Top Bar
Musique Machine Logo Home ButtonReviews ButtonArticles ButtonBand Specials ButtonAbout Us Button
SearchGo Down
Search for  
With search mode in section(s)
And sort the results by
show articles written by  
 Review archive:  # a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Marc Namblard - F.Guyana [Gruenrekorder - 2017]

F.Guyana is a collection of soothing, detailed, often layered, and lush field recordings from forests and the costal regions of French Guiana. The CD appears on the always dependable & quality bound German label Gruenrekorder- either as a CD( which I’m reviewing), or as a digital release that features a bonus batch of tracks.

The CD comes in a four panel digipak , and this takes in hazy pictures of the Guiana jungles. We also get a wonderfully inlay booklet, which takes in moody-to- brightly coloured photos of the wildlife &  natural landscapes of French Guiana. As well as a small write up for each track, described at what time of day they where recorded, and what wildlife & natural sounds are involved in each tracks make up.

All the recordings on the release where made & edited by French field recordist & artists  Marc Namblard. And I must say he has both a fine ear for interesting sounds, as well as an ability to know when & where to finish a track. Both of course are vital to making a good field recording album, that's  fascinating & re-playable- and that’s exactly what F.Guyana  is.

The CD takes in eleven tracks, & these have running times between three & fourteen minutes- with an album total runtime of seventy two minutes. Over hour worth of field recordings may seem a little much, but Namblard keeps you captivated through-out, with the wonderful selection of unique & soothing sounds. As we’ve come to expect from a Gruenrekorde  release- the recording quality  through the release is crystal clear, detailed & perfect balanced.

The album opens in fine lush & soothing fashion with the track “Awala”- this just under six minute piece takes in a recording of the coast at dusk- bringing together the rich layers of crash & foaming sea, with a back drop of crickets & the sound of a gentle breeze blowing the palm trees.

Track three “Crique Popote, Cacicus Cela”- is taken at daybreak, and offers up just over nine minutes of detailed & complex map of sound- taking in the manic twittering  sound of yellow-rumpled Cacique Caw, Guiana red Howler Monkeys call, and the constant hissing of Cicadas.

Track nine “Kaw Mountain, Post-Explosive breeding” is nearing six minute of Alien like chippings, cascading layers of chirping, with a underlying & distant selection of more random twitters & chip. This track truly sounds so alien & surreal in it’s make-up, really taking your breath away with both it’s complex layers & detail.

I’ve now been playing F.Guyana  on & off for last month or so, and each time I come to it again it’s sounds as fresh, vibrate, and rewarding as before. It’s one of the field recording highlights of 2017- that will be of interest to both  field recording fans, as well as those who are fan of more textured sound composition too.

Rating: 5 out of 5Rating: 5 out of 5Rating: 5 out of 5Rating: 5 out of 5Rating: 5 out of 5

Roger Batty
Latest Reviews

Marc Namblard - F.Guyana
F.Guyana is a collection of soothing, detailed, often layered, and lush field recordings from forests and the costal regions of French Guiana. The ...
021023   Transtilla - Transtilla III
021023   Arash Akbari - Amnestic Cont...
021023   Sam Eastmond - John Zorn's B...
021023   Thieves Like Us - Thieves Lik...
290923   Terror At The Red Wolf Inn - ...
290923   The Iron Prefect - The Iron P...
290923   Vomir - Pathos
290923   Worship - Focus
290923   Whore's Breath - Static Black
290923   Occlusion - 58- 3 Signaux
Latest Articles

Lucky Cerruti - Of Not so Friendl...
New York-based Lucky Cerruti is one of the up-and-coming directors in the underground horror scene. Since 2019 the theatre actor turned director/ writer/prod...
210923   Lucky Cerruti - Of Not so Fri...
290823   The Residents - The Trouble W...
110723   Yotzeret Sheydim Interview - ...
250523   TenHornedBeast - Into The Dee...
050523   Bill Morroni - The Trials & ...
280323   Magnus Granberg - Finding Emo...
230223   Trou Aux Rats - The Funeral I...
020223   The Residents & Support - Liv...
300123   Worship - In Praise Of Walled...
201222   Blood Chalice - Into The Sin...
Go Up
(c) Musique Machine 2001 -2023. Twenty two years of true independence!! Mail Us at questions=at=musiquemachine=dot=comBottom