Colleen is no stranger to deeply contemplative, deeply beautiful music, but on Le jour et la nuit du reel ("the day of the night of reality"), shes operating on another level. Her eighth full-length muses on how the perception of reality -- ones own and others -- changes from moment to moment and from day to night. Such a heady concept is difficult to express in words, so she doesnt try to; instead, she delivers her first fully instrumental music since 2007s Les ondes silencieuses. As much as Colleens vocals enhanced breathtaking works like Captain of None and A Flame My Love, A Frequency, her return to her roots allows her to express herself with exquisite clarity. It also let her create prolifically: Her first double album, Le jour et la nuit du reel, is a study in maximal minimalism. Recorded with only her Moog Grandmother and a pair of analog effects pedals, it comprises seven larger pieces consisting of smaller movements that serve as reminders of just how complete Colleens music is without vocals. "Mon Coeur"s eloquent melodies dont need further adornment as they range from flutey, fluttering warmth to tiptoeing tones. On "Night Looping," motifs that toss and turn on themselves give the circling thoughts of sleepless nights a deceptive grace. Le jour et la nuit du reels wordless compositions let listeners interpret the album as they see fit, elegantly underscoring the concept that a universal reality is likely impossible. Colleens response to this falls somewhere between freedom and isolation, both of which can be felt in the silence surrounding the albums pieces and its quick-shifting moods. At the same time, theres a reassuring connection in each suites repeated themes and the way each piece becomes part of a transcendent whole. "Les Parentheses Enchantees," the albums longest suite, exemplifies all of these subtle, seemingly contradictory feelings as it evolves from softly pealing tones to pointed ones, all of which are underpinned by staccato pulses that mark the passing of each vanishing moment. Despite its gentle flow, Le jour et la nuit du reel brings more tension and urgency to Colleens music than her previous work, particularly on "Subterranean," where bright oscillations evoke sunbeams piercing the horizon. The album moves like thought itself, sometimes floating in a daze, sometimes snapping to attention. "Be Without Being Seen" encompasses these extremes with the pensive drift of its first movement and the frantic arpeggios of its third movement, which suggest shadows overtaking the last bit of daylight. Its fitting that such a thoughtful work reveals more shades with each listen, and while grasping all facets of reality may not be achievable, Le jour et la nuit du reel expresses Colleens truth brilliantly. ~ Heather Phares

Rovi