01	Terres Noires (Blacklands)						06:08
	02	Reve Cyclique						05:57
	03	Rouages: Second Rotation (Cogwheels: Second Rotation)						03:38
	04	The Invisible Light						03:11
	05	Phobia						05:33
	06	Zorgh March						03:24
	07	Zebulon						03:13
	08	Foret Inviolee (Secret Forest)						02:20
	09	Shanghai's Digital Talks						04:50
	10	Emotions Galactiques (Galactic Emotions)						05:47
	11	Waiting For The Sun						03:16
	12	The Fly-Toxmen's Land						04:51
	13	Reve Cyclique (Reprise)						00:52

Univers Zero
Rhythmix
Cuneiform (rune 165)
Belgium 2002

Michel Berckmans, oboe, english horn, bassoon, voice;
Aurelia Boven, cello;
Ariane De Bievre, flute, piccolo;
Daniel Denis, drums, percussion, keyboard, harmonium;
Dirk Descheemaeker, bass clarinet;
Bart Maris, trumpet;
Eric Plantain, electric bass;
Christophe Pons, acoustic guitar;
Bart Quartier, marimba, glockenspiel;
Louison Renault, accordion

Tracklist:
1. Terres Noires (Blacklands) - 6:06
2. Reve Cyclique - 5:53
3. Rouages: Second Rotation (Cogwheels: Second Rotation) - 3:38
4. The Invisible Light - 3:09
5. Phobia - 5:31
6. Zorgh March - 3:23
7. Zebulon - 3:09
8. Foret Inviolee (Secret Forest) - 2:19
9. Shanghai's Digital Talks - 4:48
10. Emotions Galactiques (Galactial Emotions) - 5:47
11. Waiting For The Sun - 3:16
12. The Fly-Toxmen's Land - 4:50
13. Reve Cyclique (reprise) - 0:50

total time 53:00


bob

This is my third Univers Zero purchase, and so far I'm enjoying it more than Heresie, but not as much as Ceux Du Dehors. As the title implies, this is a very machine-like, rhythm-oriented album, making the band's usual brand of dark chamber rock sound like it's being performed in a heavy industrial factory. There are some interesting combinations of sound, like the medieval music set against pounding drums and what sounds like venting steam in "Rouages: Second Rotation", and the keyboard notes flying from side to side over the repeating percussion and melody of "Emotions Galactiques".
Overall, this is a much more modern sounding and electronic album than the others that I've heard from this band, and as such it reminds me of Present in places. It's also a lot more rhythmically active than Heresie, and while still fairly dark sounding it's not nearly as over the top as that album. This disc grows on me a bit more with each listen.

5-26-03 - post a comment (0)

gary n

By the time this thing came out, I was completely primed for it. I'd become immersed in Univers Zero, and finally come to appreciate the nuances of The Hard Quest as compared to their earlier work. I knew it would take a few listens to grasp the work as a whole, and sat patiently through my first listen, waiting for the defining moment.
The first thing that struck me was the addition of so much extra instrumentation. The return of cello was nice, and flute and accordion were presented with a subtle enough touch as to be virtually transparent. The kickers, though, are trumpet (!) and acoustic guitar. Christophe Pons' guitar work on "Rouages: Second Rotation" saved the sequel from tedium. After several listens, I can no longer decide if I like the original better, and the guitar has everything to do with that.

The defining moment comes with the opening of "The Fly-Toxmen's Land". As soon as it started I thought "This is it!", and was blown away by every note of it. The trumpet's arrival is absolutely jarring, which is fitting for such a brutal composition. New bassist Eric Plantain holds his own with spidery bass fingering against Denis' rampant thumping, while the winds and percussion swirl around like dreams of angry lactating bats. Before long (I wish it were longer!), the whole thing shifts into a melancholic coda, with the trumpet resurfacing in a much less piercing fashion. Denis' drums take on a more direct approach, with bass and keys repeating a daunting riff. I must admit that I only listened to this one song for months after buying the CD. Five minutes was just not long enough.

All in all, Rhythmix holds up to modern Univers Zero standards. Berckmans' style is very present, and the structure throughout the CD never falters. I suppose one could credit the somewhat more subdued pieces to 'maturity', but I'd say they hold up to moments on Heresie and 1313, which aren't exactly infantile works. While there may be more to appreciate with the early works, this CD is perhaps more accessible to new listeners, and not a disappointment to old fans.

