ESTHESIS
– Out Of Step
Misty
Tones
Genere: Post Prog Moderno
Supporto: LP / CD / Digital - 2025
Dico
subito che “Out Of Step” dei francesi Esthesis è un album consigliato agli
amanti di band come Porcupine Tree, The Pineapple Thief, Anathema e simili.
Nascono
nel 2019 a Tolosa dall'ispirazione di Aurélien Goude (voce, tastiere,
composizione e programmazione). Fin dall'EP d'esordio “Raising Hands” (2019) e
dal primo full-length “The Awakening” (2020), la band mette in chiaro la
propria identità fatta di musica viscerale, atmosferica e basata sulle emozioni.
Dopo
la vittoria come Best Unsigned Act nel referendum di Prog Magazine nel 2020, e
il successo critico di “Watching Worlds Collide” (2022), la band affina
l'organico aprendosi a tour con grandi nomi della scena contemporanea (come
Soen, Leprous e Crippled Black Phoenix).
L'album
riflette un senso d'alienazione urbana, disconnessione e ansia esistenziale. Il
titolo stesso, "Out Of Step" (fuori tempo, fuori sincrono), descrive
la sensazione di chi non riesce più a stare al passo con le aspettative della
società moderna, la routine lavorativa e l'iper connettività digitale che
finisce per soffocare l'individuo. l'album musicalmente, come già accennato, mescola
strutture Crossover Prog alla Porcupine Tree e The Pineapple Thief, basi
trip-hop/industrial e aperture intimiste di matrice Post Rock.
Il
disco si apre con “Connection”, fatto di campionamenti che ricordano impulsi
sonar, seguiti da un groove di basso ipnotico targato Marc Anguill. La traccia
cresce lentamente con ritmiche mid-tempo quasi Trip Hop, un fischio malinconico
in sottofondo e chitarre graffianti che esplodono nel ritornello. Qui la band analizza
la paradossale solitudine della vita moderna notando che siamo sempre iper connessi
alla rete ma incapaci di stabilire un contatto reale ed empatico con chi ci circonda,
tema comune a molte band.
“The
Frame” è una composizione d'atmosfera elegante, condotta dalle tastiere liquide
di Goude e arricchita dai meravigliosi cori eterei di Mathilde Collet. Il brano
accumula tensione dinamica fino a sfociare in uno splendido assolo di chitarra
di Rémi Geyer. "La Cornice" rappresenta la
gabbia della routine e della comfort zone. Il protagonista riflette sul
desiderio e sulla paura di uscire dai margini prestabiliti della propria vita.
Dopo il breve intermezzo musicale “Fractured #1”, è la volta della title track.
Si sviluppa come una suite dal sapore immaginifico,
alternando momenti pianistici intimisti a spaventosi riff Hard Prog alla Steven
Wilson. Il lavoro ritmico di batteria e basso è millimetrico e potente. Il
testo esprime la consapevolezza di essere "fuori sincrono" rispetto
al resto del mondo, trasformando questo senso di inadeguatezza in una scelta di
libertà individuale.
“Fractured
#2”, secondo interludio strumentale e oscuro, introduce una sensazione di
imminente tempesta emotiva che giunge con “Circus”, pezzo più aggressivo e
ritmato del disco. Inizia con un beat Trip Hop/industrial per poi accelerare
vertiginosamente e una prestazione vocale grintosa di Goude affiancato da
Mathilde Collet. Di questo la band ne estrae un video ufficiale. E’ una dura
satira della società vista come un "circo" di comparse, dove tutti
recitano una parte per soddisfare le aspettative altrui, col rischio di perdere
del tutto la stabilità mentale.
La
conclusiva mini suite di quasi undici minuti intitolata “The Storm”, parte come
un sussurro acustico ed etereo per poi far montare un'onda sonica d'urto. Susseguono
sferzate Post Rock, tastiere magniloquenti e assoli laceranti di chitarra,
portando il disco a un climax altamente drammatico. E’ la resa finale e il
lavaggio di tutte le ansie accumulate, l'accettazione del proprio destino e la
ricerca della pace interiore attraverso il caos.
In
alcune edizioni dell’album c’è anche una bonus track intitolata “Abyss”, un
ulteriore sfogo di oscurità e atmosfera.
