Dominique Laurent - Azur et Tenebres (Unidisc, France) 1982

Unidisc was a strange and very intriguing library label, putting out several interesting titles from the mid 70's to early 80's (not to mention amazing graphic design on the covers!). It seems they focused more on instructional and educational type albums, many with a children focus (exercise, dancing, etc...), and others devoted to modern/interpretive dance accompaniment. With these albums there seems to be a very tenuous line between electronic experimentation and more standard approaches with composition. Many albums hover over an uneasy ambient synthesizer field with spooky results, while others cling to an odd Philip Glass/minimalist plink-plonk-cum-folksy approach or a confounding "hauntological" atmosphere.

The noted French mimes Pinok and Matho (or Pinok et Matho) appeared on numerous albums in this vein, many of them with composer Dominique Laurent, a person I know nothing of, and whose internet searches have yielded very little helpful information. Now believe you me, I don't really understand how mimes can be on a sound recording... unless they were present in the creation of the music, dancing around silently in the recording booth, perhaps? At any rate, the music on this album is mostly electronic, with thick analog tones and tinkly electric piano making up the bulk of the sounds, creating strange little vignettes that move along slowly or bounce along with primitive drum machine patter. It's often very pensive and introspective music; pretty melodies gliding alongside weird bursts of humor and animal sounds. A couple moments even remind me of Moebius/Plank's Rastakrautpasta, with woozy synth lines teetering on absurdity, following a drunken bass line. It's all ambient and queasy but thanks to that odd Unidisc appeal it can really capture your imagination. This Unidisc is not to be confused with the Canadian label Unidisc, who issue dance, disco and R & B music.

There's some more knowledgeable information about these folks to be found here in this post.

*I apologize for the crackling and surface noise throughout this record. It's about as clean as I can get it.

*UPDATE: For a CLEANED UP RIP please look in the comments. Thanks to "Anonymous" for the assistance!

Azur et Tenebres