Andalib Sukut's review on WE HAVE NO ZEN!

Le site Ukrainien "WE HAVE NO ZEN!" a rédigé une chronique sur le premier volet de la trilogie des Ursula Minor "Andalib Sukut":

"Вчера несколько человек научилось думать, а несколько — не откладывать этот процесс в карман. Кто-то подсмотрел за этими людьми и набил им рожу — и то верно, нефиг индульгировать. По этому поводу последние заплывшим глазом нудно завтыкали в ночное небо в поисках знакомых звездосочетаний, ничего не нашли, но в промозглой памяти популярно маячили Малая Медведица и Полярная звезда. Говорить про полярность и звездность задача не наша, поэтому остановимся на мааааленьких таких медведицах. Среди них оказалась The Ursula Minor, понаехавшая на франко-европейскую суету из города Карфаген (Тунис).

Уникальный случай, повторяющий историю с психеделиком от замбийских семидесятников Witch и нойзом со сборника Extreme Music From Africa — Черный континент экспортирует экспериментальщину, которая попадает даже на страницы «прогрессивного» веб-издания ProgArchives (упомянувшего в качестве «маломедвежьих» инфлюэнций Роберта Уайатта, Soft Machine, Mars Volta и Pink Floyd). Братья Али, Омар и Сали Алулу делают рок и демонстрируют ролл, которые, с одной стороны, и правда где-то граничат с этимисамыми Mars Volta, но на деле их настоящие корни и правда лежат и немного устрашающе шевелятся в кустистых, как нога, 70-х. Одна жанровая специфика, прописанная самим коллективом на своем jamendo-профайле, способна сказать многое — «афроминормедведи» считают, что играют progressive, experimental, avant-garde, space, psychedelic, fusion, progressive metal, house, electronic, noise, drugs и даже amondull. Такие вот ребята чистосердечные и скромные... Смешно, но большинство из упомянутого в их музыке обнаруживается без лупы и телескопов.

The Ursula Minor — команда, активно пропагандирующая фри-мюзик-концепт. Они автопиарятся где угодно и заинтересовавшиеся могут добыть себе «минорной медвежатины» даже из глубин традиционно «жуткого, но симпатишного» last.fm (на jamendo, как говорят интернеты, идет война за лигалайз и бесплатная скачка пока находится на стадии рассмотрения ее законности). Есть подозрение, что в любом случае, написав в MySpace-личку группе, все заинтересованные будут при своих мп3 — The Ursula Minor не из тех, что что-то где-то зажимает. И это хорошо."

WE HAVE NO ZEN!

Andalib Sukut's review on MERLINPROG

Le site de rock progressif norvégien "MERLINPROG" a réalisé une chronique sur l'album "Andalib Sukut" de The Ursula Minor, Norsk Nei, ikke du ...

"Dette er første skive i en triologi fra disse musikerne med brødrene Aloulou i spissen. Mange av musikerne kommer fra punkbandet Stavka, og noe av punkens holdninger synes i musikken til Ursula Minor. I tillegg er det influenser fra Pink Floyd, Mars Volta, Soft Machine og Rober Wyatt. Musikerne er Tunisiske immigranter i Frankrige og skiva er så og si et sammenhengende musikalsk stykke på en halv time. Psykedelisk musikk mikses med semipunk vibber og en god dose av Mars Volta sitt musikalske univers er også nærliggende. Ali Aloulou sørger for med sitt gitararbeide å farge musikken med psykedelia, mens Sami Aloulou sin stemme skaper relasjoner til Mars Volta. Teknisk holder musikerne høyt nivå, og visse spenstige jamband elementer finner vi også på ”Andalib Sukut”. Bandet unnslår seg ikke for å innkapsle elementer fra jazzrock, avant garde og Canterbury, og klarer å gjøre disse til en integrert del av lydbildet. Et lydbilde som er rimelig eksperimentelt og nok mange vil streve med å få noe ut av, da musikken ikke akkurat er særlig nynnbar eller melodiøs, men heller fremmed og temmelig kompromissløs. Gitarer med mye ekko gir en kosmisk stemning, for så brått å vise mer kraft og pondus. ”Eléphante Culte” og “Embryoglio” har flott orgelbruk og en voldsom intensitet. Musikken til Ursula Minor er temmelig utfordrende og bryter med de fleste konvensjoner og virker også å være uten begrensninger. Bandet har et stort spekter hva gjelder favorittmusikk, fra hip hop til jazz, videre til elektronisk musikk, pop og så videre. Det er derfor bare naturlig at alt dette hives opp i den musikalske gryta til Ursula Minor, og at det kommer ut alt hva ekte progressiv musikk egentlig handler om. En grensesprengende vilje til å bevege seg inn på nye musikalske territorier og komme opp med svært egenartet musikk. ”Andalib Sukat” er ei svært grensesprengende skive, som definitivt tar tid å fordøye. Så langt applauderer vi viljen til å ta sjanser og forsøke å lage noe om ikke er hverdagskost. Vårt problem er at vi strever litt med å la musikken trigge oss, tross all dens gode intensjoner."

