Geraldine Eguiluz & Michael F Cote - Hors Temps [Ambiances Magnetiques 284]

Released via the long-standing Canadian label that is Ambiances Magnetiques as their cat.no. 284 on December 5th, 2k25 is "Hors Temps", an - albeit rather unusual - collaborational album effort created by Geraldine Eguiluz and Michael F Cote which is based on a collection of early 90s cassette recordings by Eguiluz newly re-arranged into collages by herself before being further fragmented, enhanced, twisted, overdubbed, complimented and re-splintered by Cote to end up in a final form - this album. With a total of sixteen pieces rolled out over the course of roughly 42 minutes "Hors Temps" caters a highly fascinating and highly complex amalgamation of almost ritualistic Field Recordings with a Tribal attitude ("Territoires Perdus #1"), ethereal Freak Folk backed by eerie reverse tape loops ("La Montana Y El Agua"), glitches, cut-ups and Musique Concrete references, ghostly inner city Jazz ("La Montana Y El Viento"), dark and deeply nocturnal pieces with score'esque qualities like the ominous "Les Grands Departs" with its slightly dusty vintage feel and slightly off-kilter minor piano tones, echoes of Industrial, FoundSound and even bits of a chanson'esque attitude to be found in "Despedida" whereas cuts like "La Montana Dorada" open with a captivating melodic grandeur before defragmenting into a million Free Improv x Free Jazz informed details just to name a few. Highly interesting and defo an album to reveal a plethora of hidden layers over the course of many a listening session to come. And probably one speaking to all those who still remember the 'Ekkehard Ehlers Plays...' -series released via the Staubgold label in the early noughties which catered a similarly intimate and collage'esque overall feel at the time. Recommended.