THE GODEL CODEX
Oak
(2019 - Off Records/powered by Moonjune Records - Belgium)

https://stilll-off.bandcamp.com/album/oak

 AMAZING! A very different world of achievement for members of The Wrong Object, Michel Delville (guitar, Roland GR09, loops, electronics, lead vocals on 2,3,4,7) and Antoine Guenet formerly with Univers Zero, (keyboards, acoustic piano, electronics, lead vocals on 6,8), who play aside greats Etienne Plumer, who was born in South Korea but grew up in Belgium, a member of Rêve d’Elephant among others (on drums, electronics, samples), and Christophe Bailleau, born in France but now lives in Belgium, a multi media artist, who has been a member of Arden, Das Gift, and Forest City (on electronics, samples on 3,5,9,10), with additional electronics on track 10 by Philippe Franck, who played on Bailleau's 'Lights Out in the Ghosting Hour'.

The band name, title, and album cover may suggest some ambient, instrumental splurge of the abstract realm (which in some parts it is), but it is actually a concept based on mathematician Kurt Godel (Austrian/Hungarian born 1906-1978), who inspired them through his interest in loops and inherent limitations in mathematical systems that cannot be proved or disproved. So with a heady subject matter to catch the attention of intellects and the curious music lovers, get ready for another stunning and new kind of 'math rock', far beyond the norm. This entire project is a sympathetic romp through swirling ever so extraordinary fields of keepsake Canterbury frolic, ample excursions of oddity, equal spoonfuls of quirky and electronic diversion, and just the right interface of pondering Robert Wyatt world vocal pieces.

With your equilibrium adjusted, the courteous tracks escort you through a prodigal liberation for aspiration. This is a major masterpiece that any fan of Canterbury of the more co-mingled kind will fall over for. Ten tunes, 43:56 minutes worth of eccentric capricious performance not to be missed. BRAWNY AND BRILLIANT! Vital to your music collection, for the true progressive fans, especially for those in search of a treasure. Unless something better comes along, this may very well make my singular BEST RECORDING OF 2019. The physical CD is issued in a limited edition of 300.  I'm still shaking my head as to how incredible this is. A tremendous RECOMMENDATION!  

  ©Reviewed by Lee Henderson 3 - 23 - 2019  

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