review: Logosamphia - Les Sonates Du Neopolka

You might know Logosamphia from the Enfant Terrible releases 'Kamp Holland' and 'Passage Omni'. On the 'Kamp Holland' compilation there is a weird and twisted electronic track... a bit like Kania Tieffer playing some circus tune... 'Passage Omni' on the other hand is an ambient release done with the Omnichord. The cd 'Les Sonates Du Neopolka' is something different again... but it is also very much Logosamphia...

The title already suggests we are dealing here with Neo Polka music... this is in your face wild party music with elements of Balkan folk... and even though it could compete with the more trendy stuff around in this style Logosamphia gives it his own twist with the wild, crazy and weird touches all over... but without killing the dancefloor potential of most of the tracks...

Next to the simple fact this is great dance music it is also folk music done in a contemporary way. You feel and hear traditional elements but they are served in different ways... sometimes sample based, sometimes done with electronic means (electronic melodies and rhythms) and sometimes it is just there in the mood and feel of the music... funny considering the musician himself is from Iran not from Bulgaria, Yugoslavia or any other country in the Balkan region...

Self released by Logosamphia in a limited numbered edition of 70 copies it is a true collector piece... nice of course, but maybe also a bit of a shame as the music is true party music which could entertain quite some more people I think... or at least it should!

I have some copies in the Enfant Terrible webshop here...

Here is a full track... enjoy!

Zusammen Records, Totsoluna Disc, Religion Nouvelle

When Musamore Editions appeared it was first sort of a secret it was the return of A// from Le Syndicat Electronique (LSE) / Invasion Planete Recordings (IP). For the people who know his work and the way he presents his work it never was a secret. Still it was a surprise that this return took place after the way IP came to an end.

After a series of eight cd's on Musamore (see here...) came the return to vinyl with Zusammen Records. First with five 10" records with in a way the well known elektro / electronic sound. Some of these records include small masterpieces... some others are maybe only interesting to the collectors and followers of IP and related stuff.

Recently three 10" record appeared under the alias of Précurseur Grand Bois. These three releases are simply outstanding... both in the repertoire of A// as in the music world in general. The music is a mix of electronics and acoustic instruments... tunes going from minimal repetitive chants to music fitting some old freak show. Some pieces would have been perfect as soundtrack to the Carnivale tv series.

What you hear is original and unique... but I cannot escape the feeling that I am listening to later day LSE jamming around with Novy Svet. Maybe A// did listen to Novy Svet and came up with this stuff... maybe...

Everything around Précurseur Grand Bois must also been seen in relation to the two cd's on Totsoluna Disc and the two tapes recently released on Religion Nouvelle... yet another two (sub)labels run by A//. All four of these releases move away from the electronic music field into the realm of ritual, occult, folklore and traditional music. While both the first cd and the first tape are more ritualistic and occult in feeling the second cd and second tape move more and more into the traditional music and folkloristic world.

Together with this new music he is doing A// also developed a new world of images around him and a new image for himself. Do not get me wrong... throughout the year excellent music has been transmitted into the world by him but this shape shifting thing so to speak is something I do not want to follow. To me when looking back it is like he is in a way the Madonna of the underground. Changing sound and image from time to time in a radical way... maybe too radical. This could have been done in another way... less theatrical...



We have seen the activist (elektro / IP period), the extremist (later day elekto / later day IP period), the prophet (end of LSE / La Seduction Des Innocents period), the hermit (Musamore) and now recently the folkflorist/occultist/freak show character (Totsoluna / Religion Nouvelle / Précurseur Grand Bois)... and coming soon is the first record under the alias of /I\... which sounds and looks like a sort of return the activist and extremist period in sound and image... as it sounds like old school elektro and the cover shows A// (?) in an army jacket and army trousers...

Maybe I should just ignore all this play and shape shifting... as in general the music is good... very good even... and from time to time it is truly brilliant what you get served...