Heldon - Heldon IV: Agneta Nilsson (1976)

Review by Philippe Blache @ Prog Archives:

This album is the French quintessential in spacey-droning electronic universe. The concept of “perspective” (song titles) linked to “the elasticity of humanity” and the “chaosmos” always refers to Gilles Deleuze and a part of the contemporary French philosophical tradition. “Agneta Nilsson” is far better than everything else written by Heldon. Richard Pinhas’ little sloppy imitation of Robert Fripp’s guitar style has gone to let the place to hyper-visceral and hypnotic floating electronic textures. No electronic rhythms just an amazing electronic storm, with haunting, eerie, surreal sounds. The first track is just unbelievable and can remind some of electro-acoustic researches from the GRM; a spacey “kosmische” soundscape with ultra vibrating sounds. “Bassong” is a nice bass guitar ambient interlude. “Persepctive III” features an abundant use of electronic minimal (but dynamic) patterns , creating a luminous, concentric dreaminess. “Perspective IV” looks like more previous compositions of the band with glacial hypno-pulsations, driving, technical drums. Electronic grandeur and trance like (psych-acoustic) effects for a true classic!



Tracklisting:
1. Perspective I (où commence le nihilisme actif) (10:28)
2. Perspective II (3:15)
3. Perspective III (Baader Meinhof Blues) (10:49)
4. Bassong (3:01)
5. Perspective IV: (21:45)
...i Perspective IV
...ii Virgin Sweedish Blues
...iii Psylocybine

Total Time: 49:18

Line-Up:
- Richard Pinhas / Mellotron, 1954 Gibson Les Paul guitar, synthesizers (1-3,5)
- Michel Ettori / guitars, composition (4)
- Alain Bellaiche / bass (5)
- Gérard Prevost / bass (4)
- Patrick Gauthier / Minimoog (5)
- Philibert Rossi / Mellotron (1)
- Coco Roussel / drums, percussion (2,5)