Fire of Unknown Origin

TRACKLISTING:
1. La roue (3:43)
2. Cobra Fakir (8:53)
3. RVB7 (3:56)
4. Paris-Roubaix (2:14)
5. Titan (4:17)
6. Un cas sibérien (2:28)
7. Speed-dating sur Mars (7:07)
8. Tandem (8:23)
9. Maringouin (3:41)
10. Space Cowboy (3:11)
11. Expérience 7 (2:27)

LINEUP:
Pascal Globensky – keyboards, synths, piano
Rémi Leclerc – drums, percussion, keyboards, turntable
Bernard Falaise – guitars, bass, keyboards, banjo, turntable

Born in 1980 from the meeting of keyboardist Pascal Globensky and multi-instrumentalist François Émon, French Canadian band Miriodor can be counted amongst the veterans of the current progressive rock scene. Surprisingly, despite the many changes the lineup has undergone in the past three decades, Globensky and drummer Rémi Leclerc, another of the band’s earliest members, are still on board – as is guitarist Bernard Falaise, who has been with the band for 20 years even if not part of its original configuration.

Never a prolific outfit, with only eight studio albums released since their inception and lengthy breaks between each new release, Miriodor seem to have embraced the old tenet about quality trumping quantity. They have also maintained a healthy level of concert activity throughout the years, with high-profile performances at international events such as NEARfest in 2002, FMPM in 2007 and 2008, the Rock in Opposition Festival in Carmaux (France) and Sonic Circuits in Washington DC (where they opened for Univers Zéro) in 2010. Cobra Fakir, their eighth studio album, was finally released on Cuneiform Records at the end of September 2013, a few weeks after their appearance at the 19^th edition of ProgDay. Though the album was recorded as a trio, Miriodor have gone back to being a quartet with the addition of bassist Nicolas Lessard, who replaced longtime member Nicolas Masino.

As one of the landmark progressive rock releases of the first decade of the 21^st century, Miriodor’s 2009 album, Avanti!, was a tough act to follow. Cobra Fakir, however, though it obviously shares a lot with its predecessor, it also shows the band moving in a somewhat different direction. While their sound – sometimes described as the “happy” counterpart to Univers Zéro austere gloom – is immediately recognizable, the band have made some changes to their compositional approach. Unlike Avanti!, which featured six longish tracks, Miriodor’s latest effort presents a wider range of running times, from the almost 9 minutes of the title-track to 2-minute interludes such as “Paris-Roubaix” (a perfect sonic rendition of the titular bicycle race with its layers of slightly atonal keyboards) and the appealingly noisy, almost improvisational “Un cas sibérien”. A longer track list also means a more noticeable diversity –  with the shorter compositions providing an outlet for experimentation, often involving an array of inventive sound effects. Though there are no guests contributing to Cobra Fakir, this does not necessarily result in a more stripped-down sound, and very few listeners will miss Avanti!’s richer instrumentation.  In fact, the album perfectly demonstrates how multilayered keyboards, far from becoming a byword for bombast, can be used for rhythmic as well as melodic and textural purposes.

Leisurely acoustic guitar introduces “La roue”, whose upbeat main theme – as its title (“The Wheel”) suggests – hints at carnival music, offset by angular, somewhat darker patterns around the middle, and reinforced by sounds of clanging metal, breaking glass and the scratchy turntable effects that crop up throughout the album. The title-track sums up the album’s many faces in its 9 minutes of musical whirlwind – the sedate, meditative first half rendering in sonic terms the tale of the cobra and the fakir outlined in the liner notes, followed by a myriad of tempo and mood changes, often sharply veering towards dissonance yet always informed by an internal logic, then coming full circle with its melancholy, acoustic close. Only a handful of seconds shorter, “Tandem” has a more cohesive structure and an almost classical feel, with sampled flute and harpsichord complementing the piano and synth, and a plethora of sound effects intensifying the trippy, guitar-heavy mood of the ending.

In “RVB7”, assorted percussive effects and the crystalline tinkle of the vibraphone create an amazing blend of sounds that enhances the keyboards and guitar in a lively, dance-like pace; while “Titan” hinges on a brooding, cinematic crescendo punctuated by organ, solemn drum rolls, and surging, distorted guitar, creating a Gothic atmosphere that evokes Univers Zéro. Without any need for words, “Speed-dating sur Mars” tells an entertaining tale through  spacey effects and a sprightly, keyboard-led rhythm, as well as a brief, romantic piano interlude. More spacey goodness (as the title makes it quite obvious) is offered by “Space Cowboy”, where electronic effects hold sway, while melody, infused with a nostalgic Old-World flavour and the gentle sway of a waltz, is the key word in “Maringouin”, easily the most “mainstream” piece on the album. “Experiénce 7” wraps up the album with a short yet intense exercise in atmospheric buildup, conducted almost solely by surging keyboard washes and eerie sound effects.

With its intriguing cover art juxtaposing Hindu mysticism and their native Québec’s winter landscape, Cobra Fakir may well confirm Miriodor’s status as the RIO/Avant band that – on account of their keen melodic flair coexisting with more boundary-pushing tendencies – manages to appeal even to staunch symphonic/neo fans. Balancing edgy dissonance and  haunting atmospheres, engaging circus-like tunes and moments of reflection, the album will benefit from repeated listens in order to let its magic unfold, but will amply reward the listener’s patience. Another outstanding effort from one of the best live bands I have seen in the past few years – their understated mastery of their instruments as close to perfection as it gets – Cobra Fakir does not disappoint expectations, and will certainly feature in many “best of 2013” lists.

Links:
http://miriodor.com/wp/

http://www.cuneiformrecords.com