MICHEL DE MARS

L'envolée

Kaméléon (1998)

reviewed by Bill Binkelman

French-Canadian pianist/keyboard player Michel DeMars was so impressed with his introduction to hot-air ballooning at le Festival de montgolfiéres de Gatineau (a regularly scheduled festival of that airborn activity) in 1988 that he recorded an album inspired by this event. L'envolée is an exciting assortment of music, from a neo-classical instrumental version of new age music to a European-flavored (but not Berlin school) EM to well-crafted contemporary instrumental tracks. He has a lot of help on the album from other artists on instruments like violin, flute, percussion, cello, guitar, and bass. In fact, this recording plays much more like an ensemble or band album than that of a single artist. Even songs like "Soupir D'" (on which Michel is joined only by Nicole Laurin on voice - i.e., wordless vocals - and Daniel Schnobb on percussion) have the "full" sound that characterizes a group's music.

Trying to accurately describe the various tracks is difficult for two reasons. One is that some songs go through significant time signature and melody changes as they evolve. The other is simply that the music is quite unique when compared to other forms of new age music. The album-opening title track begins with plaintive acoustic guitar, flute, wordless vocals and cello performing a slow sensuous melody. But then, overt electronic keyboard textures are brought in and the song becomes more dramatic as the melodic refrain soars on solo violin, counterpointed by laser-like synth effects. "Soupir D'" goes from gentle piano to punchy harpsichord to its main refrain - a happy carefree affair that is first played by piano alone (punctuated by the sound of rain and thunder) before timpani and assorted synth strings come on full strength.

I describe the music on the album as European (while DeMars is not European, his French lineage, and his living in the French Canadian province of Quebec, have had an influence on his music, as far as I'm concerned.) because, in my experience, there is a "feel" to music from "the continent" when it is something other than classic Berlin school. You hear it in, for example, the work of Klaus Schönning. A lot drama and lot of musicality are usually brought into play. Elements of pop, classical, and new age all coalesce into some kind of hybrid, with the emphasis always on producing music that emphasizes melody and rhythm over an ambient approach or an ethereal new age sensibility. Yet calling the music on L'envolée adult contemporary is doing it a disservice - it's more complex than just crafting hooks and refrains. "Bleuphorie" bears some resemblance to the work of classic new age musician Ray Lynch. DeMars uses the cello in much the same way, integrating his keyboards with the string instrument and using plucked arpeggios to excellent effect. But DeMars also has a light airy side to his electronic music compositions, which you'll hear on "L'ere du Vent," with its spirited sequenced notes flitting one way while flute and violin flit the other. When percolating synth percussion enters the song, it all just takes off wonderfully - flying, soaring, tripping along merrily. DeMars even offers up a chill-out track with "Celeste Voyage" (oddly-titled but so what?) - featuring a trip-hop Enigma-esque beat married to gentle piano and lovely flute.

I enjoyed myself the many times I played L'envolée before writing this review, although I continue to be stymied as to whom to recommend this album. It's unlike most of the music I review, yet it's so damn easy to like that I want to convince some of you readers to explore it. If you like songs that have the accessibility of more contemporary new age music along with a certain blending of neo-classical textures with elements of European EM, this album will probably enchant you in the same way that the hot-air balloons enchanted Michel DeMars all those years ago.