Le clarinettiste François Houle, qui prête depuis une quinzaine d’années son remarquable talent à toutes les formes de musiques actuelles, s’adonne ici à l’interprétation d’œuvres écrites. Lié à la préparation d’interprétations en concert du Dialogue de l’ombre double de Boulez, cet enregistrement (studio) se veut une exploration de l’univers de la musique électronique. Composé en 1985, ce Dialogue… ne ressemble en rien au sérialisme que l’on a connu autrefois chez Boulez; certaines parties, appelées «strophes», sont jouées en direct et entrecoupées par des «transitions» enregistrées sur bande. L’effet de spatialisation est immédiatement identifiable. Le glissement imperceptible entre l’instrument et son double est stupéfiant et l’on est touché par la grâce lyrique de Houle. Avec Come inutile ornamento (2001), Giorgio Magnanensi a écrit une œuvre dont le propos n’est pas étranger au dialogue, mais l’électronique y est omniprésent. Dust (2003), de John Oliver, offre au soliste un canevas utilisant des sons de clarinette échantillonnés sur bande. Dans Resonance 1 & 2 de Paul Dolden, on plonge avec véhémence dans un maelström d’instruments virtuels. On retiendra encore une fois la haute maîtrise technique de Houle, également entendu au saxophone soprano sur la seconde de ces deux dernières plages.

Plays the Music continues the long-standing “pick a cover, destroy, reconstruct” tradition set by our own space cowboys, The Unireverse, on their string of hand-made/recorded CD-R opuses highlighting the works of godspeed and Hawkwind among others. This drop is their first for like-minded No Type Records, featuring four original U tunes coupled with unrecognizable electrofied offerings by The Beatles, Red Krayola, Donna Summer and super-obscura freaks Brainticket. The Moogs battle the beats on this insta-classic, a portal into the collective mind madness of these sound technicians.

Always a composer who has understood the meaning of density in a work, Paul Dolden returns once again with Délires de plaisirs ([featuring the work] Entropic Twilights).

If you’re wondering if Dolden has softened his edge for the complex multi-dimensional rhythm tracks and computer-generated layers, the answer is a plain, resounding no. The album sees him in full control of his virtual orchestra. Of course, it’s an orchestra on paper only, as his computer is fed the various instrumental parts, which are then neatly (or less neatly – depending on the composer’s mood, I guess) organized into individual tracks. If you thought his other works were dense, wait until you hear the title piece – which comes complete with noisy guitars, altered percussion, some flutes and this thick, thick layer of distortion. All in all, Dolden had to go back and absorb new production techniques in order to come up with the precise sound that he was looking for. We’re talking about relentlessly dense multi-tracking here and the result is absolutely a work of wonder. Just to be able to hear this piece without an opinion is next to impossible. Some may call this a work of a madman. It’s obviously not a work for everyone as the novelty and uniqueness of it may scare the fans of the more conventional. But if you’re looking for something new and challenging, Délires de plaisirs is yet another work of genius from this much misunderstood Canadian composer.