VOLAPÜK – WHERE IS TAMASHII? (Cuneiform Records) (2003/2024) (DL only)

A French drummer/percussionist Guigou Chenever, and compatriots Michel Mandel and Guillaume Saurel on clarinet and tarágató (looks like a clarinet, sounds like a soprano saxophone) and cello/ 6-string bass respectively, linking up with an ex-member of Japanese experimentalists After Dinner, violinist/ singer Takumi Fukushima, seems an unlikely combination, but well done to Cuneiform for reissuing an album that suffered from poor distribution first time around, but deserves a wider audience.

The music is quite difficult to categorise although some pointers might help: ‘Impro Cloche’ reminded me of 80s King Crimson while ‘Vol de Voiture’ touched on Afro beat (Chenever is a very varied and effective percussionist) thrown right out in the stereo mix towards the number’s conclusion. Penultimate track ‘Nouvelle Vague’ is in Univers Zero/ Present territory. Chamber music with elements of rock, world, and even modern classical, might be a reasonable assignation of where it’s at. In between, the infrequent vocals are engaging and clarinet proves an excellent lead instrument for the music; the cello and violin also add significantly to a unique and very listening genre-defying music.