intersect with acoustic styled reed grooves which in the case of “Commune mesure” include elevated chirrups and note-bending vibration that touch on circular breathing and on the other track emphasize intense saxophone hocketing, wide overblowing and eviscerated split tones.

Among the watery whooshes and percussion thumps however something of a horizontal line is maintained. The result is that seemingly unbroken voltage frequencies are prevented from overriding acoustic interjections and in both cases judder into more moderated textures climaxing with quitter scoops and trills which reference contributions from both sides.

Galland and Rollet demonstrate one method of electro-acoustic equilibrium here resulting in rewarding creative music. Judging from their backgrounds there will likely be many more.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Bisou électronique 2. Commune mesure 3. Lune de Septembre 4. Simples amis 5. Contrevent

Personnel: Quentin Rollet (alto and sopranino saxophones, Korg Monotron Delay) and François Galland (modular synthesizer)