cdr #5 (2010)("new peeks through old holes")
1 track, 24 minutes
released july 2010
excerpts
reviews
Now, with the release of the fifth Chemins CDR, a little more is revealed: 'this is the fifth and final installment in the CDR series; like the four previous one, it is a montage of materials recorded between 2003-2009. The group will now start work on a full length CD of entirely new material to be released in 2011'. Ah. That explains a few things, one of which is the fact that all releases may have had one track, but clearly a montage of various tracks. Like I wrote before, the euphoria of the initial release is gone, but they maintain a high quality in producing music on the fringes of microsound, post rock, improvisation, drones and field recordings - I was thinking a less hectic, drumless Brise Glace here. This fifth installment sees them returning pieces flowing into eachother, and not like a cut-up as on the fourth one. Probably five bits here, with the final ending being their loudest manifestation so far. Another absolutely fine addition. Now someone should make a best of five release, as a long player. Can't wait hear to hear from them again in 2011. Hopefully sooner. (Frans de Waard, Vital Weekly 742)
Apparently this is the last we'll see of Chemins for a little while which is a damn shame. Their five little cdr releases have been one of the absolute highlights of the last year. The good news is thought that they're going away to concentrate on writing a full length album for release next year sometime.
CDR #5 continues where the 4 previous left off with Chemins luxurious soundworld of slow drones and introspective guitar interspersed with flickering electronic and rolling builds all present and accounted for. This time out though the lovely wee fellas have added a host of other interesting twits and textures to the mix. There's a vaguely lounge jazz air to one part and a distinctly middle eastern flavour to another before the whole thing rises for a euphoric conclusion.
It all adds up to yet another really rather wonderful 20 minutes spent in very good company indeed. I cannot wait for the album. (Ian Holloway, Wonderful Wooden Reasons 10/2010)The latest elusive missive from Chemins is one track; ‘New Peaks through Old Holes’. Unlike the predecessors it is very quiet and minimal. Guitar and resonant effects, slight sounds in the background, definitely a headphone piece. In their aim towards enigmatic status they take the minimal to a sense of farce, beyond the sense of any particular aim or goal. Perhaps it is just discrete sounds in space and a few soundboard tunings or effects that amuse the arts school student. Definitely no filling stadiums with this sound, perhaps an art gallery would lap them up with a bit of white on white geometric play signifying …..
About 15 minutes into the 23.46 minute track they start getting serious, or at least creating a semblance of activity, the profusion of static effect, synth manipulation at low level hum, cut in by guitar and either a manipulated sample of a clarinet or a modified electronic trope. Then patter oscillation, for quite some time, recurrence of some previous themes and a build on the overall sound depth and texture.
Generally this anonymous Helsinki group give my brain a more through workout, pushing the senses to a state of arousal and the mind to the end of its tether trying to grasp some form of the notation or language on display. Then 3 minutes to the end, they blast you with a frenetic guitar and static attack, definitely some satiated pleasure, if music is reduced to stimulation of the nervous system. Overall it was a quiet and disjointed end to the CDR series which has been highly disturbing, by which I mean generally difficult challenging sound. (Innerversitysound / Cyclic Defrost, 27.11.2010)
Cela fait 7 mois maintenant que l’on parle de Chemins, projet finlandais dont nous ne savons toujours pas grand chose. En 7 mois le groupe aura sorti 5 CD-R, tous construits selon le même principe, avec à chaque fois une piste unique de 20-25mn. cdr #5 est annoncé que le dernier de la série, et il est lui aussi le fruit d’un collage de sons enregistrés entre 2003 et 2009.
Au fil des près de 24mn que dure New Peeks Through Old Holes, l’auditeur passe d’une ambiance à l’autre mais aussi d’une technique à l’autre, donnant parfois l’impression qu’il s’agit en fait de plusieurs pistes de 4-5mn qui ont été assemblées en une longue plage. À la manière des dernières productions de Chemins, on note ici une nette dominante ambient. Acoustique dans un premier temps avec de lentes et éparses notes de guitare, quelques glitchs, sifflement, nappe lointaine en guise d’habillage, de relief. Longue accalmie ensuite, ambiance nocturne au sons frétillants d’insectes, puis on retrouve quelques percussions improvisées, des éléments qui sont plus rares mais que l’on retrouve assez régulièrement dans les travaux de ces finlandais.
On est ensuite immergé dans un drone doux qui nous mène vers des souffles, chuintements, crissements, un fourmillement de bruitages, plein de vie et de tension d’où finit par s’extraire une aussi douce qu’inattendue mélodie de clarinette... Alternant les hauts et les bas, le calme (qu’il soit doux, expérimental, minimaliste) et le bruyant (qu’il soit rock, improvisé, bruitiste) Chemins dessine des fossés, des arbres, des herbes folles, des congères, autant d’éléments qui bordent la route que suit l’auditeur. On avance les yeux bandés, allant de surprises en surprises, toutes plus belles les unes que les autres, jusqu’à sentir monter un timide martèlement mélodique. Sans prévenir, tous les éléments semblent exploser d’un coup, dans un magma à la fois rythmique, mélodique et bruitiste, bref, frénétique, excitant, une conclusion en apothéose pour cette série de CD-R.
Comme on le mentionnait sur une précédente chronique, Chemins a annoncé travailler sur un album à paraître courant 2011. Pourtant le groupe semble s’être lancé en parallèle sur un autre projet puisque nous vous parlerons prochainement de ce qui semble être une nouvelle série intitulée Impasse... (Fabrice Allard, EtherREAL, 18.12.2010)
