Tom Greenland, The New York City Jazz Record

Tournesol, a short trio set recorded in Paris, takes avant minimalism to an extreme, blending the tones of guitarist Julien Desprez, bassist Benjamin Duboc and percussionist Julien Loutelier into an opaque electro-acoustic soundscape. Like a stagnant pond, the calm surface of the music belies the teeming organic life contained beneath. None of the instruments are recognizable by their signature sounds; rubbed pots and metallophones; digital loopers; bowed percussion; subdued attacks; swelling overtones; and heavy reverberation all add to the thick veil of sound. The result is like watching a movie blindfolded: the soundtrack is there, but the listener is forced to imagine the plot, characters and mise-en-scène.