<div>Large-scale improvisation runs the risk of devolving into indistinct masses of sound. While this outcome is not necessarily undesirable, maintaining coherence among more than a handful of improvisers is a challenge. Onceim, a French ensemble of over 30 musicians led by Frédéric Blondy, manages to thread this needle by taking a slow, quiet approach that hides complexity within passages of long-held tones. Including strings, reeds, horns, piano, guitars, and percussion, the three pieces of Laminaire evolve at a geological pace but drip with tension. Two tracks are live recordings from 2020 and 2018, respectively, while the third appears to be a studio session from 2020. To avoid the tendency toward chaos mentioned above, the musicians seem to be partitioned into roles. Some provide rich drones, while others add texture (e.g., shimmering violin, skittering percussion, guttural sax). It is unlikely that all 30+ play simultaneously and rather trade off foreground and background roles. Despite there being some loose organization process-wise, the output is undeniably open-ended and extemporaneous, with generous use of extended techniques. And they are not afraid to “break character” from time to time and produce a wall of sound.Laminaire will be released on August 2 by Relative Pitch. If you think you’ve heard everything that free improv has to offer, think again and give this album a listen. </div>

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AMN Reviews: Onceim – Laminaire (2024; Relative Pitch)

Large-scale improvisation runs the risk of devolving into indistinct masses of sound. While this outcome is not necessarily undesirable, maintaining coherence among more than a handful of improvisers is a challenge. Onceim, a French ensemble of over 30 musicians led by Frédéric Blondy, manages to thread this needle by taking a slow, quiet approach that hides complexity within passages of long-held tones.

AMN Reviews: Onceim – Laminaire (2024; Relative Pitch)

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