[reviews] afe103lcd
mark hamn: je déchire l'ongle aux criminels

 
musique machine []
webzine, u.k., october 2007

"Je dèchire l'ongle aux criminels" is an innovative, atmospheric and cinematic mix of melodic guitar craft, laptop manipulation, sound objects and field recordings.

Each of the tracks are fashioned masterfully with their own identity and vibe, Hamn aptly mixing his accomplished and mainly electric melodic guitar with a myriad of field recordings and sound textures to build up a very rich and detailed audio canvas that never loser either its atmospheric edge or becomes too swamped in aimless audio debris.

He utilizes voices, nature sounds, static and all manner of sounds, along with more harmonic elements like jazzy textural swoons - like on the beginning and end of track two - rich piano sentiments or electronic textural drones.

But the real star here is his guitar playing which goes from been a warming and tuneful, to rich and sentimental, to making walls of feedback, mixing in touches of folk, blues and memorable walls of softer rock harmonics.

A wonderful accomplished, rich and varied album of guitar craft and atmospheric sound painting. Surely of interest to those who enjoy their ambient and instrumental music richly detailed painted and sculptured.

It's such a crying game that this is limited to such a low number of 150 copies, so act quick and go to the Afe website for track samples, buy direct, etc.

[Roger Batty]

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