1-31-03 - post a comment (0)

c ground and sky


Univers Zero - Rhythmix

Released: 2002
Label: Cuneiform Records
Cat. No.: Rune 165
Total Time: 53:06


Reviewed by: Marcelo Silveyra, August 2002
Barren wastelands sprawl across the horizon, housing a procession of hundreds of strange creatures in the distance, toxic fumes crowding the dark red sky. An aura of curious mystery and grey fate hangs above the panorama, and the curtains above close into a black wall of thick clouds that shadow the primitive inhabitants of this world. Half harbingers of suspenseful fear and tension, half wondrous beings to witness, they move in mechanical marches together, each individual remaining a fascinating unique organic expression. The skyline soon appears again and unveils the red blobs that protrude and disappear on the large boiling sphere above the sky. And although the scene appears inviolable in a gorgeous suffocating balance that is at times majestic and at others frightful, sudden outbursts rip the fabric of awkward serenity, such as the Fly-Toxmen suddenly darting in hordes through the air and the choking fumes. Yet the balance invariably returns with its intrusive tension.

Of such nature is Rhythmix, Univers Zero's latest chamber gala dressed in post-apocalyptic garb and crowning a world of exotic creatures, landscapes, and customs with intertwining winds, ominous keys, suspenseful percussion, and the occasional strings. Yet words hardly suffice to truly describe the beautiful elegance of a track such as "The Invisible Light," much like words hardly suffice to accurately expose the essence of a Stravinsky, a Mahler, or a Shostakovich. In this, his latest brainchild, Daniel Denis has once again strung the fabric of entire musical entities of such magnitude and profound reach that their impact can hardly be measured in the same terms that other ensembles are measured. The mere notion of trying to grade Rhythmix borders on the puerile, as the album is beyond all mundane measuring. It is a shadow-laden veil of beauty, a journey through unimagined roads, a masterpiece like few others in the world of modern music.

With a velvet glove and a poet's perception at times, Denis and his fellow musicians delve quietly into the worlds that they themselves create, while at others they purposefully create disturbances in the environment that unleash a series of tense chain reactions. Sometimes the world is set in placid blood-red dusk contemplation, sometimes in majestic displays of foreign grandeur, and sometimes in violent outbursts of emotion. Themes reminiscent of Balkan folk music jilt through the air, neurotic jagged bass lines are surrounded by pointy wind staccatos, and gently brooding requiems float through the air. Still, all throughout Rhythmix, the very combustion that fuels each single note comes from within the entirety of Univers Zero, granting the entire impression an imposing sense of continuity and the very mechanics of the album a mysterious warmth. And it is the mystery, the elusiveness, the unexpected beauty that makes this album not only another jewel in the resplendent history of this Belgian group, but also a vital step in its continued evolution towards immortality.

Rating: 5/5

Similar artists: Art Zoyd, Bela Bartok, Birdsongs of the Mesozoic

More about Rhythmix:

Track Listing: Terres Noires (Blacklands) (6:06) / Reve Cyclique (5:53) / Rouages: Second Rotation (Cogwheels: Second Rotation) (3:38) / The Invisible Light (3:09) / Phobia (5:31) / Zorgh March (3:23) / Zebulon (3:09) / Foret Inviolee (Secret Forest) (2:19) / Shangha?'s Digital Talks (4:48) / Emotions Galactiques (Galactical Emotions) (5:47) / Waiting For The Sun (3:16) / The Fly-Toxmen's Land (4:50) / Reve Cyclique (Reprise) (0:50)

Musicians:
Daniel Denis - Drums, percussion, keyboards, harmonium
Michel Berckmans - Oboe, English horn, bassoon, voice
Aurelia Boven - Cello
Ariane de Bievre - Flute, piccolo
Dirk Descheemaeker - Bass clarinet
Bart Maris - Trumpet
Eric Plantain - Electric bass
Christophe Pons - Acoustic guitar
Bart Quartier - Marimba, glockenspiel
Louison Renault - Accordion

Contact:

Website: www.totalzoo.com/universzero/
Note: will open new browser window

Discography

1313 (1977)
Heresie (1979)
Ceux De Duhors (1981)
Crawling Wind (1983/2001)
UZED (1984)
Heatwave (1986)
The Hard Quest (1999)
Rhythmix (2002)