Thumping rhythms, drones, effects, and subtle keyboard-laden atmospherics are the primary drivers of Political Ritual, a two-track album from the group of the same name. Consisting of the duo of Maxime Corbeil-Perron and Félix-Antoine Morin, Political Ritual explores the fringes of space-rock, ambient, modern composition, and minimalist techno with a hazy irreverence.
Cérémonie, at 20 minutes, is the livelier of the pieces, featuring the aforementioned driving, trance-inducing rhythms overlaid with grungy drones, as well as brief synth and keyboard themes. Borrowing techniques from experimental modern classical music, Political Ritual blends captured sounds with synthetic creations in a seamless fashion. Projection_cathodique, also clocking in right around 20 minutes, focuses on a set of Berlin-school drones accentuated with bells and static-laden background ambiance. From time to time, electroacoustic elements and scratchy rhythmic effects are introduced. But the emphasis remains on deep and echoing sinusoids.
Political Ritual, the album, is a disturbing yet cinematic exploration of indistinct abstractions combined with concrete musical aspects. Given how difficult it is to break new ground in this field, credit is due to Corbeil-Perron and Morin for a unique amalgam that is somehow both fresh and familiar. Strong recommendation.
Avant Music News 