Adrien Durand‘s Bon Voyage Organisation are covering all bases on their follow up to 2018’s Jungle, Quelle Jungle? From experimental soundscapes to rhythmic locomotion to dancefloor-tinged funky soul, there is something for everyone.
Although mention of Adrien’s influences include Berlin-era David Bowie (there are “V2 Schneider” keys on opener “Nocturne 305”), it also includes some repetitive electronic squelches and a skittering rhythm that launches into a motorik groove, giving you the feel of a journey across a shiny European city, sodium lamps overhead adding to the rhythm, the joy of technology and the embrace of the future. All of a sudden, it shifts to the dancefloor, the elation of the journey replaced by the thrill of bodies moving in unison, diaphanous dresses swirling to the bossa-soul inflected groove. There are a lot of ideas in a track that goes wherever the mood takes it, but these are just a few facets.
Title track “La Course” is an electronic experiment where found cicadas vie with electronics that flicker like fireflies, reflected in a darkening lake. Thunder and the random movement of birds turns into a tropical jungle rhythm, ripe with gorgeous dramatic organ chords that are reminiscent of some of the S U R V I V E stuff, but with tablas and intricate and insistent percussion that is a joy to follow. All this occurs in the opening two tracks, while the harpsichord on “Chanson” lends some old-world spice to the half-lit souk vibe, a mysterious sax beckoning as drones and spare, deep percussion revel in the atmosphere, and make the sparse fragments and surf roar of “Un American À Tanger” another eerie volte face.
Like I said, something for everyone and well worth the investigation.
-Mr Olivetti-
