Title: Noir Magnétique
Artist: Die Form
Genre: Electronic
Release Date: 29th May 2009
Label: Out of Line
Album Review
It almost seems like an eternity since Philippe Fichot started his multimedia art project DIE FORM and over 30 years that have passed since are indeed a long time. Within these years the project has managed to pull a matchless career and the back catalogue that has been created is endlessly long and each release belonging to this catalogue is a work of art which is not least due to the extraordinary nexus of Fichot’s photography and the music and with ‘Noir Magnétique’ comes the newest output of the French duo and the first regular album release after signing to German Electro label Out of Line.
Now let’s first turn our attention to the music and switch over to the rest later. The first song that’s guiding us into the universe of ‘Noir Magnétique’ is titled ‘Voltaic Control System’ and it’s surprisingly catchy and poppy for a DIE FORM track and again a potential club hit with its strictly straight and crisp beats, minimalist sequences laid over it and on top of the mountain operatic vocals by Eliane P. trapped in a hypnotic cycle of repetition. ‘Decadence’ doesn’t care two figs about all too much pop appeal and underpins that with a frigid beat sequence to which only occasionally sinister soundscapes are added. But it wouldn’t have been necessary as the rhythms alone already generate enough of saturnine energy. ‘Nocturnal Emotions’ first creates forlorn landscapes with neo-classical melody cascades before it’s driving us abruptly into the blackness when cold, propelling beats and sequences wrench control from them and Fichot’s ominous whispers tell you “I want your flesh / I want your life / I want your blood / I want your light” like an evil spectre lurking in the shadows.
‘Tristesse’ is an Eliane performance and is not nearly as black as the previous track while it’s not a happy tune either. The classical arrangements are a key element to transport the mood. The greatly detailed down temp drum programming, even if state of the art, reprobates to ornamental art with such vocal elegance and orchestration. When Philippe Fichot starts to experiment with sounds you can be sure that something unconventional comes out and this is called ‘Inferno’ which shows nothing akin a consistent rhythmic structure and a frightening cold both in the aforementioned and the atmosphere that hardly an other act could reproduce with such authenticity. With ‘Double Life’ we’re being offered another straighter piece strongly clinging to an early 80s minimal sound before ‘Vox Angelica’ closes the album classically, beginning with a beautiful string passage soon carrying Eliane’s angelic voice (Title origin?) and a couple slow beats as an extra.
If you’re one of 999 possible people who ordered a limited edition the journey’s still not over for you. Inside the 7” box is also a Vinyl with the two extra songs ‘Kobol’ and ‘Action Theremin’ which I can’t tell you anything about as my player doesn’t work. But there’s still something to look out for. The extra-large photo booklet which you can browse through and enjoy the album art with all its details on glossy paper. One might not be able to find access to all the songs on ‘Noir Magnétique’. I personally love the experimental and calmer stuff, but many of the club-driven tracks just won’t grip me. However, there’s no doubt that DIE FORM have put out another total work of art with the new album
Tracklist
01. Voltaic Control System - 3:55
02. Decadence - 4:46
03. Deep Zone - 4:23
04. Nocturnal Emotions - 3:59
05. Tristesse - 3:53
06. Waves of Dream - 4:03
07. Autonomic - 4:16
08. Inferno - 3:53
09. Her[t]z Frequenz - 4:33
10. Double Life - 5:25
11. Vox Angelica - 5:47
Line-up
Philippe Fichot
Eliane P.
Website
http://www.dieform.net/ / http://www.myspace.com/dieformofficial
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 8
Sound: 9
Extras: 10
Total: 9 / 10
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