[12rec.042] Bernier & Trottier - Objet abandonne en Mer

I got in contact with Canadian Nicolas Bernier when I wrote a review for his recent solo-release “Ailet l’eau faille by” at No Type-Netlabel. He ordered a bunch of CDrs and after some email chatting he told me about a special project he’s been working on. Nicolas teamed up with Folk- and improvisational guitarist Simon Trottier for some kind of a concept EP dealing about a stranded objet abandonne. They jammed with acoustic and electric guitar, laptop and toy piano, diverse stringed instruments, percussion and microphones. Being quite familiar with Nicolas’ work under his own name and as part of the “Milliseconde Topographie” -series, I was very curious what this duo would sound like. After weeks of careful yet extensive post-production, the outcome blow both our minds.

The “Objet abandonne en Mer” -EP consists of four tracks with the title track being sub-divided in parts one to three. Opener “Harmattan” starts with a loop of rhythmically ordered glitches. Two entangled layers of acoustic guitar burst in, the smooth bass-guitar in the back anticipates the main harmonic motive of the album in a whole. The slide-guitar comes in and invokes an intense feeling of being lost while the glitches keep stumbling forward. Bow and synthesizer replace the slide until an acoustic guitar introduces a simple Folk-melody. Glockenspiel and bow join the fun and take the song to a beautiful ending.
“Objet abandonne en Mer” is dominated by diverse field-recordings and crackling glitches. The first part introduces processed strings, a bunch of guitar-loops and soothing synthesizers. The feeling of being lost created in the first song is altered to a vague idea of rolling with the waves. You can hear the planks creak. At the beginning of part two, the electro-acoustic cacophony of the introduction gives rise to a calm guitar melody, which sounds a bit like after the storm. For the end, a thousand small Herzog-style guitars arise and consume the spectrum ‘till single tones and chords begin to establish on top. The songs fades with field-recordings.

The third track opens with a nice Blues-motive on electric guitar and Nicolas’ trademark noises. The initial melody disappears in reverb and processed field-recordings while a diffuse second layer gains contour beneath the surface, modulating constantly. Just before the 1.000 Hours of Staring-similarity become too evident, a firm and catchy guitar emerges to make you hum along. Something like the album’s dramaturgic peak. “Bourrasque” afterwards is the final tune. Mainly made of Simon’s wonderful guitars, the songs starts with a lot of them piled up efficiently. Nicolas sends them through his computer’s filter-section and adds field-recordings and glitch. After all, one singular Folk-melody survives, just to drown in the sound of seagulls, oceanic hissing, noise and the distance echo of Nicolas’ and Simon’s voices. More than just intriguing.

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Objet abandonne en Mer @ 12rec.net (hit this link for direct download)

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