Nimal
Voix de Surface

Writing reviews on Debaser, in some aspects, reminds me of writing essays in high school. Of course, it would have been fun if the grades were given by our classmates, appropriately accompanied by compliments or maybe some insults. Instead, it's the teacher who does it, inevitably inclined to give subjective judgments, dependent on ideologies and/or possible sympathies, something that on Debaser shouldn't happen, also because our communications are not accompanied by visual or olfactory sensations.

Here, then, we can choose the title of our essay ourselves, making things a bit easier for us (though it would be stimulating if not amusing to be able to choose titles for others to review... just occasionally, as a challenge). But the love we hold for the "Debaserian consciousness" sometimes leads us to make not-so-easy choices with the sole purpose of wanting to share our emotions... (am I dreaming or awake?)...

...I should write a review on Nimal... what a drag, why bother, just ignore it... but no, I need to introduce them to my Debaserian friends... what friends, that bunch of layabouts who spend all day on the PC or listening to that stuff. Why this sense of duty, where do you think you are, at school?... no! Not school! What a nightmare, you shouldn't have reminded me, even though I didn't mind writing essays...

...good morning, kids, today's topic will be: Review the album “Nimal - Voix de Surface” trying to give an idea of their music without ever naming a musical genre. But teacher, you're such a bastard, the Nimal, it's been over ten years since I've had this album, how will I convey those now-faded emotions. Okay, I could say that most compositions are by Momo Rossel (guitars), a Swiss like Jean-Vin Huguenin (bass), that the drums with those strange tones are played by Pippin Barnett, that there's a Slovene, Bratko Bibic, who gives that important Balkan touch with the accordion and then there's that American, Tom Cora, who plays the cello in such an unorthodox way. But who knows these guys? Even if I say where they come from or with which bands they've already played, it wouldn't help much. Argh! I'm in deep trouble! Time is passing and I haven't written a line yet...uhmm...okay...

Momo Rossel proves himself a good composer and an excellent leader of this group. He manages to very well unite the various styles and tones of the musicians present here, incorporating into his not too complex compositions the swirling solo capacities especially of the accordion and the cello. Nimal creates a very distinctive music which, at first listen, may seem difficult, as it doesn't rely on the typical musical structures our brain is accustomed to. It is a meeting, a mixing, a reinventing of European, Alpine, Balkan musical traditions, until none of the same remain, with the effect of wanting to erase boundaries and barriers between cultures and nations. All with great sensitivity and feeling. Joy and melancholy alternate like summer and winter...

...okay guys, it's time to hand in your work... but Teacher, just one more minute, please...Macaco, no excuses, what's done is done...Darn...Gosh...Jeez...Crud...what a fail I'll get...

Ah! But what a relief I'm not at school! (I remember having dreams like this chasing me for years after graduation) I'm on that awesome Debaser (which, unfortunately, also haunts me at night).