Qu’ouïs-je? sees Lussier and Tétreault ditching the guitars and turntables of their previous releases and turning instead to daxophone (Lussier) and synthesizer, pick-up and drum machine (Tétreault). Tétreault’s preoccupation with the raw scratching of the cartridge thus gets free rein, unhindered by the exigency of having to actually play records, and Lussier adds screeching bowed textures and bass drones. As you can guess, this isn’t a CD to have playing in the background of your next dinner party, but it is remarkably compelling: the sounds may be unforgivingly harsh, but they’re assembled with an ear for space and dynamics, and the improvisatory wit and concision of the duo’s previous release (Dur noyau dur, on the same label) isn’t lacking here.

The duo with Martin Tétreault is, unsurprisingly, a whole other saucepan of reptiles, and follows their widely acclaimed duo Dur noyau dur (1998). The latter consisted of turntable and guitar improvisations, whereas Qu’ouis-je? is a studio constructed piece of musique concrete informed by Surrealism, Dada and art brut. Here Tétreault exchanges turntables for “synthétiseur, pick-up et boite 3 rhythme” and Lussier trades in his electric guitar for a daxophone — the bowed wooden instrument invented by German guitarist Hans Reichel (Lussier played in Reichel’s dexophone quartet).

The uncanny ability of the daxophone to produce voice-like timbres and intonations is used here to create fantastical landscapes populated by strange, exotic creatures whose wild screechings, calls, conversations, arguments and acts of aggression happen in a rather bleak landscape somewhere in deep space (or is it just post-industrial Earth?). Tétreault creates the crackling, distorted ambiences around the action in a compelling and accomplished work that has been executed with a serious sense of humour.

Qu’ouis je?

Des affrontements, des attouchements, des barrissements, des bourdonnements, des bruissements, des chuchotements, des couinements, des craquements, des dégorgements, des frémissements, des froissements, des frottements, des gargouillements, des gémissements, des glapissements, des gloussements, des grincements, des hennissements, des jappements, des mugissements, des pétillements, des piaulements, des pincements, des raclements, des rugissements, des sifflements, des tressaillements, des vagissements, des vrombissements… Comment cela?

Avec apaisement, acharnement, affolement, agrément, bouleversement, compliment, dépouillement, dérangement, détournement, ébahissement, emballement, embrasement, envoûtement, frissonnement, raffinement, rayonnement, rebondissement…

Sans agacement, bâillement, désenchantement, écœurement, gonflement, harcèlement, hébétement, larmoiement, manquement, ménagement, raidissement, refoulement, remaniement, renoncement, ncanement, surencherissement, travestissement…

Mais encore?

Un daxophone, un pick-up, un synthetiseur et une boite à rythmes.