It is hard to believe that it has been 25 years since I first heard Miriodor. Upon my first listen to 3è Avertissement in 1992, I took note their rather unique style and trappings – much different from any other avant-prog that I had heard to that point. Not to mention the gimmicky album cover.
Fast forward to the recently-released Signal 9, which features original members Pascal Globensky on keyboards and Rémi Leclerc on drums. They are joined by Nicolas Lessard on bass and Bernard Falaise on guitars. And if you like Miriodor’s circus-like music with labyrinthine twists and turn, then you will not be disappointed by this album.
In addition to the playfulness that the band has become known for, they incorporate heavy riffing, noise, and constantly shifting meters. In the middle of exploring one theme, they turn on a dime and head in a different direction. Maybe there will be a reprise, maybe not.
But the remarkable aspect of this release is its variety. For instance, Chapelle Lunaire begins with distorted, feedback-laden walls of sound before morphing into a simple folk theme that eventually goes all out with a complex set of prog melodies. The 10-minute Passage Secret alternates between downtempo noodling and electrified folk motifs, while Le Ventriloque et le Perroquet offers said circus music, interspersed with guitar-driven general weirdness.
Miriodor combines influences including Henry Cow, Zappa, and Eastern European avant-rock just to name a few. And somehow, they manage to do so while retaining their own unique character.
Avant Music News 