Alexis Degrenier, the percussionist and hurdy-gurdy player for overtone supergroups La Tène & Tanz Mein Herz, handles time and space with a deft touch, attuned to the ultrathin vibrations in air. Each breath, beat, or friction, whether manual or mechanical (he uses metronomes & clocks as instruments) is precise and vital. As crazy as this may sound, all takes on this album are one-offs, with no over-dubbing. Degrenier's rich harmonics combined with the stunning depth of field in the mix seem to activate room-space and animate objects, culminating in a deeply heady & hallucinatory experience. The curious instrumentarium is comprised of wood beams, stones, marbles, bells, metronomes, clocks, floor drums, shock-controlled hurdy-gurdy-machine and much more.

‘Fatiguer’ : wood beam, floor tom, bells, timers/clocks/metronomes

‘Décliner’: drone box controlled by floor tom, rubbed stones, surfaces

‘Épuiser’ : circulating balls, rubbing of skins, played stones

‘Nommer’ : cymbal and aluminum, wood, frame drum, bass drum, vibrating objects

‘Noyer’ : drone box (mirror movement), wood, stones, beams, bowls

‘Terminer’ : friction, vibrations, circles, bowls

New release on Standard In-Fi / Murailles Music