Joni Void — Every Life Is A Light

Every Life Is A Light is the eleventh full-length album from Joni Void- aka Montréal-based French-British producer Jean Néant.  The twelve-track affair blends strands of indietronica, musique concrete sampling, hauntological ambience, and trip-hop beats- for a decidedly heady ‘n’ wonky ride.

The album is the fourth to be released on Canada’s Constellation Records- been available as either vinyl LP, or CD- I’m reviewing the latter of these.  The CD comes presented in a mini card gatefold with a separate card slip for the CD. Art-wise, we get a split filter picture of a cloudy sky on the front, and several lines of polaroids on the back.

The album moves from the warbling retro synth horn tones, wavering female vocals, tape reel spin, random beats,  and rapidly building sound denseness of “Du Parc (with N NAO)”. Onto harp plucking, vibe shambling, mellow beat plodding, and turntable warping tones of “Muffin - A Song For My Cat”.

In its second half, we go from “Event Flow - A Sequence” with its locked bounding organ keys, snap-beats, tolling bell tones, and distant warbling ’n’ shouting samples. Though to the wonky ‘n’ warped 80’s easy listening meets skittering beats and muffled chatter of “Death Is Not The End”, which feels like a denser/ out in the streets Boards Of Canada. With the album playing out with “Joni Sadler Forever” featuring wavering tone warble, fading in galloping ‘n’ crashing beats, and a swimming/ warping female singing sample.

Every Life Is A Light is a largely engaging, nicely warping, and mellowly shifting release. It’s not reinventing the wheel, but if you dig laid back beats, heady sample drift, and tuneful to moody flow-this will appeal.