Robert Normandeau - Clair De Terre mp3 album

One of the most prolific of modern-day Quebecois elctroacoustic explorers, Robert Normandeau is never scared of pushing through on new frontiers. Take this new CD, which presents three sizeable new works. Not at all in character with what is described on the cover, the opening Malina is mostly composed of digital flute-like sounds, and fragmentary percussives, all swathed with luscious rich digital chorus and reverb effects. It sounds like an otherworldly sci-fi calliope, and reminds me of Jacques Rémus' mechamusic creations, although those are made by very different means. More in character with the description Erinyes is definitely a work based around bizarre use of the voice, in which a computer is used to sample, chop-up and recycle vocal elements in dazzling cascades and arrays. Fascinating stuff, indeed. The second half is encompassed by the 13-part work Clair De Terre itself, in which Robert seems to attempt to make use of every elctroacoustic trick in the book, first with the condensed visionary (and musical) Ouverture, then more fragmentally with the next 12 sections. It's a bizarre guided tour through a world of sounds and music, often unlike anything I've heard from Robert, especially the bagpipes at the end!