Lost legendary work from Guy Skornik – a heady set from early 70s France, and proof that there's a hell of a lot of greatness to discover on that scene! The album's got a blend of psych fuzz and deeper ideas that's not that far from Serge Gainsbourg – although the overall presentation is more cerebral, and influenced by the ideas of GI Gurdjieff, carried out by Skornik in this sublime blend of acoustic elements and larger orchestrations directed by jazzman Ivan Jullien! Like some of the best French work of this time, the album has a wonderful balance between the personal and professional – the intimate and the ambitious – which really makes things exciting and fresh, and very different than anything you might have been digging on this side of the Atlantic at the time. Titles include "Realite", "L'Ile De Paques", "Fulcanni", "Je Vois Ce Que Je Crois", "Quest Ce Que Le Dream", and "Je Ne Sais Pas Je Ne Sais Plus Rien". CD

An album of fragile beauty and buried darkness – in a space that's somewhere between the work of Nico and Brigitte Fontaine, but a fair bit sweeter overall! Emmanuelle Parrenin sings here in a timeless style that might almost be called folksy – especially in the return to tradition styles of the UK 70s scene – but it's also got a slightly headier feel overall, almost trippy at times, with a sense of crumbling innocence that's further underscored by spare instrumentation that includes hurdy-gurdy, spinet, and dulcimer. Most tunes just feature vocals and some combination of these instruments – and a few numbers feature slightly larger backing, but never a full group mode. Titles include "Ritournelle", "Leiturgie", "Copraze", "Lecharpe De Soie", "Ce Matin A Fremontel", and "Belle Virginie". Amazing vinyl reissue – very heavy cover and vinyl, and beautifully done overall! (Rock, French) LP, Vinyl record album