V.A. (VARIOUS ARTISTS) (COMPILATIONS) — In Fractured Silence

Compilation curated by Steven Stapleton (of Nurse with Wound) of creative-experimental-unlikely music, originally released in 1984. Released on his United Dairies label that he had created with John Fothergill, he naturally called on Jean-Jacques Birg� and Francis Gorg�, who were then playing with Bernard Vitet in Un drame musical instantan�. The compilation would be named In Fractured Silence. Alongside Nurse With Wound and Un drame musical instantan�, could be heard H�l�ne Sage (whom Birg� introduced to Stapleton) and Sema, a project from the experimental British musician Robert Haigh who had participated in key records in the Nurse With Wound discography, such as Homotopy to Marie and Spiral Insana.



Carefully restored and remastered from by Gilles Laujol
Graphic design by Stefan Thanneur
Digipack CD
Licensed from United Dairies

Have you heard of the Nurse With Wound List? If you are a fan of creative-experimental-unlikely music, certainly. You would therefore be aware that amongst the recommendations that Steven Stapleton slipped into the first album of his group Nurse With Wound, were to be found a few restless frogs: Jef Gilson, Luc Ferrari, Jacques Thollot, Urban Sax, Horde Catalytique and last�

� but not least Jean-Jacques Birg� and Francis Gorg�. Stapleton admired their album D�fense de. The two Frenchmen just had to conceive of a fabulous precursor to the channel tunnel (check out the inside of the record, you�ll see) to enable Stapleton to come to France in 1980. The Englishman was looking for contributions to a compilation to be released on his United Dairies label that he had created with John Fothergill, and he naturally called on Birg� and Gorg�, who were then playing with Bernard Vitet in �Un drame musical instantan�.

It was a done deal and the compilation would be named In Fractured Silence. Alongside Nurse With Wound and Un drame musical instantan�, could be heard H�l�ne Sage (whom Birg� introduced to Stapleton) and Sema, a project from the experimental British musician Robert Haigh who had participated in key records in the Nurse With Wound discography, such as Homotopy to Marie and Spiral Insana.

The curtain is raised and it is Un drame musical instantan� who start the ball rolling. Mystery abounds; synthesisers lurk, percussion clatters and the sounds (creaks, whistles, vocal insertions�) fire in all directions. For the piano, it�s a debacle, the Drame won, H�l�ne Sage can take over. Heading up a quintette including Gorg� and Vitet, she creates a cushioned chamber music with strings and many silences.

On the B side, it�s the other side of the channel. Sema�s piano first off, which dares everything, even melody, before spilling out its darkest ideas in a raucous requiem. Finally, Stapleton appears, delving into his collection of female voices to devote himself to an iconoclastic transformation and concoct a song which collapses under the assault like Marianne at Agincourt. After having listened to In Fractured Silence, you will simply have to choose sides.

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Avez-vous d�j� entendu parler de la Nurse With Wound List ? Si vous �tes amateur de musique cr�ativo-exp�rimentalo-improbable, s�rement. Vous n��tes donc pas sans ignorer que parmi les conseils d��coute que Steven Stapleton a gliss� dans le premier album de son Nurse With Wound, on trouve quelques froggies agit�s du bocal : Jef Gilson, Luc Ferrari, Jacques Thollot, Urban Sax, Horde Catalytique pour la fin�

� Et aussi Jean-Jacques Birg� et Francis Gorg�, dont Stapleton a appr�ci� l�album D�fense de. Il suffira aux deux Fran�ais d�imaginer avant l�heure un fabuleux tunnel sous la Manche (regardez � l�int�rieur du disque, vous comprendrez) pour qu�au milieu des ann�es 1980 Stapleton gagne la France. Prospectant pour une compilation � para�tre sur United Dairies, le label qu�il a cr�� avec John Fothergill, l�Anglais rencontre naturellement Birg� et Gorg�, qui jouent d�sormais avec Bernard Vitet dans Un drame musical instantan�.

L�affaire est entendue et la compilation aura pour nom In Fractured Silence. Aux c�t�s de Nurse With Wound et d�Un drame musical instantan�, on y entendra H�l�ne Sage (que Birg� a pr�sent� � Stapleton) et Sema, projet de l�exp�rimentateur briton Robert Haigh qui aura particip� aux incontournables de la discographie nursewithdienne que sont Homotopy to Marie et Spiral Insana.

Le rideau se l�ve : c�est Un drame musical instantan� qui ouvre le bal. Le myst�re est partout : les synth�tiseurs r�dent, les percussions claquent et les sons (grincements, sifflements, inserts vocaux�) fusent. Pour le piano, c�est la d�bandade, le drame a gagn�, H�l�ne Sage peut prendre le relais. A la t�te d�un quintet dont font partie Gorg� et Vitet, elle am�nage une musique de chambre capitonn�e avec des cordes et beaucoup de silences.

Sur la face B, c�est l�autre c�t� de la Manche. Le piano de Sema, d�abord, qui ose tout, m�me la m�lodie, avant de cracher ses id�es noires sur un requiem de bastringue. Enfin, c�est l�apparition de Stapleton qui pioche dans sa collection de voix f�minines pour s�adonner � une transformation iconoclaste et concocter une chanson qui croule sous les assauts comme Marianne � Azincourt. Apr�s avoir �cout� In Fractured Silence, il ne vous restera plus qu�� choisir votre camp.