Cartographie de rythmes #1: Vitesses Approchantes

Composer Karl Naegelen has in effect rewritten the lyrics to the Jerome Kern jazz standard "I Won't Dance," changing the last line from "I won't dance, don't ask me/I won't dance, don't ask me/I won't dance, madame with you/My heart won't let my feet do things that they want to do," to the more relevant "The music won't let my feet do things they might want to do."

Not that there were lyrics written for the duo Cartographie de Rythmes' album Vitesses Approchantes, but the percussion sounds produced by Sylvain Darrifourcq and Toma Gouband create a disordered obfuscation. Kinda sort of. Think about a Steve Reich drumming project that purposely avoids synchronization. Darrifourcq and Gouband produce simple rhythmic patterns at different tempos making the sonic equivalent of the Jerry Lewis comic dance scene from the film The Nutty Professor (1963). Again, kinda sort of. Gouband's tools include stones, plants and traditional drum elements, and Darrifourcq focuses on the interactions between the machine and the body. The patterns the duo produces come together before splintering off onto uncoordinated paths. Just when the listener is attuned to a sequence it is scattered, leaving the ear unbalanced. The music is both frustrating and fascinating. Back to Kern, "And that's why/I won't dance/I won't dance/I won't dance, merci beaucoup."

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