Miriodor is another phenomenally talented group of musicians you have probably never heard of, but who have steadily been gaining momentum from a niche of enthusiasts. Their music is tasteful, ambitious, elegant, and complex. Consisting solely of instrumentation and only one record to their name containing vocals, their albums are jazz journeys through melody and chemistry. Economically overdubbing and keeping the studio tricks to a bare minimum, Miriodor play in typical jam fashion where the act of playing music is a communication based on listening. Having perfected this, the band sounds polished and flawless.

Formed in 1980 in Quebec City by Pascal Globensky and Francois Emond, the band initially began as a sextet. By 1985 however, the group streamlined and relocated to Montreal as a quartet with Sabin Hudon, and Remi LeClerc. With this, their seventh studio album, the band has lost the talents of Hudon and founder Emond and recruited Nicolas Masino and Bernard Falaise. The credentials of the members are impressive: Falaise is a staple in the 'musique actuelle' scene, Masino carries a Ph. D in musicology, and Globensky and LeClerc's talents are 30 years in the making.

It you are not convinced by now, it might be worthwhile to consider other music because Miriodor won't be for you. The seven songs on this album are all longer than six minutes and consist of virtuoso time changes and demanding phrasing which relishes in the anticlimactic. If you were to dance to this it would be from your toes and the tips of your fingers, alternating the lean of your head for comfort. This is to music what William Morris was to wallpaper: progressively decorative.

Still, William Morris is unique and invaluable and so are Miriodor. The real treat with this band will be to see them live. This plastic disc is not so much an album as it is a reminder of how important it is to see explosive musical chemistry organize before your eyes and ears.

Track Listing:

1. envoutement :: bewitchment
2. bolide debile :: dare devil
3. la roche :: meeting point
4. ecart-type :: standard deviation
5. a determiner :: to be determined
6. avanti! :: avanti!
7. reveille matin :: shadow of the alarm clock