Intimist and narrative electronic music which presents us with a highly elaborated outcome consisting in patterns removed from their source, lightened and delicately introduced in clean faultless strips of spatial fluid. Laid back processes in which small and simulated glittering groupings absorve silence.

The process followed by this composer in order to manipulate objects is translated to morphogenic transformations in transgression, regression, mutation, coloration and montage, also willing to include references to historical events.

All this and lots more in a CD that puts forward endless sound stimuli requiring a rather loud listening volume.

A new work by this Canadian electroacoustic muslc composer who proposes, in this occasion through Figures, a skilled and adapted listening to diverse sonic itineraries of strident contents and a marked inclination in favour of metallic colouring and static plasticity with fugues orientated tomards stimuli. as long as the volume permits this work to reach us in optimum conditions.

Robert Normandeau is one of the leading composers of electroacoustic music in Canada. His aim in composing is to create a ‘cinema for the ear’ in which meaning as well as sound become elements which elaborate his works. Figures comprises of four works, each different in concepts and methods of sound sculpting, yet more or less entangied with the theme of the whole record, “figures”. Normandeau usually bases his works on human voice, acoustic instruments, tapes, field recordings and as in one of the most interesting pieces on the record, Venture where he exclusively uses fragments of the recordings of a 60’s progressive rock band called The Ventures which Normandeau states as one of his earliest influences. The compositions on Figures might strike you as abstract even absurd at first yet the more you give them some fair dedication, the more they expose of their meaning and charm. Especially in Venture, where the progressive sounds of yesteryear clash with the contemporary sounds of progress, the result becomes truly interesting. The album ends with a piece entitled Ellipse, which is a duet of an acoustic guitar and electroacoustics and totally disregarding its intended meaning, it somehow made me wonder about the actual meaning of music today. Anyway, Figures will not offer anything for those not interested in anything ‘arty farty’ (no offense), but perhaps even someone (like me) into a bit more experimental industrial sounds might find this interesting… Test your limits! 8/10