Véhicule
Aubusson
POLAND SUBLIME RETREAT SR017 CD (2024)
Instrumentals and some songs from this French performer Sylvain Milliot, aided by the vocalist Emily Arnolada-Ardaillon. Aubusson is a commune in central France and the home of a tapestry museum, affirming its position as the likely historic origin of this particular craft, which can be traced as far back as the 14th century (although things really took off around 1580 when weavers from Flanders started to settle there). Véhicule’s nine pieces here might not be directly inspired by specific tapestries, but he does intend to emulate the technique of weaving, by recording multiple improvisations and performances of himself on keyboards, samplers and synths, then threading them together in the mixing room as surely as if he was seated at a loom. I like the way he steers the listening mind slightly off the trail, with his mildly odd sounds, his eccentric rhythms and dynamics, occasional drop-outs and false starts, and the decidedly strange effects of the vocal parts. The duo has recorded before as Piano Brut. Charmingly quirky music which, at times, seems to be slowly leaking into the present from times past. (30/04/2024)
