Ensemble - Excerpts

Ensemble is a little bit different. The brainchild of Olivier Alary, the music owes more to film scores and an emerging modern classical movement than to the indie-rock/pop you might expect from something released by Fat Cat. The second single from Ensemble’s debut album of the same name, Excerpts consists of two tracks which act as an excellent introduction to the mind of Alary; Excerpts and Norilsk.

When Excerpts begins, the instrumentation is sparse with ethereal vocals provided by Darcy Conroy gliding over plucked strings and a minimalist bass line. When the percussion kicks in you could be forgiven for thinking of a more stripped-back Bat for Lashes, however it is here that the track distinguishes itself as the guitar kicks in and the strings begin to work alongside Conroy’s vocals creating a gorgeous, lush sound almost at odds with the song’s wistful, melancholic lyrics. It flits back and forth between the sparse and the full-bodied without sounding like a song trying to do too many things at once.

B-side Norilsk is an interesting companion to Excerpts. Sung entirely in French by Dominique A, Norilsk creates a dense soundscape from the beginning. There’s a sense of menace in the music, but Dominique’s vocals are gently pleading with a sort of soft urgency about them. As a non-speaker of French I still found Dominique’s vocals to be what made this track stand out. Plus I have an odd soft spot for French vocals.

Norilsk is definitely more ambient than Excerpts, but it is the differences between the tracks that makes this single work really well as a showcase for the two main musical modes of Ensemble.


Excerpts is released on 31st January via Fat Cat Records.
For more, visit www.ensemble-home.com

LD