Artist: Daedalus Spirit Orchestra, The
Label: Vocation Records
Release: 2009
Rating: 4/5
The Daedalus Spirit Orchestra, a French progressive rock outfit, are something of a minority in France, at least in terms of genre leanings compared to their musical peers. Their take on music is unique. Above all, they don’t sweat over which genre they belong to; they play whatever is music to their own ears as well as the listeners’. So they mash up rock, funk, classical, electronica, jazz and blues, and the one-of-a-kind blend that comes out gets an extra boost from Lorcey’s vocals (the lyrics are in English, except on the track “Azucerado”). At times the songs are drawn very clearly: some are pure fusion jazz, others straight-up prog rock, and others again classical.
Opener “Visper Aiyo” is a great kickoff into the progressive waters of these French unknowns. Existential questions echo through the melody, and Eric’s voice is just right for that kind of theme. His questions about his own existence are accompanied by very jazzy arrangements with progressive patterns, which give the song a certain hardness and, at the same time, the mystique radiating from Alves’s keyboards. The ending is steeped in tragedy, in the lyrics as much as in the music. The next musical horror show, “Shambles Star An End”, pulls us into the listen even harder. A classic prog track with unusual breaks, instruments and vocals cutting in and out, and genres colliding. This time the motif is a beloved woman, and the theme is the narrator’s journey in search of his soulmate. Once again the track is full of mystique, with a darker mood that lasts right to the end, which, once more, is no fairy tale. “Azucerado”, the third track, swaps the progressive tune for natural sounds, with a classical guitar standing out. A classical piece with plenty of Spanish romance flavors fits the “sweeter” lyrics, which aren’t as tragic as on the previous two tracks. A soothing little “ballad” where no single element stands out, yet it’s convincing enough to keep us in the initial euphoria of that excellent start, while rewarding us with a bombastic ending.
“Sloganeering” kind of kicks off the second half of the album. It arrives with a fast, powerful rhythm and electronically boosted passages in between. The speed of the song matches the lyrics about humans rushing through life; the theme is existential once again. This time the mystique gives way to progressive rhythmic structures and harder arrangements. “Unrelentingly” is marked by odd timing pauses followed by a total change of rhythm and volume. A full nine minutes, it’s packed with elements from all kinds of genres, from jazzy bass lines to funky guitar licks, with rock still as the foundation. The new ingredient is the flute, which makes the song a notch more progressive and adds a folk element that livens up the mood. Next comes “Crosstalk”, with an incredibly interesting classically inspired intro that then quietly holds the rhythm for the spoken-word lyrics. Of course, the song also boasts fleshed-out musical sections loaded with emotion, because that’s exactly where, after the recitation, the lyrics (and the narrator) reach the peak of their confession. In the second half there are plenty of jazz fusion elements too, with bassist Colin Gentile leading the charge.
“The Clockwork’s Marching Along” is yet another musical vision from The Daedalus Spirit Orchestra, built much like the tracks before it. A progressive mix of different genres, with Eric Lorcey’s high vocals on top. The listener can’t help noticing a certain repetition across the songs. It’s not too obvious yet, but it’s enough that the track itself isn’t as interesting as it could be. “Parallel Convergent” changes up the established tune so far, as the musicians sink into an acoustic atmosphere with an electric guitar arrangement in between that brings a menacing feel; the song works as a kind of intro, since it morphs into the album’s last track, “Askance Relief”. Almost eight minutes long, it serves up the best of the best: the most progressive rock possible, super atmospheric jazz, and a powerful funk “groove”. Probably the most experimental track on the album, and also the peak of the record. We couldn’t ask for more from the closer of a brilliant debut from a French band.
Ampulla Magnifying is a brilliant vision that sets the band a little apart from traditional prog rock groups. Lorcey’s interesting vocals contribute a lot to that, and they also suit the philosophical themes of the lyrics perfectly. The competition is tough, especially in France, the land of art and culture, but if they keep going like this, sooner or later they’ll be a “big deal” not just in their home country but abroad too.
Line-up
Eric Lorcey – guitars, vocals
Cecile Alves – keyboards
Lise Cantin – flute, vibraphone
Colin Gentile – bass guitar
Christophe Cordier – drums, percussion
Guest musicians:
Romain Medioni – didgeridoo
Natacha Vermeulen-Perdaen – harmonica
Tomaz Boucherifi-Kadiou – bombard
Production
Eric Lorcey
Track list
1. Visper Aiyo
2. Shambles Start An End
3. Azucerado
4. Sloganeering
5. Unrelentingly
6. Crosstalk
7. The Clockwork’s Marching Along
8. Parallel Convergent
9. Askance Relief
