Although the name of Pierre-Yves Martel and Philippe Lauzier are prominently featured on the cover, the band name is Sainct Laurens and Volume 2, so the album which was called Sainct Laurens (see Vital Weekly 715) must be volume one, I reckon’. On Volume 2 Lauzier plays bass clarinet, alto and soprano saxophone and Martel viola de gamba, objects and feedback. Perhaps this too is the result of various days/hours in the studio recording together — it doesn’t say it is, nor does it say it’s a live recording — but unlike the previous release this seems less noise based. Here the two operate on a much careful level, creating small sounds with big impact. It’s sustaining and it’s sine-wave like (thanks no doubt to the use of the feedback, saxophone and viola being scraped), but there is much control over the sound here, more so it seems than on their first release. Besides these lengthy scraping sounds, there is also lots and lots of small sounds, hectic playing on the viola, uneasy playing of the saxophones (no doubt sometimes two at a time). As a whole, I think Sainct Laurens progressed quite a bit. There is more variation here, more control also and more dynamics — a fine interaction between the louder and quieter bits and in these nine pieces it’s all on this display. It doesn’t make this much easier to access; perhaps it’s even more difficult even: it takes the listener on a great journey through highs and lows, wide spaces and closed off areas. This is one to be fully immersed by.

Fünf is a new voice. It is a collective of Magali Babin, Andrea-Jane Cornell, Martine H Crispo, Anne-Françoise Jacques, Émilie Mouchous and Erin Sexton. As an all female ensemble they fit however in a tradition with Wondeur Brass and Justine as earlier all-women line ups in the Ambiances Magnétiques circles. They use a wide range of electronics, synthesizers, microphones, field recordings, loops, amplified objects etc. Only accordion and voice as conventional instruments. They spread their ideas over 12 tracks varying in length between 0:39 and 8:53 minutes. It is radical noise improvisation what they practice, but not of a kind that attracts much attention. The music makes no immediate appeal on the listener, who by his turn has really to concentrate. Is this rewarding? I think so. They don’t choose for an overkill of noise, but for very stripped down sound improvisations. And there surely is some poetry in their sonic excursions.

Klaxon Gueule is around already for some 20 years now. It is the most long lasting combo initiated by Côté if I’m not mistaken. Besides Côté, Bernard Falaise and St-Onge are part of this trio. Falaise we recently met on the fantastic second album by another trio, called Subtle Lip Can. Likewise Klaxon Gueule write their music from a very own and distinct grammar. But how strange their language may be, they really express something relevant. They offer incredible, fascinating music. Complex, but not academic. Always with both feed in the mud. The music always moves strangely forward, but there is happening a lot in the meanwhile. Patterns change through uncommon cyclic procedures. Every little detail is functional and enjoyable.

Évidence present their third release of Monk interpretations. This group has a long history. Derome and Cartier played already Monk-compositions when they were operating as a duo in the 70s. For many years they played Monk for their own sake as a hobby. In 1993 they decided however to make a studio recording, Musique de Thelonious Monk. It was followed in 1999 by a live recording Live à la Casa. Now, some 14 years later they do another try. They choose 11 compositions, including Dreamland and Two Timer that are seldom performed. But also well-known pieces like Brilliant Corners. Their interpretations didn’t make me forget other interpretations, although they do it with joy and verve.

Fünf (cinq en allemand) est un collectif à douze mains féminines: Magali Babin, Andrea-Jane Cornell, Martine H Crispo, Anne-François Jacques, Émilie Mouchous et Erin Sexton. Elles œuvrent toutes à Montréal. Elles expérimentent toutes avec de l’électricité et des bidules faits main ou modifiés. Nous sommes dans le circuit-bending, dans la sculpture sonore miniature, dans l’automate, dans l’art de faire chanter les micros contacts.

Nous sommes aussi dans une forme d’improvisation microsonique où le silence a sa place, sans dire qu’il est roi. Les sons — grattements, frottements, chuintements, déplacements, parasites, larsens contrôlés, enregistrements de terrain, etc. — sont ténus, fragiles, mesurés. Ils racontent des histoires intrigantes, loufoques, touchantes parfois, jamais convenues.

La règle propose douze morceaux qui vont de quelques secondes à près de neuf minutes, enregistrés entre 2011 et 2014 dans diverses permutations, mais jamais en sextuor. Je connaissais déjà trois des musiciennes: Sexton, qui joue avec la lumière et les interférences; Babin, dont on se souviendra du Chemin de fer (No Type, 2002); et Jacques, la dame aux automates, que j’ai entendue pour la première fois sur un disque en duo avec Tim Olive. Malheureusement (et c’est mon seul bémol), rien sur la pochette n’indique qui joue quoi ou dans quoi, ce qui fait que je ne peux pas affirmer avoir fait connaissance (par l’oreille) avec les trois autres.

À bien y penser, ce n’est peut-être pas un malheur. En masquant ses parties, le collectif concentre notre attention sur le tout. Et ce tout présente une unité d’esprit qui m’a charmé dès la première écoute. À qui appartient telle ou telle trouvaille sonore? À Fünf, qui l’intègre aux autres trouvailles de Fünf. Le mixage joue avec une séparation stéréo très vaste et une grande précision dans le placement des sons, ce qui donne l’impression d’une minutieuse chorégraphie. L’écoute au casque est chaudement recommandée.

Moments forts? Retenue mystique, le plus long morceau du disque, parce que son titre décrit parfaitement ce qui s’y passe et qu’on s’y sent dans un “space opera”, en plein calme avant la tempête. Aimes-tu ma porte? aussi, à l’humour subtil mais tordu. Et Morceau de Fünf, où quand on réinvente presque le presque rien selon Luc Ferrari.

Although the text here in front of me says there are three new releases on Tour de Bras, a label from Quebec, there are in fact on two in the mailer, of which one will be handled by someone else sometime soon. The other one is a duo disc of Philippe Lauzier (bass clarinet, soprano saxophone) and Éric Normand (bass and ‘caisse claire’, of which I couldn’t find a proper translation). The three pieces here were recorded in concert in March 2014 and the label defines the music as ‘chamber noise’. Both of these players have a history in the world of improvised music, having played with Martin Tetreault and Jim Denley among others. The music here could be labeled as ‘heavy’; ‘heavy’ as in noise based. Lots of this revolves around the scraping of sounds, with some added reverb to make it all a bit heavier. It peeps and scratches, likes feedback; like fingers on a blackboard, like the very early Organum at times. Not something for the weak of hearth, but if you are accepting then an excellent sound world opens up. The sound of what seems a 1000 violins being scraped simultaneously, but this duo also knows how to pull back, slow down and space out, such as in the second part. Tour de Bras? Tour de force is more like it. Excellent stuff.