Review: Univers Zero – Uzed (1984)

Uzed is Univers Zero’s fourth studio album.

For one reason or another, between Ceux du Dehors and Uzed, the band’s previous full-length album, Univers Zero, saw a complete line-up change, with the exception of drummer Daniel Denis. Most of the Ceux du Dehors line-up was still present on the 1983 Crawling Wind EP, but on Uzed, Michel Berckmans’ oboe and bassoon have been replaced by Dirk Descheemaeker’s clarinets and soprano saxophone, and Andy Kirk’s organ harmonium and piano by Jean-Luc Plouvier’s synthesizers and electric guitar. Bassist Guy Segers was also replaced by Chris Genet, who played on the band’s untitled debut album.

The Univers Zero, which has been revamped with crew and instrumentation changes, has a brighter and more modern sound. The sound of the previous albums was dark and at times downright medieval. Now the sound is more in tune with the times, even if it doesn’t sound like a typical 80s album, superbly recorded by Didier de Roos.

Denis had been Univers Zero’s main composer from the beginning, but Uzed is the first album where all the material is his creation. Despite this, and the renewed instrumentation, Uzed is a relatively clear continuation of Ceux du Dehors, released three years earlier.

Uzed’s genre is still complex chamber and instrumental avant-prog. Already with Ceux du Dehors, the band’s style opened up a bit and with Uzed the heaviness and extreme darkness of the music is still on the decreasing side. Not that Uzed is a cheerful music, but there is now more of a certain buoyancy and verve to the music.

In a way, Uzed even approaches ”normal” symphonic prog to a certain extent, although the complexity of the music is on a much higher level. The more prominent role of synthesizers and the return of the electric guitar also underline the conventionality. In the end, however, the electric guitar is heard quite sparingly. On the other hand, Denis brings more obvious shades of minimalism and for the first time ethnic influences from somewhere in the Middle East to the music, so that in the end, the middle ground of progressive rock is at most only briefly visited, after which the band usually takes a quick turn back to stranger paths.

There are only five tracks on the album. Its three shorter songs are framed by two expansive compositions, the opening 10-minute ”Présage”, and the closing 15-minute ”Emanations”. These long songs are the best part of the album, but Uzed doesn’t really have any weak moments.

Read also: Review: Sleepytime Gorilla Museum – Of The Last Human Being (2024)

The album opener ”Présage” begins with mysterious atmospheric rattling keyboards. Somewhere in the distance, the clarinet is also humming. The atmosphere soon becomes more intense as Denis’ drums roll in. Synthesizers and bass guitar join in and for a while all hell breaks loose until the music subsides again and then we return to a variation on the opening keyboard theme.

Andre Mergen’s cello plays a gorgeously buzzing solo using oriental scales and the rest of the band ups the intensity of the playing with a little interlude. The cello and Descheemaeker’s clarinet meander around each other. Denis’s drumming is consistently frenetic, but also virtuosically controlled. And we’re only halfway through the song!

The second half continues just as breathlessly, moving smoothly from calmer sections to full-band build-ups and back again. The dynamics of ”Présage” are admirable both compositionally and sonically. Every member of the band gets a spotlight at some point in the composition (a special mention for Genet’s massive, but tight bass guitar playing towards the end of the song), but these moments never feel like isolated soloing, but are beautifully woven into the composition. ”Présage” is definitely one of Univers Zero’s best songs.

The second track ”L’Étrange Mixture du Docteur Schwartz” brings Descheemaeker’s clarinet and Plouvier’s synthesizers to the forefront alongside Denis’ propulsive drums. The wind instrument parts again have ethnic influences from somewhere in the Middle East. Genet’s thundering back and forth bass riff, mixed quite brashly and on the surface, is also great to listen to.

After two quite intense tracks, ”Célesta (For Chantal)” offers the listener some rest for the ears. The eerily impressionistic track is a piano and violin-driven chamber music ambience for the first five minutes. Then Denis’s slow-strumming drums take over with an incredibly massive sound, and the atonally wailing electric guitar of guest Michael Delory takes centre stage in a truly menacing atmosphere. A surprising and effective twist. Unfortunately, the song doesn’t have a proper ending but simply fades away.

