Frédéric D. Oberland / Grégory Dargent / Tony Elieh / Wassim Halal
Sihr
BELGIUM SUB ROSA SR568 C.D. (2024)
Nowadays, with music genres continually splintering into a thousand and one pieces, it was a full-on dead cert that mentions of “post everything” world eventually surface in those accompanying crib sheets. The trio, who’ll subsequently be called O.D.E.H., are a good a choice as any to be the hood ornament for this particularly spacious vehicle. After a handful of European and middle-eastern concerts performed as a duo, electric oudist Dargent and guitarist/vocalist Oberland later joined up with bassist Tony Elieh (also of Karkhana) and Polyphemè’s Wassim Halal (on darbuka and percussive ‘others’). Their first recordings were hatched at the Downton Studios in 2002; a three-day brainstorming session where this plunge into cross-fertilization, now finely tuned, became the more manageable “Sihr”.
We’re in safe hands here b.t.w., as Oberland’s ten years as Oiseaux-Tempête’s majordomo means that there’s an experienced ear hovering over this and indeed other projects inc. Foudre! And L.R.D.T. But, as anyone who is aware of sixties U.S. combos Kaleidoscope and The Devil’s Anvil (not forgetting * The Saqqara Dogs with Factrix’s Bond Bergland), when it comes to east meets west alliances, there really isn’t anything new under the sun. However, O.D.E.H. acquit themselves famously. “Oui-Ja’aa” matches an insistent marching beat with a hyper-tense swarm of keyboard activity. The sombre/lyrical tones of “YouGotALight” are dominated by Frédéric’s breathy alto sax while slithering into view “Babel Cedex” would be perfect for a Marrakech-based T.V. Thriller where intrigue and the fine art of double-crossing is second nature.
Now well into its middle-age, Sub Rosa remains in the forefront of labels where consistently challenging and adventurous releases come with the regularity of a stuck disc. “Sihr” is a welcome addition to that ever-teetering pile.
* One-time ‘Melody Maker’ scribe Paul Oldfield made their “Thirst” (on Pathfinder Records/U.S.), one of his top five albums for 1988. How soon we forget.