Sporadic sonic exchanges exploring guidelines, graphic scores, or completely improvised with an expansive instrumentation, La Règle was recorded between two residential basements on Berri Street, and live on a campus community radio station from 2011 to 2014 in various formations. None of the pieces feature all six members of Fünf simultaneously. What’s interesting about this Quebecois sextet is that they are all women and the liner notes doesn’t quite list their instrumentation other than amps, objects, homemade synths and oscillators, all DIY analog stuff. The sounds are carefully created, tapping on mics, humming, soft drones, static, German spoken word samples, test patterns, a busy signal, sniffles, quiet feedback, etc. The music unfolds organically and has a John Cage like vibe. The sounds do a good job of evoking a mood, like slowly changing scenery in a European art house film.

This trio has been together for twenty years and this is their sixth disc. Although each member has come from much different backgrounds, (Côté from Bruire with 2 dozen discs/projects, Falaise from Miriodor/2 dozen other discs & St-Onge from assorted Québécois units & a solo effort), they definitely have a group sound. Without knowing the instrumentation in advance, it would be difficult to tell who is playing what on this fine disc. There are several layers of odd metallic, electronic, mysterious, spinning lines going on at the same time. This music has a somewhat disorienting yet magical quality which creates series of mind-altering moodscapes. Quietly fascinating.