Review: GR - Propel Tension On Polyester Base

Another album I've been sitting on, this time initially with a view to posting nearer release time, but, as is so often the way, life tends to get in the way. Anyway, better late than never. It would have been a crime not to write a few words about 'Propel Tension On Polyester Base' as it is a truly great record. GR, for those who don't know, is one Gregory Raimo, erstwhile denizen of France and vocalist/lead guitarist for Gunslingers (and if you don't know them, check out 2012's 'Massacre-Rock Deviant Inquisitors' album.) and a most creative solo artist. This album is a "decisive effort in tape recording", made up of archive tracks recorded between 2008 - 2012 and GR plays all the instruments himself. As a body of work it is highly impressive, covering a huge spectrum of genres and styles to produce an album of chaotic beauty and unpredictable creativity. The vinyl is available from Opaque Dynamo.

'Perforation' gets things going in fine style; a driving track laden with distorted guitar and a pulsing rhythm. It is built on repetitive guitar chords and a bubbling bassline that is interspersed with some fine guitar freakouts that get more frenetic as the track progresses. 'Vertical Take-Off (Part 1)' opens with wailing guitar and some backmasking before it opens out into something far more funkier. The guitar continues to wail with the funkiness coming from the incessant drums and percussion. When the vocals arrive they are treated and mired in echo to give them an otherworldly vibe. The thing that really strikes the listener though is that guitar - it lays down some coruscating space rock with nary a moment to draw breath. 'A Flickered View Negative' is a short vignette straight out of the Cabaret Voltaire electronica handbook - initially sounding fairly abstract but there is a definite structure to it underneath the electronic squiggles and squirms. 'Violet Piss In Snobbish Eardrums', as well as being an ace title, builds on that CV electronica, adding flourishes of Severed Heads and some Devo freakery. It has the feel of some of the cutting edge music produced in the early eighties and yet manages to sound uniquely contemporary while 'Ritual To The Decadent' takes things based to more guitar based themes. This time, the soaring spacerock/psych guitar is swapped for some exemplary playing, sounding almost flamenco bordering on the classical guitar - it is becoming apparent that one cannot predict what is coming next such are the rich pickings of this album.

The second side of the album sees 'Vertical Take-Off' revisited with '(Part 2)'. The same jazzy, funky drums as '(Part 1)' and some spacey guitar, the real difference being the lack of vocals. The next 2 tracks amount to 2 minutes between them; 'Altostratus' is another short workout in claustrophobic electronica - very 'Bladerunner' with flashes of the kosmische within and 'Forward Signal', a very brief (11 seconds) intermission of radio noise. The title track, 'Propel Tension On Polyester Base' has some fantastic jazzy drums over which GR builds layers and layers of electronica. The juxtaposition of 'traditional' music with the more avant garde electronic musings give the track an almost schizophrenic feel, but it works - the comfort and familiarity of the drums with the abstract electronics combine well to produce a track that works exceptionally well with headphones. 'Shock Degrees' opens with an analogue drone that builds until the entirety of the track is taken up with dark drones - it has the same dark ambient feel of Lustmord. 'Down The Hidden Shade' sees GR show us mastery of the guitar once more; another masterclass in classical guitar this time accompanied by noirish vocals...it's got flashes of Nick Cave in it. Via the 5 second burst of 'Backward Signal', the album is brought to a close by 'Down The Hidden Shade'. Another track built on electronica, this time with a hauntological edge to it...that same crackly old record vibe that The Caretaker does so well. It has a distinctly menacing feel about it, partly due to the flashes of guitar that punctuate the hiss and crackle and drone.

There is a lot to admire about this album; the fact that it was all recorded on reel-to-reel tape recorders and 4-track cassette recorders, the artful way in which it has been constructed and the blindingly obvious musicianship of GR (that guitar!) but what really struck me was the sheer breadth of what is on show. He moves from psychedelic freakouts to abstract electronica to beautiful classical guitar in the blink of an eye - on first listen you never know what is going to hit you next. Never predictable, never dull and always top quality..excellent stuff! The vinyl (300gm and Heavy Sleeve printed on uncoated reversed paper)is available from the Opaque Dynamo website here and the download can be got via the GR Bandcamp page here.