Read also:

• Levyarvio: Pink Floyd – Ummagumma (1969)
  Arvostelussa Pink Floydin neljäs albumi Ummagumma joka on sekoitus livemateriaalia ja uusia bändin yksilöinä toteuttamia kappaleita.
• Review: Mike Oldfield – Discovery (1984)
  Review of Mike Oldfield’s ninth studio album Discovery, on which Oldfield tries his hand at pop music.
• Review: David Sylvian – Brilliant Trees (1984)
  A review of former Japan vocalist David Sylvian’s first solo album Brilliant Trees.
• Vuosi vuodelta : Parhaat levyt 1993
  Esittelyssä vuoden 1993 parhaat levyt. Mukana mm. Lindsay Cooper, Kingston Wall, Trey Gunn ja Michael Nyman.
• Review: Univers Zero – Uzed (1984)
  The fourth studio album Uzed by Belgian avant-prog band Univers Zero is reviewed. With Uzed, the compositional responsibility falls entirely on the shoulders of the band’s virtuoso drummer Daniel Denis.
• Levyarvio: RuoTo – Päivännäkemättömät (2024)
  Arvostelussa folkrokkia soittavan RuoTon neljäs studioalbumi Päivännäkemättömät.

”Parade” is another fast and energetic song. For Univers Zero’s music, ”Parade” is downright joyful sounding. Denis’s drumming is dazzling in this composition that puts the rhythms at the forefront. Again. It’s sad that even the mainstream of progressive rock hasn’t recognised Denis’ skills to the extent they deserve. Not to mention the music world at large. In the middle of ”Parade” we hear a double-speed marching sequence with Descheemaeker’s clarinet playing flute-like and a whistle playing intermittently somewhere in the background adding to the distraction factor. From the march section we move into a factory-like, clanging, gorgeous percussive section. ’Parade’ particularly benefits from de Roos’ dynamic and wonderfully spacey sounds.

The knee-slapping ”Emmanations”, which ends the album and lasts over a quarter of an hour, contains some of the most minimalist atmospheres on the album, but also some of its most lyrical melodies. Opening with shimmering and buzzing synths, the track takes on mystical overtones from a darkly resonant bass clarinet before moving into an almost heroic theme with a hint of medieval overtones. Occasionally Denis’ marching drums try to kick the song into gear, but the tension is still built up by the gently tinkling electric piano.

Eventually, Genet’s bass guitar starts to get zeuhl-like and Denis’ drums start to pace the music with unpredictably irregular beats. The buzzing cello and Denis’ again marching drums engage in a brief, eerie dialogue until suddenly we reach a section that sounds like two swords clashing and clattering against each other. Twenty years before Scott Walker used the same trick on his insane Bish Bosch album!

The second half of ”Emmanations” draws heavily on the elements presented in the first seven minutes, varying them effectively. The song’s soaring intensity holds its grip until the end, as Denis manages to build up the tension and then trigger it again and again in an almost imperceptible way.

As a small minus, the song’s hesitant code, which uses the rusty gate’s sinewy-sounding effect, is a bit dull and at least a minute too long.

Read also: Review: Present – This Is NOT The End (2024)

With Uzed, the responsibility for the Univers Zero line shifted completely to Daniel Denis and he certainly didn’t drop the ball. The intense Uzed is a surprisingly powerful package. Along with Ceux Du Dehors, it is Univers Zero’s best album, but it also deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as any other avant- prog classic. On the other hand, the relatively conventional harmonic world of Uzed is also perfect for those prog lovers who have not dived particularly deep into the often very strange and challenging world of avant-prog. Uzed is an absolute masterpiece of instrumental progressive rock.

Best tracks: ”Présage”, ”L’Étrange Mixture du Docteur Schwartz”, ”Parade”, ”Emmanations”.

Author: JANNE YLIRUUSI

Read also: Review: Henry Cow – Unrest (1974)

Tracks

1. ”Présage” 9:52
2. ”L’Étrange Mixture du Docteur Schwartz” 3:56
3. ”Célesta (For Chantal)” 6:55
4. ”Parade” 6:39
5. ”Emanations” 15:42

Univers Zero

Daniel Denis: drums, percussion, synthesizers Dirk Descheemaeker: clarinet, bass clarinet, soprano saxophone Christian Genet: bass guitar, balaphone, string guitar, tapes, whistle Andre Mergen: cello, alto saxophone, voice Jean-Luc Plouvier: electric guitars, acoustic guitars, synthesizers, piano strings, percussion

Guests

Michael Delory: electric guitar Mark Verbist: violin

Producer: Univers Zero

Label: Cryonic Inc.