ARTICLES
Listening Post: E. Honig
Label Profile: Ad Noiseam

ALBUMS
Leo Abrahams
Ammoncontact
Anka
Lloyd Barrett
Beach House
Bibio
Christina Carter
Davis & Jerman
Ecstatic Sunshine
Ensemble
Fluorescent Grey
Freiband
[guÿôm]
Chris Herbert
Home Video
Larvae
Lullabye Arkestra
Mathieu / Schaefer
MONO & w. end girlfriend
My Robot Friend
Nicolay
Pieter Nooten
Nuccini
Obfusc
Objekt4
Over the Atlantic
Para One
Proem
Red Sparowes
The Remote
Root 70
Florencia Ruiz
Ryuichi Sakamoto
Alan Sparhawk
Andy Stott
Thumbtack Smoothie
Tortoise
Triosk
Vlor

COMPILATIONS/MIXES
Ad Noiseam 2001-2006
Another Generic Sampler
Bip-Hop Generation 8
Diary of a Sweet Day
Idea Hoard Uncut
Innature
Morrow Choral Orchestra
Noise Factory Vol. 3
Squadron 2
Warp Works

3"/7"/10"/12"/EPs
Alias & Tarsier
Audion
Caroline
Home Video
Iz & Diz
Sami Koivikko
Mai
Mathhead
Monomachine
Narcotic Syntax
Quinoline Yellow
Sigur Rós
Samartzis & English
Samartzis & Inada
Andy Vaz
Andy Vaz Remixes
Waterprotection

Ensemble: Ensemble
Fatcat Records

Montreal-based Olivier Alary follows his recent Disown, delete EP with this equally arresting full-length, as distinguished a marriage of acoustic and electronic elements as you're likely to hear. It's the compositional quality, however, that impresses most: dramatic explorations that segue between entwined vocal and instrumental passages with natural ease. Vocal texture is a key Ensemble characteristic, something Alary explores throughout in his choice of vocalists and in his propensity for vocal pairings: he partners with Mileece to entrancing effect on the breezy opener “Summerstorm” and pairs with Camille Claverie on the grandiose “Loose.” Lou Barlow (Sebadoh, Dinosaur Jr) adds his whispered croon to the slow-burning “One Kind Two Minds,” his voice almost buried under the guitar fuzz, electronic noise, and orchestration gradually swelling around it. Alary reprises the languorous “Disown, delete” from the EP and the song, a lulling meditation crowned by Chan Marshall's haunting vocal, loses none of its power here. The album's nicely paced too, with atmospheric vignettes (“Still,” “Unrest”) breaking the contemplative flow and extended pieces (the 10-minute symphonic epic “Loose”) allowing song sections ample time to develop. One caveat: given that the album is already a succinct 44 minutes, I would rather have heard another song at the end instead of six minutes of faint chords and seashore sounds (“For Good”). Certainly a distinctive collection nonetheless.

October 2006