Tiphaine
Klang Galerie, 2023
8/10
The French percussionist, bassist and Rbox player Denis Frajerman brings Arabic and Balkan rhythms, and patterns from American minimalist sounds for these very unique 7 tracks that welcome Carole Deville and Hélène Frissung.
“Sur ses ailes” starts the listen with Frissung’s very expressive violin amid Deville’s moody cello, as Frajerman helps cultivate a mysterious backdrop, and “Les vagues á venir” follows with the playful percussion interacting with the very animated bass and radiant strings with strong attention to rhythm.
Halfway through, the tense “Il y a des lévres et des yeux” quivers with a rare intensity that’s also capable of calm gestures amid the meticulous violin, while “Les dimanches glissants” marches on with lively percussion alongside the ominous demeanor of the articulate strings. The final track, “Sous ses ailes”, relies much on ambience for the hugely mesmerizing and sonically aware finish.
A very distinct listen that carries both classical and experimental ideas, Frajerman penned this album for his wife’s 50th birthday over the course of 2 years, and he brings influences from his time as the composer for Palo Alto, as well as the work of Antoine Volodine to the affair.