Mike Salta
Authentic in a league of its own. When embraced by this sound, its a dreamy voyage back to some early 70's, and a roadtrip by the mediterranean coastline in a Fiat Spyder with Jean Paul Belmondo.
Among the best albums of 2019.
Favorite track: L'Élan Vital 1.
Emmanuel Mario keeps moving. The further he travels, the more he sounds like someone who has finally arrived where he has always been supposed to be. After collaborations with artists like Stereolab’s Laetitia Sadier or the group Holden, his last album as Astrobal took the French composer and drummer to »Australasie« in 2016. On his second LP for the Berlin-based Karaoke Kalk, he ventures even further, eventually heading for »L'infini, l'Univers et les Mondes« - infinity, the universe and the worlds. Leaving behind the more krautrock-inspired approach he followed on »Australasie«, Astrobal focuses on a way of storytelling that takes conventional pop songwriting as a point of departure, yet arrives in previously unknown places.
Over the course of eleven songs, the multi-instrumentalist further perfects his craft of life-affirming, funk-infused synth pop. Drawing on the work of pioneers like Brian Eno or Yellow Magic Orchestra, 80s electronic funk music and blue-eyed soul, shoegaze and the rich tradition of progressive music and kosmische in his native France, »L'infini, l'Univers et les Mondes« indicates a major development in Mario’s futuristic and decidedly cosmic approach to songwriting.
At the heart of the »French psychedelic new age pop for the world«, as he himself has dubbed his sound, always sits a rhythmic idea - an irresistible groove that is being complimented with intricate synthesizer harmonies and bouncing bass lines. In the meanwhile, Mario’s voice is drifting over the tightly woven compositions as if in zero gravity. Not quite lonely, intimate yet far away, occasionally in conversation with robots and other inhabitants of outer space he comes across on his journey.
As a coherent narrative, »L'infini, l'Univers et les Mondes« tells a story of extraterrestrial excursions. As a musical statement however, it sees Astrobal coming home after more than two decades in the world of music, finding a niche for himself with a style that is as adventurous as it is thrilling.
Recorded, mixed and produced by Astrobal at La Bergerie, in the south of France during the year 2018
Mastering & mastercut by Mike Grinser at Manmade Mastering (Berlin)
All tracks published by Karaoke Kalk Musikverlag except « La route à l’envers » published by Flamophone
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10 000 Ans (music & lyrics by Astrobal)
Arrangements by Astrobal & Vincent Guyot
Flutes: Arnaud Sèche
Backing vocals: Nina Savary
Keyboards, bass guitar: Vincent Guyot
Lead vocals, keyboards, drums: Astrobal
Le Frisson Ultrasonique (music & lyrics by Astrobal)
Arrangements by Astrobal & Vincent Guyot
Bass guitar: Xavi Muñoz
Keyboards, electric guitars: Vincent Guyot
Lead vocals: Nina Savary
Lead vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboards, drums: Astrobal
Cygne Lyre (Astrobal)
All instruments: Astrobal
La Faune Pélagique (music by Astrobal,Andrew Mitchell, Raz Ullah / Lyrics by Astrobal)
Arrangements by Astrobal, Andrew Mitchell & Raz Ullah
Keyboards, bass guitar, drums (on first part): Andrew Mitchell
Keyboards, sci fi sounds: Raz Ullah
Lead vocals, keyboards, acoustic guitar, drums on second part: Astrobal
100 000 Ans (Astrobal)
All instruments: Astrobal
Chaque Été (music & lyrics by Astrobal)
Arrangements by Astrobal & Vincent Guyot
Electric & acoustic guitars, bass guitar: Vincent Guyot
Lead vocals, keyboards, drums: Astrobal
L’Élan Vital Part I & II (music & lyrics by Astrobal)
Arrangements by Astrobal & Vincent Guyot
Backing vocals: Nina Savary
Electric guitar, bass guitar, keyboards: Vincent Guyot
Lead vocals, keyboards, drums: Astrobal
La Route À l’Envers (music & lyrics by Bernard Ilous)
Arrangements by Astrobal, Vincent Guyot & Julien Gasc
Bass guitar, keyboards: Julien Gasc
Keyboards: Vincent Guyot
Lead vocals, keyboards, drums: Astrobal
Interaction Forte (Astrobal)
All instruments: Astrobal
L’infini, l’Univers et les Mondes (Astrobal)
All instruments: Astrobal
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Cover photo by Louis Décamps
Cover painting by Chesley Bonestell, « Nova melting hypothetical planet », 1955
Inner sleeve photos by David Chambriard, Louis Décamps & Astrobal
Cover design by Sébastien Trihan
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Instruments played on this album: Yamaha AN1X, Yamaha CP11, Yamaha CP70, Casio MT240, Casio CZ1, Critter and Guitari Organelle, Lipp Pianoline, Gaveau Grand Piano, Armon Organ, Moog Sub 37, Animoog, Roland SH101, Korg MS20, Wurlitzer piano, Roland Juno 6, Gretsch Catalina Drums, GB electric guitar, Martin acoustic guitar, Viola bass guitar, Hofner electric bass guitar, Fender precision bass guitar.
THANKS, LOVE AND INSPIRATION:
Nina Savary, Vincent Guyot, Thorsten Lütz, Fleur, Mario, Julien Gasc, Xavi Muñoz, Sébastien Trihan, Andrew Mitchell, Raz Ullah, Frédéric Rebet, Bernard Ilous, Louis Décamps, David Chambriard, Giordano Bruno, Arnaud Sèche, Eddy Crampes, Antoine Vuilloz, Ricky Hollywood, Laetitia Sadier, Arnaud Dumatin, Michel Peteau, Armelle Pioline, Matthieu Beck, Marie Merlet, Arnaud Fleurent-Didier, Oblique Strategies, Michel Legrand, Allen Avanessian, Isao Tomita, Ojard.
Astrobal is Emmanuel Mario solo project. He also works as producer and drummer with Laetitia Sadier, Arnaud Fleurent-Didier, Pink Shabab, Marker Starling, Institut, Iko Chérie, ...
supported by 8 fans who also own “L'infini, l'Univers et les Mondes”
Awesome! But i'am a little bit sad, that there is no lyrics which I can read. For someone who is no native english speaker it would be so usefull to read the text ... I miss it!!! corneliazlata
From despair and grief to optimism, the subdued electronic compositions on the latest from Opus form a moving narrative. Bandcamp New & Notable Dec 3, 2023