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Tracklisting: 1. La Fête 2. Chanson Triste 3. BMW 4. Au Canal 5. Dead Leaves
6. Mon Os 7. Green Dress

Jazz music has always been a universe in which everybody playing an instrument could find full freedom  in playing and improvising, and even discovering new tunes and ways to use their instruments. That's a fact, and every musician knows it; but it's sometimes really interesting to notice that a few bands or musicians combine both improvisation and experimentation, bringing back the real meaning of that fantastic and deep music. As for liberty, music gives opportunities to every kind of ideas and ways to play, and then becomes a playground where everyone can bring games and share them with others.

While listening to  Gelda/ Fiancette, an experimental jazz duet created by musicians Philippe Gelda (organ, vocals) and Thomas Fiancette (drums, flute, and many others...), one can only but be struck by two different atmospheres coming out of their particular music. First, there is a joyful and hysterically festive mood in their songs and music. This first aspect can be heard in the way they use different kinds of rhythms and musical styles: tango (Chanson Triste), jazz (La Fête). Every song has its main style and tune, and can be separately heard, as a main piece of music. And that's what is first impressive; how can two musicians show so much musical culture and influences in only seven songs? The whole album then becomes a collection of jazz-influenced tunes. But it is also more than that:it is an experimental basis which supports both musicians'qualities and intelligence. Gelda/Fiancette is a playground for artists, whereevery new and original experiment finds its place (flute in La Fête, vocals in Chanson Triste, Mon Os and Dead Leaves).

Philippe Gelda's voice is also one of the most original instruments in a jazz album; more than only singing, he also brings rhythm and homogeneity to songs like Dead Leaves or Au Canal, echoing and shining through organ moods and rhythm loops. Close to bands like Têtes Raides, and also atmospheric and deep, his vocals, first amazing and mysterious, become a main part of the songs, and a reflection of the feelings suggested by each tune. It also reminds us of  French singers such as Charles Trenet and Yves Montand.

But, even if the whole album sounds festive and happy, melancholy impressions come to mind, mostly inspired by the organ itself. This particular instrument creates a sad feeling for the listener, and brings him into a state of admiration and lethargy, each note then becoming a step in their personal universe (Au Canal). Sometimes arousing cinematographic images (BMW reminds us of  old black and white silent movies), sometimes fast and almost hysterical (Dead Leaves, Mon Os), the instrument is a catalyst of the whole music, a red thread that each listener has to follow to understand and explore the whole album.

Experiments and sounds then tend to make a noisy and musical laboratory out  of the album; while jazz sometimes is only a music in which musicians improvise and create melodies, or try to play as fast as they can, Gelda and Fiancette feel free to include experimental and noisy or mysterious sounds and landscapes in their songs. More than only being melodically played, each instrument is used in its utmost limits, and helps the musicians to create musical and original landscapes and moods (Green Dress). That's what first make this album so mysterious and almost off-putting, then more than interesting and amazing. While listening to the songs again and again, people will discover new things, sonds, arrangements and funny effects. This album can't be heard only once, it has to be explored, felt, and loved.

For people wanting to discover jazz music in its most visceral and experimental way, Gelda/Fiancette is the album to listen to.Sometimes rough, sometimes sweet, but always intelligent and complete, their music is like a bridge to the new musical style they both create, and a way to go through their so particular and joyful universe. For musicians, these songs are also representative of what music can become when being originally and intelligently played... First, I was upset when I listened to it; then, I became addicted to their sound, and I really hope that people will share this opinion...

Slug

Xavier V.Combs, guitariste franco-américain, fort d'expériences diverses, dans le domaine musical, antérieurement à cet album, et d'un passage dans le groupe de rock-fusion Madjik, poursuit donc sa carrière sous la forme de cet opus solo. Et ce dernier reprend un peu la fusion qui caractérisait le groupe précité, en lui donnant toutefois une coloration nettement plus world. Influences arabisantes et orientalisantes viennent épicer ce disque et le doter de saveurs fortes et bigarrées. Le métissage prend d'emblée et fait effet même si l'on remarque, dans les compos de Xavier, un côté convenu, conventionnel malgré son désir de faire dans l'électique.

