Short Reviews [Various Artists - 2021 - "La Fete de la Musique"]

There are very few labels in the world which I deem to be absolutely essential, with virtually every release a guaranteed classic. Cuneiform and Moonjune are obviously included, and since I came across French label Dur et Doux there is no doubt they also belong in that very select club. The reason for that is these guys specialise in avant-garde and RIO, and I was first introduced to them by a friend who said I just had to listen to Le Grand Sbam, and since then I have loved everything I have heard on the label. Looking at the 15 tracks on offer, I have reviewed virtually all the bands involved, and one of the delights is that they all sound so completely different yet also fit within a sound I expect from the label itself. This is music which is totally out of left field and is often experimental, and certainly would never fit in any person’s idea of the mainstream. This means it will only ever be of interest to a niche group of people, but for those of us who enjoy our music to be challenging and different to the norm then this is a real voyage of discovery. Released two years after their previous compilation, this is the best way to discover music from a label which is totally uncompromising in its approach, with the only guarantee that each track will be unlike anything else. There is a heavy focus on Lyon-based musicians of course, but there are also some bands from further afield, from the operatic Le Grand Sbam to the wonderful Chromb and Mange Ferraille there is just so much here to enjoy. If you have yet to come across this incredible label and their amazing bands then this surely is the best way to do it. Listen to it on Bandcamp, where it can be downloaded for just ˆ6.66, and then check out the full albums available from those involved.