Se
siete alla ricerca di un album capace di catturare l'alienazione dei nostri
tempi senza mai perdere di vista il gusto per la grande melodia e la cura
maniacale del dettaglio sonoro, questo disco è un ascolto indispensabile. Gli
Esthesis hanno trovato la loro identità più autentica e, paradossalmente,
proprio rimanendo “fuori sincrono” rispetto al resto del mondo, sono riusciti a
realizzare il loro lavoro più centrato e a fuoco. MS
Versione Inglese:
ESTHESIS – Out Of Step
Misty Tones
Genre: Modern Post Prog
Format: LP / CD / Digital - 2025
I will say right away that “Out Of Step” by the French
band Esthesis is a highly recommended album for fans of bands like Porcupine
Tree, The Pineapple Thief, Anathema, and the like. They were formed in 2019 in
Toulouse through the vision of Aurélien Goude (vocals, keyboards, composition,
and programming). Right from their debut EP “Raising Hands” (2019) and their
first full-length “The Awakening” (2020), the band made their identity clear:
visceral, atmospheric music driven by emotion. After winning Best Unsigned Act
in Prog Magazine's 2020 readers' poll and receiving critical acclaim for
“Watching Worlds Collide” (2022), the band refined their lineup while touring
alongside major names of the contemporary scene (such as Soen, Leprous, and
Crippled Black Phoenix).
Today's lineup features Aurélien Goude (vocals,
keyboards, programming), Rémi Geyer (lead guitar), Marc Anguill (bass), Arnaud
Nicolau (drums, programming), and Mathilde Collet (backing vocals and atmospheric
vocalisms).
The album reflects a sense of urban alienation,
disconnection, and existential anxiety. The title itself, "Out Of
Step", describes the feeling of no longer being able to keep up with the
expectations of modern society, the work routine, and the digital
hyper-connectivity that ultimately suffocates the individual. Musically, as
already mentioned, the album blends Crossover Prog structures akin to Porcupine
Tree and The Pineapple Thief, trip-hop/industrial foundations, and intimate
Post Rock passages.
The record opens with “Connection”, built on samples
reminiscent of sonar pulses, followed by an hypnotic bass groove courtesy of
Marc Anguill. The track slowly builds with near-Trip Hop mid-tempo rhythms, a
melancholic whistle in the background, and biting guitars that explode in the
chorus. Here, the band analyzes the paradoxical solitude of modern life, noting
that we are constantly hyper-connected to the web yet incapable of establishing
a real, empathetic connection with those around us—a theme common to many
bands.
“The Frame” is an elegant, atmospheric composition led
by Goude's fluid keyboards and enriched by Mathilde Collet's wonderful,
ethereal backing vocals. The piece builds dynamic tension until it culminates
in a splendid guitar solo by Rémi Geyer. "The Frame" represents the
cage of routine and the comfort zone. The protagonist reflects on the desire
and the fear of stepping outside the predefined boundaries of his life.
After the brief musical interlude “Fractured #1”, it
is time for the title track. It unfolds like an imaginative suite, alternating
intimate piano moments with formidable Steven Wilson-esque Hard Prog riffs. The
rhythmic work on drums and bass is precise and powerful. The lyrics express the
awareness of being "out of step" with the rest of the world, turning
this sense of inadequacy into a choice of individual freedom.
“City Lights” is a nocturnal, urban track
characterized by dreamy keyboards and near-whispered vocals. The enveloping
atmosphere recalls the most melancholic side of Anathema or Blackfield. The
"city lights" offer a false promise of warmth and companionship. The
protagonist wanders through dark streets illuminated by neon lights, immersed
in his own thoughts, isolating himself from the synthetic chaos of the
metropolis.
“Fractured #2”, a dark second instrumental interlude,
introduces a feeling of an impending emotional storm that arrives with
“Circus”, the album's most aggressive and uptempo track. It starts with a Trip
Hop/industrial beat before accelerating dramatically, featuring a gritty vocal
performance by Goude alongside Mathilde Collet. The band released an official
video for this track. It is a harsh satire of a society seen as a
"circus" of extras, where everyone acts a part to satisfy others'
expectations, running the risk of completely losing mental stability.
The closing mini-suite of nearly eleven minutes,
titled “The Storm”, starts like an acoustic, ethereal whisper before building
an overwhelming sonic wave. Post Rock surges, magniloquent keyboards, and
searing guitar solos follow, bringing the album to a highly dramatic climax. It
is the final surrender and the purging of all accumulated anxieties, the
acceptance of one's destiny, and the search for inner peace through chaos.
On some editions of the album there is also a bonus
track titled “Abyss”, a further outburst of darkness and atmosphere.
