Detailed Reviews [Myster Mobius – 2010 - "Myster Mobius]

Prolusion. The French outfit MYSTER MOBIUS was formed in 2004, and made its first public appearance in 2006. Since then it has been an active live unit, collaborating with video artist Brigitte Kull to create events of a multimedia nature. Last year, the band was signed to Musea Records, which issued the ensemble's self-titled debut effort in March 2010.

Analysis. One of the greater joys of being exposed to a multitude of different artists in your spare time is to come across new bands that take you by surprise, in a positive manner of speaking. Albums by artists you have never heard about that make an immediate impact, and with which the first fascination doesn't diminish over time. Myster Mobius is a perfect example of such a band as far as I am concerned. This threesome explores an instrumental variety of art rock that in many ways comes across as indescribable. Many of the songs have distinct touches and undercurrents of post rock and post metal, but with a myriad of additional features that make drawing comparisons an almost futile exercise. A general description may be that Myster Mobius can be found somewhere on the middle road between acts like Ozric Tentacles and the somewhat more obscure Canadian band Spaced Out, with post rock and post metal as the main additional seasonings. A tight and sophisticated rhythm section is a core element on all compositions. It's obvious that this band has played a lot together, as the interactions between all three musicians are stunning throughout. The cooperation between bassist Hegedus and drummer Champenois still stands out, both of them providing sophisticated and at times highly complex rhythmical backdrops with deceptive ease. The energy and momentum supplied by those two instrumentalists is so tight and invigorating that it's easy to miss the fact that their parts in the greater scheme are just as advanced as the textures added by guitarist Costantini. The guitar has a much more liberal role in these endeavors. While the rhythm department offers up momentum and drive, the guitar provides the textures that add sophistication to these compositions. And Costantini utilizes his instrumental freedom to good effect throughout. Whether repeating shorter or longer themes or freely wandering from expression to expression, the guitar serves up one intriguing passage after another, ranging from dissonant wandering riff constructions to light echoing guitar licks of a distinctly psychedelic nature, often with distinct post rock expressions coming and going in between other stylistic details, or evolving into vintage-oriented echoing riffs of a more space rock-oriented expression. The compositions are all dynamic in form and manner, freely moving and evolving pieces with a fluency that initially sounds improvised but reveal themselves to be anything but, at least as far as main themes and passages go. I do get the impression that some of the minor movements within the leading motifs may have something of an improvisational aspect to them, though.

Conclusion. If you are among the listeners who find instrumental art rock generally interesting and appreciate compositions with complex and challenging details and a band with an eclectic approach to its musical endeavors, this innovative and creative initial effort by Myster Mobius is one that you'll most likely find yourself enjoying immensely. Highly recommended!

OMB=Olav M Bjornsen: Agst 3, 2010
The Rating Room