11 5 18 2 5 18＜限定盤/Clear Vinyl＞

Though Yann Tiersens music is no stranger to electronics, theyve never been the focus of his music quite the way they are on 11 5 18 2 5 18. Created while preparing for his late 2021 live set at Superbooth, a Berlin festival celebrating synthesizers and modular gear, the album is both a continuation and a departure for Tiersen. His previous album Kerber fused delicate piano melodies with ambient washes and textures, a direction he embellishes on with the softly drifting "11 5 18 12 1 14 14," but more often than not, 11 5 18 2 5 18 provides new perspectives on Tiersens time-tested strengths. The heartrending melody of "16 15 21 12 12. 2 15 10 5 18" harks back to early works like Le Valse des Monstres, but the John Carpenter-like arpeggiated synths and syncopated beats that surround it sound unlike anything else in his body of work. Just how propulsive 11 5 18 2 5 18 is may come as a shock to longtime fans: the albums title track combines tones that flicker like rainbows refracted through cracked glass with a heavy, thrusting beat that borders on industrial, while the joyous anticipation and momentum "11 5 18. 1 12. 12 15 3 8" builds wouldnt be out of place at a rave. Though the move to the dance floor is the most surprising thing about the album, its not necessarily the most interesting. At times, the insistent rhythms hinder the swift, subtle shifts in melody and mood that make Tiersens music so compelling, and the way many of the tracks inevitably build to a four-on-the-floor beat becomes repetitive, robbing otherwise intriguing pieces like "1 18. 13 1 14 5 18. 11 15 26 8" of some of their impact. Nevertheless, 11 5 18 2 5 18 has some genuinely unexpected moments. The tracks with vocals -- which havent featured prominently in Tiersens work since 2019s ALL -- are among the highlights, with the ethereal female vocals on "13 1 18 25 (6 5 1 20. 17 21 9 14 17 21 9 19)" adding a graceful complement to its driving pulse and the darkwave leanings of "3 8 1 16 20 5 18. 14 9 14 5 20 5 5 14" suggesting that a collaboration between Tiersen and TR/ST could be magic. While the new approaches he uses on 11 5 18 2 5 18 arent always as distinctive as his previous work, its still worth hearing for fans of his compositional skills, which remain strong despite the albums changes. ~ Heather Phares