On aimerait qu'il pousse l'audace jusqu.'à produire un album personnel et échappant à toute chapelle, et ce d'autant plus qu'il possède visiblement le potentiel pour cela. Cet album est certes singulier, mais n'apporte pour l'instant pas grand-chose à un domaine musical exigeant dans le sens où le mélange stylistique et la pluri-culturalité demandent un effort parfois poussé d'écoute et d'assimilation. Cependant, pris en tant que tel, ce disque et d'une énorme qualité et chaque titre fait mouche sans problèmes. Voix émotionnelle, chaleureuse et sincère, instrumentation variée et élaborant un « décor sonore » chatoyant et dépaysant, ambiances en forme de world-trip, séquences nerveuses basées sur des guitares acérées, plages hip-hop très groovy, qualités littéraires évidentes etc.. ; on sent que cet artiste peut aller loin et se forger un style qui lui sera propre, et partant de là, prendre une place prépondérante dans la scène « world pop » hexagonale. De surcroît, il a su s'entourer de musiciens talentueux et issus de formations reconnues, au background, donc, extrêmement convaincant. Et cela se ressent très positivement sur cet opus et les climats prenants qu'il dévoile. Pour l'heure, savourons cet album excellent pour un premier essai en tant qu'artiste autoproduit, et annonciateur d'un avenir qui verra Xavier s'affirmer et creuser le sillon de ce world-rock de façon plus significative encore. Une oeuvre pas encore définitive mais déjà bien maîtrisée, pratiquement du niveau des meilleurs dans ce créneau, mais encore un tout petit trop lourde de ses influences. Influences qui, à n'en pas douter, seront d'un moindre poids dans un avenir proche, et ont ici le mérite de ne jamais nuire à la qualité et à la cohérence de ce disque. A découvrir...et à suivre.

French-American guitarist Xavier V. Combs, after experiencing different musical styles and playing with fusion-rock band Madjik, gives us a new side of his talent thanks to this first solo album. And this album, allthough it is sounding more like world music, reminds us of the particular mood which could be heard in Madjik's creations. A few oriental and arab influences bring something spicy and coloured to this piece of music. So, this pluri-cultural mix strikes the listener and immediatly works on him, even though, in Xavier's songs, one can hear a kind of conventional side, as he tries to bring eclecticism to the music.

The only regret is that the listener would like Xavier to compose a more personal and intimate album; however, originality and talent can be praised in all his songs. This album is particular and full of inner stength, but doesn't show a complete illustration of the musician's potentialities and originality, which is a shame nowadays, since music critics and listeners become more and more demanding, and want to find something to think about while listening to this kind of pluri-cultural and stylistically complex type of music... But this album is very impressive and possesses qualities and musical efficiency: each tune is striking for the listener and invites him to Xavier's own world. His voice is full of emotions, sincerity and warmth;the instruments remain various and create an amazingly disorienting and luminous soundscape (world-trip, angry guitar riffs, groovy and hip-hop waves, impressive sense of songwriting); so, the artist can display more and more qualities and find his own way,and place, in the French world-pop artistic universe... Moreover, Xavier plays with well-known and talented musicians, which gives this album a strong and powerful background. And that is what the listener can easily and positively hear in this album, as Xavier creates lots of amazing and captivating soundscapes and moods in his songs. This excellent album should be appreciated and communicate its amazing value to a large audience, which is really hard for a self-made CD, and let's hope that Xavier will soon find his own place in the world-rock universe, where he will be able to become a safe reference.This album is an achievement and can easily be compared to the best ones ever made in this particular style, even if the artist has to split from those powerful influences. But be sure that he will find his own way, little by little; that is what this album shows us, thanks to its inner qualities and originality. Xavier's music shall be discovered... and we will certainly follow his career in the future.

Fabled Lore

1. Land Behind The Mist
2. Mink Twins
3. The Elk King's Daughter
4. An Oaken Citadel


Hidden Stream

5. Enchantment For Few
6. Hideout
7. Harbinger Of A Greater Winter
8. Land Behind The Mist
9. An Oaken Citadel

The tracks Land Behind The Mist and An Oaken Citadel are included on both CDs, so for this reason I will only list the reviews for those tracks once.

A solitary flute begins to play, and the listener is taken along a journey into a separate, hidden world of mystery and beauty, as the kantele strums and a chilling voice whispers of an ancient mist from times long past. Thunderous percussion echoes around us as the flute continues to play, giving us a mental picture of the world that A. Tolonen and T. Saxell, the musicians behind Nest, have created.

Much of Nest's unique and captivating sound comes from their use of said kantele: a traditional Finnish instrument that has been used in folk music for centuries. Consisting (in this case) of 15 plucked strings; it gives the music a great deal of atmosphere and ambience, as well as a sound that reminds the listener of ancient times and mythical places.

