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CD
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FFL 024CD
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Expanded reissue of the timeless 1979 French folk classic Maison Rose. Includes two unreleased tracks. An album such as this obviously owes a lot to the atmosphere in which it was recorded, which one can imagine was magical. It took place in Fromentel, Normandy, in a farm converted into a studio by the producer Jacques Denjean, known for his work with Dionne Warwick or Françoise Hardy as well as having been a member of the Double Six. It was also at Fromentel, that Denjean would record two fantastic albums with Albert Marcoeur. When Emmanuelle Parrenin followed in his footsteps a year later, she was in good company: the sound engineer at the studio was her partner and therefore uniquely capable of creating an adequate soundscape for her delicate universe. What is more, five years previously, Bruno Menny, the sound engineer partner, recorded his first and only album, but what an album: in electroacoustic terms we can hear things which make him appear as the spiritual son of his mentor Iannis Xenakis! What makes Maison Rose unique is exactly this fusion between the two conceptions of Emmanuelle Parrenin and Bruno Menny, creating a perfect marriage of tradition and experimentation. The tradition comes from the songs collected by Emmanuelle Parrenin in rural areas, in a similar vein to the work carried out by Alan Lomax and Shirley Collins. The experimentation is in the sound captured by Bruno Menny, who both arranged and recorded the album. This is not to forget those who came with their guitar (Denis Gasser), or their lyrics (no less a figure than Jean-Claude Vannier). On the one hand we have the humble and non-demonstrative singing, with melodies which is reminiscent of songs to calm a child's nightmares, and on the other hand a pronounced rhythmic intensity at certain points, such as on "Topaze" where the drums in particular evoke the motorik of krautrock legends Faust. A real haven of peace, Maison Rose is enchanting with its aura of mystery and spirituality, with soft, gentle songs which seem both ancestral and futurist. Originally published by Ballon Noir in 1977, this album follows on from other folk marvels such as Le Galant Noyé from the pre-Mélusine period. If you had to risk a few comparisons, you would mention: Vashti Bunyan, Linda Perhacs, Joanna Newsom, Collie Ryan, Shirley Collins. Licensed from Emmanuelle Parrenin.
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LP + 7"
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FFL 024X-LP
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LP version. Includes 7". 180 gram clear vinyl. Expanded reissue of the timeless 1979 French folk classic Maison Rose. Includes two unreleased tracks. An album such as this obviously owes a lot to the atmosphere in which it was recorded, which one can imagine was magical. It took place in Fromentel, Normandy, in a farm converted into a studio by the producer Jacques Denjean, known for his work with Dionne Warwick or Françoise Hardy as well as having been a member of the Double Six. It was also at Fromentel, that Denjean would record two fantastic albums with Albert Marcoeur. When Emmanuelle Parrenin followed in his footsteps a year later, she was in good company: the sound engineer at the studio was her partner and therefore uniquely capable of creating an adequate soundscape for her delicate universe. What is more, five years previously, Bruno Menny, the sound engineer partner, recorded his first and only album, but what an album: in electroacoustic terms we can hear things which make him appear as the spiritual son of his mentor Iannis Xenakis! What makes Maison Rose unique is exactly this fusion between the two conceptions of Emmanuelle Parrenin and Bruno Menny, creating a perfect marriage of tradition and experimentation. The tradition comes from the songs collected by Emmanuelle Parrenin in rural areas, in a similar vein to the work carried out by Alan Lomax and Shirley Collins. The experimentation is in the sound captured by Bruno Menny, who both arranged and recorded the album. This is not to forget those who came with their guitar (Denis Gasser), or their lyrics (no less a figure than Jean-Claude Vannier). On the one hand we have the humble and non-demonstrative singing, with melodies which is reminiscent of songs to calm a child's nightmares, and on the other hand a pronounced rhythmic intensity at certain points, such as on "Topaze" where the drums in particular evoke the motorik of krautrock legends Faust. A real haven of peace, Maison Rose is enchanting with its aura of mystery and spirituality, with soft, gentle songs which seem both ancestral and futurist. Originally published by Ballon Noir in 1977, this album follows on from other folk marvels such as Le Galant Noyé from the pre-Mélusine period. If you had to risk a few comparisons, you would mention: Vashti Bunyan, Linda Perhacs, Joanna Newsom, Collie Ryan, Shirley Collins. Licensed from Emmanuelle Parrenin.
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CD
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FFL 025CD
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CD edition of Pérélandra, a collection of unreleased songs from the Maison Rose era. It was some line-up, even for the most open-minded: Emmanuelle Parrenin and her musicians, in 1981, opened for the Clash in Paris, at the Zénith! Unsurprisingly, the crowd roared the name of the English band as soon as the French musicians appeared on stage. Didier Malherbe responded with a saxophone improvisation with all the others joining in behind. If we believe the musician improvising, rather than following the cult playlist of 1977's Maison Rose, was what saved them. Created from previously unpublished recordings from 1978, 1981, and 1982, Pérélandra is a wonderful array of the experiments so unique to Emmanuelle Parrenin. Rather than being improvised, like the legendary show at the Zénith, these experimental tracks have a more composed instrumental form and were conceived for choreographers: mainly Pérélandra, staged with dancers from Carolyn Carlson's troupe, but also Nomade, some of the sonic environment of which can be discovered here in (superb) bits and pieces found on cassettes. In total, just under a dozen tracks are presented, including contributions on bandoneon from the Argentinian Juan José Mosalini, electric piano from the ex-Double Six Jacques Denjean, or elsewhere great electroacoustic work from the wonderful and ever-faithful Bruno Menny. All of this steeped in a sonic mix typical of the most way-out acid-folk freak-outs of the 1970s. Didier Malherbe (who just before was still playing in Gong with Daevid Allen) is on three tracks, his heady graceful agility instantly identifiable, adding to a magical and spiritual universe created with spinet dulcimer, flute, hurdy-gurdy, and other-worldly vocals (amongst other ingredients). Though very difficult to label, Pérélandra could evoke a meeting between Trees Community, Heron and Robin Williamson with Ellen Fullman, Meredith Monk and Ligeti. The whole thing is steeped in an atmosphere as intense as the ecstatic hymns of Hildegard von Bingen. Emmanuelle Parrenin continues to explore similar territory in her concerts, always surprising with, Detlef Weinrich (Tolouse Low Tracks), Etienne Jaumet, Cosmic Neman, Ghedalia Tazartes, Quentin Rollet, Pierre Bastien, or Jandek. Licensed from Emmanuelle Parrenin.
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