This is actually a remixed and remastered (by Tony Lash) reissue of a lost baroque pop classic album that was recorded by Mehdi Zannad in the late nineties and released in 2000. The first thing I must make quite clear is that I do not have the original for reference but I have it on good authority that it now sounds as God intended. Mehdi was never satisfied with the original sound and has now been able to change the sound spectrum with more clarity on each instrument and a much clearer, softer and more dynamic sound overall. There has also been a lot of love put into the physical release, coming as it does with a gatefold cover and including download code, album history and interviews.
When I think of baroque or chamber pop I think of The Beatles and The Beach Boys and I think why would you bother trying to emulate that? Apart from anything, just think of the budget? And yet people continue to attempt it, continue to fall in love with that sound and continue to be influenced by it. Mehdi’s angle was always slightly different coming from a Conservatory-trained background and also being a trained architect. Furthermore, the album was written in Bucharest during his military service and so was consciously a continental take on the genre, inspired by Brancusi, Cioran and Bauhaus. He wanted it to be classical influenced by pop rather than pop influenced by classical.
The first six songs swoon by suite-ly, carried along as they are by all manner of brilliant instrumentation, everything in fact that you might find in a miniature orchestra plus drums, bass and guitar and a few others besides. There is even a guest appearance by Laetitia Sadier of Stereolab who sings Sol Y Sombra in Spanish. My favourite would have to be The Best Of Us, a classic baroque pop song. After that Vibravox is more of a traditionally indie song with guitars to the fore. The middle section of the album is where things slow down a bit with the beautifully harmonic Ondulations, and the Beatles sounding Monocorde and Baragan.
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I may be reading too much into it but the album then seems to move up a gear into a finishing suite. Au Depart is a lovely two minute pop song. Meanwhile moves to English for delivery and incorporates a lovely horn refrain and the album finishes on a real high with Pianolyre which definitely brings to mind The Beatles' Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. If one were to be critical of this album you could argue it is a little long, or that it sags in the middle, or even that it is overblown but all of those would probably be missing the point, this is baroque pop after all.
In conclusion, fans of John Cunningham (who produced Fugu 1), Sean O’Hagan (High Llamas), Stereolab and Saint Etienne will all find much to enjoy within the confines of these vinyl grooves. This will only be enhanced by the history behind it which shows just what a labour of love it really was.
Fugu 1 online
WeWant2Wecord online
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