Semool

Third in a series of ten reissues of the cult French underground Futura label. Featured on the legendary Nurse With Wound, this is one of Steven Stapleton’s favorite. Semool were the trio of Philippe Martineau, Olivier Cauquil and Rémy Dédé Dreano. Comprising Philippe Martineau, Olivier Cauqui, and Remy Dede Dreano, Semool turned in a pretty hard to swallow set of tunes, recorded between 1969 and 1971. For the most part, the disc is populated by a series of cut up and spliced together tape pieces with a bit of guitar, bass or keyboard functioning as an effort’s melodic figure. Even with such an obtuse description of the disc’s goings-ons, it’s still one of the more palatable efforts from the Futura Label. Palatable, is, of course, relative. But hey, the French were some weird folks with some weird proclivity towards non-commercial music, Serge be damned. This high quality reissue is fully licenced by Gerard Terrones. In reading just about anything touching on Semool and it’s one off disc Essais, there’s almost bound to be reference to Fille Qui Mousse and their Trixie Stapleton recording. Granted within Futura’s ranks, these two ensembles share more in common than a good deal of the jazz oriented or free improve stuff affiliated with the label. While Semool enjoys noise as much as any of its compatriots, there’s a lightness to it all. Piano closing out the fifth track and then opening the following number can’t be as difficult for the musically uninitiated to palette as Fille Qui Mousse’s work. That’s not even up for debate. “Absolute masterpiece released through Futura label” Mutant Sounds / “This is what might’ve happened if an absinthe-laden Pink Floyd had cut a session for Actuel/BYG! Dare I say essential?” John Gibson – Other Music