"This is the first disc in a trilogy from these musicians with brothers Aloulou in the tip. Many of the musicians come from the punk band Stavka, and some of the points positions seems in The Ursula Minor's music. In addition, we can feel influence from Pink Floyd, Mars Volta, Soft Machine and Robert Wyatt. The musicians are Tunisian immigrants in France and the CD is almost a continuous musical piece of half an hour. Psychedelic music mixed with semi punk vibber and a good dose of the Mars Volta's musical universe is also nearby. Ali Aloulou provides with his guitar work to color the music with psychedelia, while Sami Aloulou with his voice creates relationships to Mars Volta. Technical hold high-level musicians, and some lively jamband elements may also be found on "Andalib Sukut." The band encapsulated elements from jazzrock , avant garde and Canterbury scene music, and manage to make these an integral part of the sound. A sound that is reasonable experimental and not many would struggle to get something out of, not just when the music is particularly melodious, but rather strange and rather uncompromising. Guitar with much echo gives a cosmic mood, such as hard to show more power. "Elephante Culte" and "Embryoglio" has a great organ use, and a fierce intensity. Ursula Minor's is fairly challenging, and violates most of the conventions, and seems also to be without limits. The band has a large spectrum concerning the favorite music, from hip hop to jazz, to the electronic music, pop and so on. It is therefore only natural that all of these appears in the musical field of Ursula Minor, and that it's coming out all what real progressive music really is about. A pioneering willingness to move into new musical territories and come up with a very airy music. "Andalib Sukut" is a very pioneering disc, which definitely takes time to digest. So far, we applaud the willingness to take chances and try to make something about not everyday fare. Our problem is we are struggling a little to let the music trigger us, despite all its good intentions."

MERLINPROG

Chroniques Post Clamores (Andalib Sukut Review)

Andalib Sukut revu par un critique du site de rock progressif en ligne www.progarchives.com

'Andalib Sukut' was announced as the first part of a trilogy in 2007 and I'm wondering now what follows after getting into it. This is a very impressing start by THE URSULA MINOR which is headed by two brothers and their cousin and therefore can be titled as a family band in the widest sense. Musically and technically skillfull with some pointers to THE MARS VOLTA not only because of Sami Aloulou's voice and style. The basis is psychedelic/space though and Ali Aloulou is responsible for that first with his excellent guitar work. The band offers some common genre stuff with jam character but more eclectic elements sometimes with an avantgarde attitude as well as jazzy rocking or canterbury infected sections. This debut is one song in fact which is devided in six parts. Someone might say 30 minutes are not really enough to give a useful judgement - veto - it depends!
The ambient Triolism makes the kick-off. Several samples and a guitar with lots of echoes are serving a cosmic mood. Very sentimental I can say - later followed by vocals, some piano snippets and last but not least a droning synth part. That makes curious anyhow. And suddenly the band shows power and strength. Silentium Post Clamores is dominated by a compelling groove additionally spiked with trumpet, saxophone and organ fading into the long track Bribes . Beginning with nice north african percussion this is really working as a spaced out jam further on. The instruments are meandering and fluttering around each other and it all ends in a furious weird finale - fantastic!
It's hardly possible to overtop the first twenty minutes now further on. The intensive Embryoglio and Elephante Culte with wonderful organ are showing a more jazz rock respectively canterbury touch whereas Msiloirt rounds the album up with a fairground organ melody.
'Andalib Sukut' comes relatively short but as a substantial introduction and THE URSULA MINOR is partially acting like a Mars Volta light version (this is meant as a compliment!). Psych/space lovers will also be satisfied when they are open for a more eclectic style and have nothing against the excessive use of brass instruments.

Note 4/5

Uwe Zickel / special collaborator