Dramatic, darkly thrilling music with moments of sheer beauty from French electric bassist Frederick Galiay and his Camaeleo Vulgaris ensemble, a sextet performing Galiay's compositions in a potent mix of electric guitar, electrified baritone sax, synthesizer, and two drummer/percussionists, recorded after a dozen live concerts honing the material to this riveting studio version.
Format: CD Condition: New Released: 2020 Country: France Packaging: Cardboard Gatefold Recorded in Moulins-sur-Ouanne, France, Summer 2019, by Antonin Rayon.
"In the fall of 2016, Frederick Galiay was a laureate for a "Hors les murs" residency program initiated by the French Institute. This residency took place in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. It was about immersion in the heart of millennial ceremonies of Theravada Buddhism as well as in animist celebrations practiced by people of varied ethnicities present. The composed work, Time Elleipsis, for six musicians, invents a poetic link between the mystical expressions of these regions and the resolutely contemporary compositional language used. Recorded during the summer of 2019, this version follows a dozen concerts where the sextet, as electric as it is electrifying, was able to refine its interpretation of the piece before entering the studio."-Ayler
"Frederic Galiay, who is new to me, presents a new album by his ensemble Chamæleo Vulgaris: Antoine Viard (electrified baritone saxophone), Jean-Sébastien Mariage (electric guitar), Julien Boudart (analogue synthesizer), Sébastien Brun & Franck Vaillant (drums, acoustic and electronic percussion sets) and Galiay himself on electric bass. Except for Franck Vaillant - a very active force in the French scene of experimental music - the names didn't ring a bell.
Galiay started Chamæleo Vulgaris in 1989. At the base, it is a duo with Jean-Sebastien Mariage, with different associated musicians over the years. Since 1997 they released three albums. Third album Reset (2011) had to wait a long time for its successor. But it was worthwhile waiting, as Time Elleipsis is an intriguing album. It is one lengthy composition, a suite in seven parts of 58 minutes length and composed by Galiay while travelling Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar during autumn 2016, taking inspiration from ceremonies of Theravada Buddhism and diverse animistic practices.
It is a work of orchestral proportions. It is a kind of doom drone jazz if this category exists. They are heading somewhere in the same universe as the long-defunct group Shub Niggurath. They create long extended noisy sound textures; slowly moving patterns, sometimes driven by a slow beat; very dark and sinister music of deep sonorities. They succeed very well in keeping the music captivating. Slowly but with a burning intensity, they built their massive constructions of multi-layered sounds and noise. Sometimes the music is almost 'ritualistic' - without the irritating pathos - what may be due to the Asiatic sensibilities Galiay integrated into his composition and it is truly fascinating and impressive work.
Released by the Swedish-French Ayler label focused on improvised music as well as other experimental music."-DM, Vital Weekly