If you are looking for an album capable of capturing
the alienation of our times without ever losing sight of a taste for great
melody and a obsessive attention to sonic detail, this record is an essential
listen. Esthesis have found their most authentic identity and, paradoxically,
by remaining “out of step” with the rest of the world, they have managed to
create their most focused and centered work yet. MS
ESTHESIS – Out Of Step
Misty Tones
Genre: Modern Post Prog
Format: LP / CD / Digital - 2025
I will say right away that “Out Of Step” by the French
band Esthesis is a highly recommended album for fans of bands like Porcupine
Tree, The Pineapple Thief, Anathema, and the like. They were formed in 2019 in
Toulouse through the vision of Aurélien Goude (vocals, keyboards, composition,
and programming). Right from their debut EP “Raising Hands” (2019) and their
first full-length “The Awakening” (2020), the band made their identity clear:
visceral, atmospheric music driven by emotion. After winning Best Unsigned Act
in Prog Magazine's 2020 readers' poll and receiving critical acclaim for
“Watching Worlds Collide” (2022), the band refined their lineup while touring
alongside major names of the contemporary scene (such as Soen, Leprous, and
Crippled Black Phoenix).
Today's lineup features Aurélien Goude (vocals,
keyboards, programming), Rémi Geyer (lead guitar), Marc Anguill (bass), Arnaud
Nicolau (drums, programming), and Mathilde Collet (backing vocals and atmospheric
vocalisms).
The album reflects a sense of urban alienation,
disconnection, and existential anxiety. The title itself, "Out Of
Step", describes the feeling of no longer being able to keep up with the
expectations of modern society, the work routine, and the digital
hyper-connectivity that ultimately suffocates the individual. Musically, as
already mentioned, the album blends Crossover Prog structures akin to Porcupine
Tree and The Pineapple Thief, trip-hop/industrial foundations, and intimate
Post Rock passages.
The record opens with “Connection”, built on samples
reminiscent of sonar pulses, followed by an hypnotic bass groove courtesy of
Marc Anguill. The track slowly builds with near-Trip Hop mid-tempo rhythms, a
melancholic whistle in the background, and biting guitars that explode in the
chorus. Here, the band analyzes the paradoxical solitude of modern life, noting
that we are constantly hyper-connected to the web yet incapable of establishing
a real, empathetic connection with those around us—a theme common to many
bands.
“The Frame” is an elegant, atmospheric composition led
by Goude's fluid keyboards and enriched by Mathilde Collet's wonderful,
ethereal backing vocals. The piece builds dynamic tension until it culminates
in a splendid guitar solo by Rémi Geyer. "The Frame" represents the
cage of routine and the comfort zone. The protagonist reflects on the desire
and the fear of stepping outside the predefined boundaries of his life.
After the brief musical interlude “Fractured #1”, it
is time for the title track. It unfolds like an imaginative suite, alternating
intimate piano moments with formidable Steven Wilson-esque Hard Prog riffs. The
rhythmic work on drums and bass is precise and powerful. The lyrics express the
awareness of being "out of step" with the rest of the world, turning
this sense of inadequacy into a choice of individual freedom.
“City Lights” is a nocturnal, urban track
characterized by dreamy keyboards and near-whispered vocals. The enveloping
atmosphere recalls the most melancholic side of Anathema or Blackfield. The
"city lights" offer a false promise of warmth and companionship. The
protagonist wanders through dark streets illuminated by neon lights, immersed
in his own thoughts, isolating himself from the synthetic chaos of the
metropolis.
“Fractured #2”, a dark second instrumental interlude,
introduces a feeling of an impending emotional storm that arrives with
“Circus”, the album's most aggressive and uptempo track. It starts with a Trip
Hop/industrial beat before accelerating dramatically, featuring a gritty vocal
performance by Goude alongside Mathilde Collet. The band released an official
video for this track. It is a harsh satire of a society seen as a
"circus" of extras, where everyone acts a part to satisfy others'
expectations, running the risk of completely losing mental stability.
The closing mini-suite of nearly eleven minutes,
titled “The Storm”, starts like an acoustic, ethereal whisper before building
an overwhelming sonic wave. Post Rock surges, magniloquent keyboards, and
searing guitar solos follow, bringing the album to a highly dramatic climax. It
is the final surrender and the purging of all accumulated anxieties, the
acceptance of one's destiny, and the search for inner peace through chaos.
On some editions of the album there is also a bonus
track titled “Abyss”, a further outburst of darkness and atmosphere.
If you are looking for an album capable of capturing
the alienation of our times without ever losing sight of a taste for great
melody and a obsessive attention to sonic detail, this record is an essential
listen. Esthesis have found their most authentic identity and, paradoxically,
by remaining “out of step” with the rest of the world, they have managed to
create their most focused and centered work yet. MS
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