The Hylozoists - Lile De Sept Villes (2009)

Genre : Post-rock, Piano, Classical, Experimental, Canada
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Tracklist :

01 The Possibility Of An Island
02 Bras DOr Lakes
03 The Island Of Seven Cities (FSR)
04 Bubbles&Wheezy
05 Dark Scene Waltz
06 Your Band Doesnt Have The Legs I Thought It Would
07 Parents Dont Let Your Children Grow Up To Be Compressed
08 The French Settle In
09 Acadia Acadia
10 Soixante-Sept

The six piece instrumental acts from Toronto is back with a new record a collection of songs
inspired by Paul Chaissons book The Island Of Seven Cities and the range of sounds and emotions conveyed are staggering. Led by vibraphone savant and composer Paul Aucoin, the songs on Lle de Sept Villes find strength, cower in shyness, love, hurt, soar freely and sear with intensity, (all without the benefit of a spoken word) but unlike so instrumental acts trying to convey the same emotions, the catchy melodies The Hylozoists craft infuse playfulness and whimsy to lighten the load. Bubbles & Wheezy starts with an airy melody that the band deftly (and patiently) transforms into a dark storm, but understands the weight of the chaos, and quickly ushers in bluer skies to conclude the track (in a concise 4-minutes, avoiding the trap of building and building until the songs length outlasts its impact).

Crafting heavy, dark, gloomy instrumentals or dancey-pants beats is one thing, but for an instrumental record to truly inspire and drive the listener forward is another thing altogether. They certainly build some dark tones (The French Settle In), but even on the dark and brooding Bras dOr Lakes, the eerie violin and vibraphone that haunt the listener at the onset give way as the band infuses life into the notes, transforming the song with a subtle, organic build. Your Band Doesnt Have The Legs I Thought It Would seems like the theme to some sort of animated short that pits a morose hero against the struggles of another lonely morning ( ican almost picture him covering his eyes to block out the sun and budding flowers), only to see him gain motivation and strength with each step, springing forward with giant leaps.