Welcome Fractale to jazzmusicarchives

Whoa, we had to remove the press release that I passed to Slava because it was causing problems to the system.

Fractale-"Suranné"  
 
This is a short but wonderful EP that can be easily loved by any progressive rock fan.
And it is not common that I start with a phrase like that, actually I would finish my review with
it, but this time I did it the other way around because I have truly enjoyed this album every
single time I’ve listened to it, and believe me, there have been at least 10 so far. Fractale is
the project of French sax player Julian Julien, who with the help of some friends and of
course high-quality musicians have created a wonderful mixture of rock fusion with spacey
textures.
This EP entitled “Suranné” consists of five live pieces which does not really have a name,
and two bonus tracks. Actually, and it is worth mentioning, this is like a taste of Fractale’s
sound, since Julien have created a bunch of songs that can (and should) be listened in a
row, without any distraction, in order to have the feeling of being reading a book or watching
a movie, I mean, the images created by the music are countless, all depends on the listener.
“Suranné” sadly is pretty short, I always have that empty space where I am asking for more,
but as I said, this is only a taste of their sound, and what a taste! It opens with “Partie XV”,
and since the fist seconds we will listen to that jazz oriented sound, with lots of wind
instruments, percussion and synthesizers. The music is really friendly; it will put a smile on
you, and surely will make you move your body. I cannot help but enjoying it.
“Partie VI” has a slower rhythm, but it is full of atmospheres and spacey effects that in
moments remind me of Daevid Allen’s Gong. This also sounds like an improvisation, and it is
the shortest piece of the album. “Partie V” is wonderful, with a rich blend of winds and
electronic elements that together create new images, atmospheres and nuances. The
different trumpets and saxophones do not really sound jammed, them all sound clean and
clear, one can easily recognize each one of them. This is one of my favorite tracks!
With “Partie XVI” the band follows the same line, but this time they have quite an addictive
sound. The name of Gong springs to my mind once again, which does not mean I am
comparing them, not at all, but they might have been an influence. You will have four minutes
of addiction, of craziness and adventure, but the sad thing is that it all of a sudden finishes,
when you are totally caught by its sound.
The concert part finishes with “Partie XVIII” which is another cool song, but with a slower and
more melancholic sound, like announcing the end. I would have really loved to hear more of
this bunch of live parts, it would be a complete trip.
The last two additional songs are “Sans Papiers” and “Clementine” which together make the
final ten minutes of this EP. The road is practically the same, cool and addictive rhythms,
excellent blend of jazz with space and electronic elements; wonderful winds and constant
drums.
What a pity it ends so soon, but well, the only thing I can do is waiting for a full-length release
and why not, to see them live someday. Highly recommendable!
Enjoy it!
Guillermo Hernández Urdapilleta October 27, 2011  Prog-sphere

Review   Merlinprog         

Fractale -"Suranné"

Saxophonist and composer, Julian Julian has a quite impressive academic background with
the Conservatoire National de la Région de Paris (The National Regional Conservatory in
Paris). Before the group Fractale saw the day, this young, talented man released three solo
albums that really captivated critical attention. The work "Strange," in particular, from 2006,
must be part of any decent music collection. In this new album, "Live Suranné", he takes us
through a musical journey rich with a diverse, very exciting, intense, and deliciously  varied
music.
 
 Julian also has a fairly original approach of music since the septet, Fractale, consists of
three saxophones, two trumpets, a tuba and drums! When the composition is done this well,
it really becomes progressive music in stark contrast to all the music called prog, which
recycles old ideas and does not innovate. On the contrary, Fractale renovates and explores
unknown musical territories, and they often do so with such elegance that it is truly a delight.
 
It is also a delight to hear that Julian Julien listens to a lot of Nils Petter Molvær!
 
Other sources of inspiration are Stravinsky, the album Mekanïk Destruktïẁ Kommandöh of
Magma, Bach, Keith Jarrett, Soft Machine, Michel Portal, Ravel and some of the early
Genesis and Pink Floyd. The disc includes five instrumental tracks and two bonus tracks
recorded live in Paris at “Zèbre de Belleville,” a former
 
movie theater that is now a theater and a place of celebration, fun and excitement.
 
Indeed, party, fun and excitement are in many ways indicative of the lush music of "Live
Suranné.” Rhythmic, “Live Suranné” offers something that is  lush and vibrant, original and
sometimes hypnotic. The “live” aspect allows the baritone saxophone and tuba to be
reasonably electrified and "computerized" and essentially create sound landscapes that
aren’t exactly common – sounds that some ears have never been exposed to (shocking!)-
and thus, our progsensitive ears just love it.
 
