Poplar Music

Rodolphe Alexis / Stéphane Rives
Winds Doors Poplars
HERBAL INTERNATIONAL CONCRETE DISC 1401 CD (2014)

Environment and saxophones. Field recording vs wind instruments. The field recordings are used as a support for a “site specific” improvisation session. There are a lot of bassy sounds, clicking, doors, mechanical noises and various other warehouse ambiences mixed with a saxophone that appears as occasional microtones, breathy inhalations and exhalations or more rarely notes. This type of work is similar to that of Eric LaCasa and Jean-Luc Guionnet on the Parisian scene and of course Michel Doneda, Laurent Sassi, March Pichelin and Lê Quan Ninh. The release has moments where Luc Ferrari’s Presque Rien meets Pierre Henry’s Variation pour une porte et un soupir, but with newer technologies. There is a percussionist that makes a surprise appearance in track IV against the backdrop of CD’s general ambience. There are a few interesting choices as to the composition choices which can on occasion feel like two separate recordings.

A. BAUGE