Brume — In Heaven

In Heaven is the new album by long-time French experimental/musique concrete composer Brume (aka Christian Renou). Before even diving into this album, it already had 2 things going for it. For one, it’s a Quasi Pop release….a label that I’ve been greatly enjoying the output from lately. Secondly, In Heaven is a homage to David Lynch’s Eraserhead. I should mention that David Lynch is one of my favorite directors, so this album is already tugging at my heartstrings. However, that also poses a big challenge and raises the bar really high. If you’re going to do an album as an ode to one of the most inventive, surreal films of the 20th century, it had better be a damn good album. Luckily, for Mr. Renou, In Heaven hits the mark and could be an excellent alternative soundtrack to the film.

The opening track starts with a building buzz and is met with distinct voices and flute sounds. The volume increases with a popping crackle that makes it’s presence felt. At around 2 minutes….crash! We’re met with a haunting repetitive organ and other brighter synth sounds. There’s a deep voice intermittently making it’s presence known...flatly saying “owl” or perhaps “howl”. All sounds really coalesce ¾ of the way in and then exit out in crescendo.
 

Track 2 starts with thick percussive thuds atop a background that sounds like it’s teaming with wildlife. The track takes a different turn at 2 minutes in, with a blinking synth that degrades into manipulated voices and other dense, dare I say majestic sounds. Track 3 feels more subdued, but still manages to create a very menacing atmosphere. It’s an interplay of distant organ sounds and manipulated voices. There’s a repetitive voice that sounds like he’s saying “let me in.” It reminded me of electronic voice phenomena….voices captured unintentionally by recording devices, used by ghost hunters. The sounds thickens up briefly before the track’s end with additional vocals by Renou and other deep electronic sounds.
 

Track 4 begins with melancholy piano playing that quickly becomes intertwined with more menacing sounds. An heavily effected wind instrument and repetitious voice saying “come closer….come closer” takes precedent in the track’s mid-section. Electric static crackles and churning junk rumblings take over with what sounds like an electric tuba. Track 5 starts off in very Lynchian fashion with spoken vocals….backwards. Mangled and fractured beats carry us through the track with more backwards vocals and other psychedelic flourishes. 

The penultimate track is the disc’s shortest, clocking it at under 4 minutes, but is also my personal favorite. It’s a dark, churning drone and repetitive metal thud. Evil and atmospheric, it’s a sinister omen for things to come and what’s to come is not a good ending. The final track is the most epic in length (16:26). It manages to synthesize all the great elements from the previous tracks and adds some elements that even Lynch or Angelo Badalamenti would use along with some unidentified stringed instrument. A chilling outro to this extraordinary album.
 

In Heaven is a darkly macabre journey in aural storytelling. This love letter to Eraserhead, has more gratifying twist and turns than I recall the original soundtrack having. It would be interesting to see Mr. Reanou play In Heaven, in it’s entirety, along with the film that inspired the album. I have a feeling Mr. Lynch would be very pleased.