sound suggestions for travellers

yvinek lp
Originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

YVINEK:RECYCLING THE FUTURE
BMG, 2002

as i was attempting to give my cd's some comprehensive order, this one surfaced and was an obvious choice for today's post.
french bass player daniel yvinek's cv included collaborations with Salif Keita, Hector Zazou, Tania Maria, David Byrne, Riyuichi Sakamoto, John Cale, Suzanne Vega or David Sylvian. here's for credentials.
but amazingly, while receiving elogious reviews everywhere, the cd seemed to find a direct way from advance limited copies to bargain bins.
it probably suffered bad timing release and certainly lacked the standard genius marketing approach. here, former prestigious collaborations meant little to the major masterminds of labeling. there was no connection with early trip-hop experiments, no hip-hop credibility or former dj/french touch angle to stick on the cover. you couldn't dance to it in a club but to my knowledege, no remix treatment was dispensed (and all for the better) and it was probably too original to be picked up by any lounge bar compilation lazy accountant.
it's a musician's album for sure. so rich i can't even think of any description but just rely on reminiscence: some bass-clarinet parts evoke john surman's works, "angel-like" harmonica/piano duets are on a bill evans/thielemans' "affinity" palette... that's for starters.
the liner notes credits themselves are a world apart:
"secret tape recorder, polyrythms, teenage voice, stimulating ideas, bliss-thru soprano sax, cheap loops, distorted reality, river clapping, flower pots, high-heel walking, handmade engines"... all this was recorded and recycled in numerous locations including villages, fields, comfortable high-tec recording studios, people's houses, kitchens..."
picked up by ninja tune or warp or morr music or ecm, yvinek's opus would have probably set up its own standard in audio reverie.
but it's not too late, RECYCLING THE FUTURE is a perfect timeless late summer/fall album.
almost all the info i googled are in french but give it a try if you feel like it.
special order is once again probably the only option at your local store but it's worth it.
tracks:
THE COMPLETE UNKNOWN TERRITORY HANDBOOK/track deleted
UNKNOWN COMPANION
/track deleted
yvinek released last spring an interesting compilation worth checking too:
NEW MORNING: A DREAM MIX BY YVINEK which melt chet baker singing in italian with morricone strings, frank mccomb, blossom dearie, bill frisell, andy bey, shirley horn.