 The use of instruments in innovative ways is always commendable, and when the result is
this good, it's just wonderful to listen to. Moreover, they are also very good songs that are
both catchy and psychedelic at the same time. Verses and refrains include many fun
improvisations, solos and scathing riffs, and a great musicality. When the interaction is this
great, it’s really the material for prog lovers, to say the least!
Ulf Backstrom - Norway      

Review  Eurock

Fractale -"Suranné"

Julian Julien is one of today's top French jazz
musicians on the scene today. Saxophonist, composer
extraordinaire, he placed first receiving the Silver Medal at the CNR in Paris. He played in
several big bands before self-producing his first album, TUPPERWARE ET BIBELOT in
1999. That was followed by the excellent TERRE in 2000 for the Prikosnonevie label, then
STRANGE for Cristal Records in 2006. After that he formed a new band called Fractale and
recorded this Live album, SURANNÉ. Fractale is a septet composed of 3 saxophones, 2
trumpets, a tuba and drums. The music they make owes a slight debt to the pioneering Zeuhl
movement. The music is propelled by deep bass lines, powerful ensemble melodies and fiery
solos, but also contains deep soulful moments and subtle touches as well that gives the
overall listening experience a much more diverse impact stylistically.  If you long for the good
old days of French fusion when the scene overflowed with experimental jazz rock then
Fractal will be a real treat. Julian has a new music project for Japan in the works. Based on
samples I've heard it should add a brand new dimension to his recorded catalog. 

Archie Patterson - USA 

Edited by Fractale - 08 Nov 2011 at 3:05pm

Welcome to JMA.

 

Review "Autopoietican"

Fractale - "Suranné"

Hoy es la ocasión de hablar del grupo francés de jazz-rock experimental FRACTALE, un proyecto dirigido por el bien recorrido saxofonista Julian Julien. FRACTALE dejó en el año pasado 2010 una estupenda constancia fonográfica de su visión musical con “Suranné”, un EP en vivo que dura menos de media hora, tiempo que resulta suficiente para demostrar su ingenio vitalista para la vanguardia jazzera de nuestros tiempos… ¡y también un tiempo demasiado corto para complacerse en el disfrute de esta peculiar belleza sónica! Los vientos ocupan un protagonismo nuclear en el sonido de FRACTALE, y no m refiero solamente al saxo de Julien, sino a todo un ensamble de metales que incluye a dos saxofonistas (Vivien Philippot y Jon Lopez de Vicuna), dos trompetistas (Patrice Cazeneuve y Jennifer Quillet) y el tubista Lorenz Steinmüller, ensamble que desarrolla sus motivos sobre la base rítmica de Benjamin Vairon y sampleos armados por el mismo Julien.

Comenzamos con la secuencia de los cinco primeros temas. Durando casi 3 minutos, ‘Partie XV’ da inicio al disco con un colorido optimista sobre una contenida cadencia funky, un poco a lo WEATHER REPORT con aires de big band y su oportuna dosis moderada de psicodelia: el núcleo de la composición está indudablemente en esa arquitectura de los metales que porta una cualidad efusiva a través de su persistente vivacidad. Acto seguido emerge ‘Partie VI’ para plasmar una atmósfera muy diferente, armada sobre una calma siniestra, un coqueteo claro con la faceta más minimalista de la tradición chamber-rock, un momento de oscuridad antes de que ‘Partie V’ devuelva la vivacidad expuesta en el primer tema para capitalizarla con un dinamismo más contundente. Un aspecto adicional de esta ‘Partie V’ es que añade una cierta aureola de inquietud por obra y gracia de las envolventes capas de sintetizador desarrolladas a contrapelo de las orquestaciones de saxos; esto, combinado con la cadencia casi “mecanizada” de la base rítmica en sus aspectos más recurrentes, parece establecer nexos con ciertas modalidades del krautrock dentro de un bloque sonoro general que se mantiene firmemente asentado en la ideología jazz-rockera. En el caso de ‘Partie XVI’ sí tenemos un retorno en pleno al vigor colorido de ‘Partie XV’ que se hace eco de la intensidad especial de ‘Partie V’ pero sin mayores atisbos de inquietud. La labor de los saxos se siente más suelta, robusteciendo así los aires celebratorios sobre los que se construyó la idea compositiva. ‘Partie XVIII’ tiene un aire de elegía solemne, al modo de un bolero sinfónico que homenajea la gloria dichosa de una etapa pasada que dejó tras de sí una pesada carga de melancolía: un final estilizadamente explosivo para esta secuencia.

Los dos últimos temas del disco son explícitamente designados como bonus tracks: para estos temas, los músicos de apoyo son Xavier Sibre (clarinete bajo y saxo), Francoise Favreau (batería), Yann Lupu (trompeta) y Laurent Dessaints (saxo). ‘Sans Paiers’ regresa al colorido ágil de los momentos más alegres de la secuencia precedente, estableciendo un interesante punto de encuentro entre el WEATHR REPORT de “Sweetnighter” y el SOFT MACHINE de “Seven”; por su parte, ‘Clémentine’ elabora una idea consistentemente nebulosa sobre una cadencia juguetonamente entrecortada, generando así una imagen sonora de oscura travesura para concluir el álbum, algo así como un “Zeuhl canterburizado” al modo de EGG. De este modo concluye “Suranné”, una exhibición del enorme talento e infatigable espíritu de aventura que Julian Julien exhibe como músico y compositor: este proyecto FRACTALE es, por cierto, un estupendo vehículo de expresión para exponer renovadoras modalidades de jazz vanguardista como ésta. Dijimos en el primer párrafo que menos de media hora era tiempo más que suficiente para que el genio musical se muestre de forma clara e inequívoca… pero cuando hay un repertorio tan bueno como éste… ¡¡qué corto se siente este tiempo!!

César Inca Mendoza Loyola - PERU


Edited by Fractale - 14 Nov 2011 at 8:06am