Territoire - Alix [Humo 010]

Put on the circuit via the fully independent Humo label is "Alix", the latest album effort created by Olivier Arson under his artistic moniker that is Territoire. Teaming up with Techno don Oscar Mulero and collaborating with contributors like David Sergeant, David Herrington and Greg Gobel the Frenchman carves out a seven track longplay piece which was announced via the video "Chant (Voice)" on these pages in early March. Released on April 13th, 2k18 the album follows the conceptual path of a slave named "Alix" from his birth to a grand finale, starting out with the beautiful Synth driven Ambient / Deep Listening Music of "Sourd" which is only disturbed by ghostly and indecipherable vocal echoes, a trademark technique that's pretty uncanny and - for the most part - might not necesssarily sit well with those who are mostly in it for the music and not the conceptual side of things. With "Esclvvv" we're going into angelic heavens musically for a start although once again the echoing vocals interrupt, leading the tune into a darker, Industrial-focused direction, creating an eerie tension due to its meandering, partly Dubstep-reminiscing bassline and screamingly intense atmospheric backgrounds, "Soumission" is more on a grinding, devil'ish Slo-Mo Techno tip, "Chant" caters deepest Ambient melancholia whilst indicating lurking danger and "Exil" brings on more dark and threating Industrial Techno with intensely oscillating midrange bass frequencies and a slightly ritualistic attitude. As second to last tune there's "Mata / Xim", a solemn, yet thundering Dark Ambient cut for worshipping the dark side before "Quatre Siecles De Privileges" concludes the album on a more peaceful tip introwise, working its way up to a thrilling climax towards the end, ending on a cliffhanger that keeps one asking how the story of "Alix" might continue in future times.

Album artwork on Instagram!