Le Berger – Expeditions On The Grayscale (one tiny, two medium and a grand one)
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Hailing from Montreal, Canada, Sam Landry’s solo project Le Berger has appeared on Fluid Radio’s radar with an album uniquely his own…
Expeditions On… is thus described with an unpretentiousness which contrasts admirably with the effort likely expended in the album’s creation. The ten second miniature Don’t go away J (#c2c2c2) serves as a brief introduction and adds something to the underlying aesthetic of spontaneous and carefree experimentation within this work.
The album then continues with Pam Pam some’n wild (#a0a0a0), a cinematic slice of subtly rhythmic ambience, performed in a manner somewhat reminiscent of recent offerings from Brooklyn’s Land Of label. Centred around key repeating refrains and anchored with a simple foundation, Landry creates and then holds the mood successfully on this piece, without outstaying his welcome.
Despite the strong openers, it is on the latter two numbers in which Expeditions On… really fulfils its promise. Dust it begun (#dbdbdb) succeeds its predecessor in carefully considered beauty and the formless piece is an excellent wander through the artists imagination, thick in atmosphere. Bern deep’n'bub (#5c5c5c) is by far the longest work here, the closing piece almost a case study on how one builds the mood of an ambient work over a length of time without resorting to dramatic effects or cheap sonic tricks. It is on this final track that Landry really appears to let himself go and though he risks meandering, the artist instead produces his finest results, leaving the listener wanting more; no mean feat following the continued repetition of such similar sounds for some length. Landry obviously has a skill at wielding time effectively and one hopes he continues exploring both miniatures and epic-length tracks.
Canada has many worthwhile offerings from ambient, experimental and drone artists and with Expeditions On…, Sam Landry adds his Le Berger project to the mix with an album refreshing and intelligent, promising much more to come in future releases.
Expeditions On The Grayscale is available now from Bandcamp.
- Review by Adam Williams for Fluid Radio
