(2021) Meril Wubslin - Alors Quoi


Review:
…Swiss trio: Christian Garcia-Gaucher, Valérie Niederoest and Jérémie Conne, under the name Meril Wubslin have delivered, in Alors Quoi, a somewhat transfixing and utterly bewitching listen. With rich sublime vocal harmonies and hypnotic riffs, Alors Quoi proves to be rather special, and well worth checking out. The album and its nine tracks defy traditional categories. Folk, synth, chant, dance, and even a little hauntology are thrown in the mix for good measure. It works too, with a spellbinding collection of songs and tunes which entice the ear. It’s an intimate recording, with minimal instrumental accompaniment. As the trio note: “We were surprised by the wide range of possibilities, much more direct and much more emotional actually. Just mics in front of our unplugged guitars, small percussions, our naked voices, et voila…” It’s hard not to be transfixed by opener ‘Là-autour’ with its rhythmic, hypnotic pace accompanied by the pensive vocals of Niederoest it is easy to drift here, to be swept up in its repetition and meditative power. ‘À part ça’ features a menacing, exotic synth accompaniment, reinforcing the threat and uncertainty of the track’s message. Building with some haunting bass synth, it is a brooding listen. Whilst ‘Flâner’ has the flavour of Lou Reed here – and captures the essence of the city streets, the habit of strolling, or observing yet remaining apart. It’s exciting and disturbing in equal measures. ‘Alors Marche’ feels almost theatrical, opening with echoing chimes and a melancholic, almost melodramatic, chant. Its rhythm and title suggest movement, progression, but to what? Uncertainty is a common theme on the album, well-mined by the trio, and an effective premise to play with. On the other hand, ‘Sais-tu’ is a beautifully simple little song, Niederoest’s harmonious vocals accompanied by pure piano. It’s elegant, emotional, and soothing. Quickly followed by the more ominous ‘Bruit‘, the arrangement captures the darkness and ambiguity played with on the album. Nothing is ever quite what it seems, or should be, on Alors Quoi. ‘La traverée’ takes us back to darkness. It feels homespun, with some creaky synth and off-kilter strings. A threat, or a promise. An unsettling track, but equally irresistible. The album closes with ‘Laisser parler’, and a somewhat positive listen it is too. It encourages us to consider the album, to reflect on what we have listened too, and, hopefully, to return. Guitar and Niederoest’s vocals populate the track, and as such, it feels almost the most traditional song on the album, but it is nonetheless affecting for that. Alors Quoi is an album that’s soaked in the otherworld as well as the subconscious one. Its themes revel in questions rather than answers. It’s a listen that deserves repeat. Treat your ears to this and you genuinely won’t be disappointed; it’s mesmeric sound creeps into your psyche and nestles there; snug with its low-key groove.





Tracklist:
01 - Là autour
02 - La traversée
03 - Alors marche
04 - Flâner
05 - Sais-tu
06 - Le bruit
07 - C'est faux
08 - À part ça
09 - Laisser parler


Media Report:
Genre: alternative folk
Format: FLAC
Format/Info: Free Lossless Audio Codec, 16-bit PCM
Bit rate mode: Variable
Channel(s): 2 channels
Sampling rate: 44.1 KHz
Bit depth: 16 bits