Canadian artist and composer Joane Hetu is out with the album Elle a son mot à dire, and this is a creation that resides smack right in the middle of the experimental and avantgarde universe as far as style and orientation is concerned. In many ways these are compositions that defies genre classification as such, where the approach, orientation and execution is rather more defining than the music itself. Expressive use of vocals is the most defining aspect throughout, from spoken worlds and ethereal floating vocals textures to several variations on more regular singing and on towards more expressive use of the voice for song as well as other vocal displays. With singular as well as plural use of voices and vocals. The music elements tend to be of a minimalist nature, referencing folk music, jazz and classical music to some degree or other. We do get some compositions where the role of the instruments are given more space and room though, with one display of what I’d describe as a more free form variety of jazz and the other, at the very end of the album, which to my mind feature a little bit of a French chanson feel combined with a more relaxed and romantic jazz expression. A production to seek out by those who are fond of music explored as a higher form of art, and then in particular when revolving around expressive minimalism and a more purebred avantgarde expression.
