Univers Zéro – Lueur (2023)
Artist: Univers Zéro
Album: Lueur
Genre: RIO/Avant-Prog
Label: Sub Rosa
Year Of Release: 2023
Quality: FLAC (tracks)
Tracklist:
1. Migration vers le bas (2:35)
2. Sfumato (Part 1) (9:28)
3. Cloportes (4:00)
4. Rolling Eyes (5:38)
5. Axe 117 (3:33)
6. Sfumato (Part 2) (6:11)
7. Wavering (3:51)
8. La tête à l’envers (1:49)
9. Mister Chung (2:57)
10. Dartafalk (5:44)
11. Coda (2:02)
Personnel:
– Daniel Denis / keyboards, drums & percussion
– Nicolas Dechêne / guitars
– Kurt Budé / clarinet, bass clarinet
– Nicolas Denis / bass, percussion, vocals
4.5 stars. What a week I just had listening to this album and ONE SHOT’s latest “111” both top ten albums for 2023 in my little world. UNIVERS ZERO continue to show that they take a back seat to no band when it comes to serious, complex and adventerous music. One of my favourite t-shirts is a “Heresie” one I own and that is a top five studio album for me by this band along with “Uzed”, “Heatwave”, “Phosphorescent Dreams” and this one “Lueur”. Throw in “Relaps” and “Crawling Wind” and all of these are in my best of Avant list. Love this band and thankyou Daniel Denis for carrying on in 2023 some 9 years after “Phosphorescent Dreams”.
It’s been nine years but this four piece were all on that 2014 record. The keyboardist and bass player from that album have been replaced by Daniel and his Son Nicolas who plays bass here, adds some percussion and sings on one track while Dad besides his incredible drum works plays all keyboards. This is different though than “Phosphorescent Dreams”. That album was so melancholic with high end stuff throughout. Honestly the guitar on both albums is minimal to say the least. It’s those dark sections on “Lueur” that give a different vibe here, plus to my ears it’s like Daniel has included things from various past records, like tying a bow on his band here.
I thought of “Implosion”more than “Phosphorescent Dreams” while listening to this. What I love about “Implosion” are those short dark pieces where it feels like you are being taken to somewhere that you don’t want to go. Creepy with suspense and three tracks from that album that are like that are “Oozing”, “Mirrors” and “Bactieria” while on “Lueur” it’s “Migration Vers Le Bas”, “Axe 117” and “Mister Chung”. Then there’s those classical tunes that bounce that really turn me off and “Implosion” has those while “Lueur” gets close to crossing that line but doesn’t and “Phosphorescent Dreams” isn’t even close thankfully.
After opening with “Migration Vers Le Bas” and feeling like I’m on this slow moving train to my worst nightmare we get the vocal track “Sfumato(Part 1)” and on my initial spins I’m thinking this could fit on John Greaves’ “Songs” record. This is a 9 1/2 minute track with floating organ and the lyrics are repeated twice with a reserved voice but in between some powerful stuff. Classic UZ at 5 minutes as it turns haunting with piano and atmosphere. Dark is the word. “Cloportes” is that tune getting close to that bouncy, classical style we also get clarinet here. I like that it changes to more of a serious style with the light sound returning late.
“Rolling Eyes” is a feel good piece of music with guitar, bass, steady beats and keyboards. “Axe 117” like the opener is a dark trip bringing ART ZOYD to mind. It’s quite unsettling around 2 minutes. “Sfumato(Part 2)” is a top five with those three short “Implosion”-like tunes and the closer. This is powerful and dark. How good is the drumming 4 minutes in with electric piano and atmosphere. The next track “Wavering” is another highlight. Again dark and in no hurry. Classic UZ 1 1/2 minutes in. So good. “Mister Chung” is slow moving and haunting. “Coda” is an outstanding closer but only 2 minutes long, still the drums and bass shine. Yeah those Denis boys are talented.
This is dedicated to Daniel’s daughter Julia who is pictured playing Dad’s drums in this package. Speaking of the package, the cover art, back cover and inside has this glossy splatter-like stuff on it. No difference in the texture when you feel it but it’s unique. Like the circular swirls of shiny on the front cover. I’m just so happy with this one and the latest ONE SHOT, my kind of music folks.
Review by Mellotron Storm, progarchives
It’s been nine years since the last album from Univers Zero, and I don’t want to say it’s been worth the wait for such a great album as Lueur — which would be great even if so much time hadn’t passed, and I am always happy to hear more from Daniel Denis and company. Long-time fans of the band certainly have nothing to worry about, as this is a continuation of UZ’s tradition of dark chamber rock. The personnel list is trimmed down a bit from Phosphorescent Dreams (2014): Daniel Denis (drums, keyboards, percussion), Kurt Budé (clarinet, bass clarinet), Nicolas Dechêne (guitar), Nicolas Denis (bass, percussion, vocals), and no guests performers. But that’s not to say the sound is stripped down — far from it. This is richly arranged, densely composed music that ranges from creepy atmospheric sounds to pounding energetic rhythms. The presence of vocals is unusual for the band, as is the brevity of the tracks: all but two of the eleven are under six minutes in length. There may be a greater reliance on keyboards this time out, but both guitars and woodwinds add plenty of depth and variety to the sound. Daniel Denis is responsible for all the compositions, and his distinctive stamp is readily apparent, with sophisticated melodies and fascinating structures. While the mood is generally on the dark side, there are some relatively bright moments, as on “Cloportes,” with its accordion and bass clarinet, and “La Tête à l’Envers,” which has a really fun drum part. On the darker side, “Migration vers le Bas” and “Axe 117” are built from spooky sounds, ominous synthesizers, and indistinct chanting. All in all, Lueur is a superb album, and a worthy addition to the discography of one of the bands that has defined modern avant-rock.
by Jon Davis, expose
