Art of Noise - The Seduction of Claude Debussy (1999)

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«"The Seduction of Claude Debussy" is not just a remarkable musical triumph, it is doubly so given how easily the whole thing could have collapsed under the weight of its considerable hubris. The Art of Noise are not exactly bashful, and here they are even less so than usual as they attempt what amounts to an electronica Debussy cover album. On top of it all, John Hurt provides highly stylized narration interspersed in the lulls and even sometimes during the most heightened drama of the album, describing Debussy's life and artistic brilliance, referencing half-known poets and the like. This project could have been totally dire in less capable hands, but fortunately Art of Noise knows what they're doing.

The source of strength of this release is that it is an album, not a collection of weak Debussy remixes. No techno-ridden piano-and-string loops here. Instead we have luscious piano cascades and classical guitar and mighty string crescendos flowing beautifully over ambience, dub beats and jackhammer drillnbass alike. After all, it wouldn't be enough for Art of Noise to put new beats to old music. After declaring at the end of "Il Pleure" that Debussy "was the revolutionary that set 20th century music on its way," they could do nothing less than give us a full and rich sampling of the entire palette of 20th century music, from jazz to bubblegum pop to dub and drum and bass to hip hop. Anything less would be an insult their chosen subject and hero.

For the most part, they succeed, although I personally found the rapper Rakim's surprising arrival in the middle of Track 6 [Rapt: In The Evening Air] to be a little jarring. Most importantly, though, is that "Seduction" doesn't just work as an artistic concept, it works as music. It is a beautiful composition, with rich arrangements and terrific mixing, and covering an impressive degree of ground, never growing repetitive, always original and filled with aggressive experimentation and originality. I can't imagine whether Debussy himself would have liked or hated it, but what is probably certain is that he would not have been bored by it.»

[texto de Joseph Geni]

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(faixa 8 - The Holy Egoism Of Genius)