The same voice from before begins to speak again, in a lower tone, talking again about the ancient mist. What really impresses me about Nest's music is not just the fantastic sounds, but the ability of those sounds to create vivid, imaginative worlds in which the listener travels to when they hear the music. This is the only song with speech on the Fabled Lore CD; it begins the story and explains the world of Nest, then leaves us to dwell on our own thoughts and imagination as the music takes us further away from ourselves, and into a realm of folklore and beauty, created by two brilliant musicians.

More lighthearted than Land Behind The Mist, Mink Twins further expands upon the atmosphere that was introduced previously, with many different melodies playing one after the other. The percussion in this song is particularly good here, as it is present at precise moments in the music and really completes the band's sound, but without dominating the background completely, and leaving room for the listener to focus on the other sounds that are playing. From the almost lilting kantele passages to the synthesizers that layer the song, helping to form the visual world in our imaginations, Mink Twins is an enjoyable and memorable tune.

The Elk King's Daughter is my favorite song on Fabled Lore, undoubtedly. Moving at a fairly slow pace, yet carrying more power and imagery in the notes than most musicians could hope to achieve, this song exemplifies all of the reasons why Nest is such a good band. The bass guitar by T. Saxell is noticeable here, and the notes flow very well with the kantele and the percussion. The flute from Land Behind The Mist returns here, bringing a spellbinding melody with it that gives the song an even more captivating sound. With the tune bringing to mind the stories of faerie tales and old legends, it is clear where the men behind Nest draw their inspiration from. Through music like this, these stories are spread to the corners of the world; inspiring others to create works of their own, just as Nest has. All in all, The Elk King's Daughter is a perfect song.

A slightly darker tone pervades this track, as if we, the listeners, have reached a forbidden place in the world of Nest; full of hidden secrets and mysteries. Bells, keyboards and kantele are all in harmony here, weaving more of this fantastic world before our eyes (or ears, to be more accurate). Once again, the imagery in the music astounds me..In the later parts of the song there are sections where a distorted kantele plays. I thought that while it added more variety to the song, it sounded a bit strange against the softer instruments and tunes that accompanied it. The song fades out with a gentle melody as we conclude our journey through the soundscapes of Fabled Lore, with fond memories and a desire to return.

Beginning with a chorus dark synthesizers, the first song on Hidden Stream takes us back to the wonderful, otherworldly place we had left at the end of Fabled Lore. The voices here whisper and creak, as if the ancient trees and the howling wind have been given speech so that they can tell their story..Poetic lyrics outline a man..s view of the forest surrounding him as he sits at a campfire, waiting for the night to turn to day. Although the title of this song is Enchantment For Few, the reader may be assured that the music of Nest will bring enjoyment to anyone, and is indeed enchanting for all..

The sound of flowing water is present in this song, breathing life into the memorable and peaceful melody, and making it sound as much a part of the world as the water itself. This is my favorite song on Hidden Stream, and I think of it every time I see the artwork on the CD cover (which is very good as well; A. Tolonen also does the visual art for Nest). If you want a truly immersive experience, try taking the music of Nest with you on a hike or walk through the woods; I am certain that you will enjoy it. You will find that the music further enriches the already pleasant journey, giving the listener new thoughts and even insight into the nature around them. Hideout is a wonderful song, and is masterfully composed.

Harbinger Of A Greater Winter is an intense song, far from the peaceful melodies that take up the majority of the album. That is not to say that it does not contain a great deal of beauty as well, as the instrumentation here is very well done and the kantele puts into mind the cold climate, and illustrates the lyrics perfectly..The song tells the story of a dreadful winter approaching to Northern lands, one that will swallow everything, and the attempts of the wind to warn people to flee. As the lyrics state: "My voice, so calm before, now thunders across the land; calling you to take heed, delivering news of hard times ahead". Vocals in this song are more rough than before, similar to black metal style at times, but still retain the whisper that we..ve come to know them by. A distorted kantele appears once again; adding more urgency and ferocity to the song. All of the above make this a truly good song, and presents a new side of Nest to the listener.

All of the songs have incredible atmosphere and instrumentation. The music is unique and interesting, as well as relaxing.

In some places on An Oaken Citadel the distorted kantele seemed out of place with the rest of the music.

Overall: As a blend of acoustic and ambient music with some folk touches, Nest is a unique and very enjoyable listening experience, and one that I encourage everyone to hear. A. Tolonen is involved in other projects as well, playing in bands such as The Mist and the Morning Dew and Doomsquirrel. Nest is working on a new album called Trail Of The Unwary, which, I have read, should be released before the year is up. Judging from Fabled Lore and Hidden Stream, chances are good that this one will be worth picking up as well!