“217 IV has to be the most beautiful opus, the most serene album of Centrozoon to my ears”
1 Star's End 2016 60:00 2 Star's End 2016 (Soundcheck) 10:25 Iapetus Records
(DDL 70:25) (V.F.) (Ambient music)
Who said that the music of Centrozoon was only a dump of chaotic movements guided by a river of strange and unusual sound effects? It is necessary to make adjustment with this 217 IV. Proposed, consisted and interpreted with the spirit which surrounds the beautiful nights of the legendary Star's End radio show, Star's End 2016 proposes a new aspect of the duet Bernhard Wöstheinrich and Markus Reuter. Certainly, both accomplices always polish up a music where the quirky effects remain the foundation of a very audacious orientation, but this long piece of 60 minutes is one of the most unctuous, hey yes, that I heard from Centrozoon. Performed within the framework of their North American tour in autumn, 2016, this album follows the performance Chez Thomas, except that this time Markus Reuter is well intend to leave almost intact the desire of Morpheus reverie of Bernhard Wöstheinrich.
The introduction is weaved in lines of mists and of amorphous voices which follow a more and more threatening corridor, because our senses perceive a tension to come. That takes the shape of sibylline layers of which the murmurs of ectoplasms roar from a starving guitar. Divided between a seraphic approach and another one resolutely more chthonian, due to the presence of the brass spirit from the electric six-strings, the introduction of Star's End 2016 flirts all the same with the anesthetic perfumes pre nocturnal of a night which sounds very welcoming. The nitrogenous howling of the guitar, Markus Reuter lets also drop nice lonely chords, adopts at times the abrasive side of the synth layers while quite slowly the music moves forward in the night. The keyboard scatters little grave arpeggios which resound in the echoes of diverse manipulations of tones and in the guitar treatments, modulating a delicate movement which skips between the multiple lines and layers of the synths and the guitar which test the tolerance from each other. Otherwise, of our desire to meditate with our guests of this night. And in spite of the duality of the contrasting tonal effects, the music flows with this small derisive side of the Centrozoon duet. The sequencer weaves a good amorphous march before gamboling under the friendly effects of Markus Reuter. At times, at especially around the 35th minute point, the idea to find a resemblance with the music of Arc isn't that bad, testifying of the musicality in 217 IV which sells peacefully the last 15 minutes with the wisdom of the gods of the night. Possibly the most beautiful opus of Centrozoon to my ears. Even Star's End 2016 (Soundcheck) amazes because of its very electronic musicality. We start resolutely the discovery of the universe of this very eclectic duet Centrozoon by this album!
Sylvain Lupari (March 19th, 2018) ***½**
Available at Iapetus Bandcamp