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De Mange Machine – Conscience

De Mange Machine - Conscience

CD, Brume Records, 2005
mangemachine.free.fr

“Conscience” is the third album from French experimental electronic composer Patrice Duisit and perhaps one of the best and most interesting releases of 2004/2005. It is probably one of the most ambitious releases from French record label Brume Records as well. Unfortunately, “Conscience” is a limited edition release of only 300 copies.
Maybe not just an album but a work of art, it should be pointed out that it would seem as if absolutely nothing in “Conscience” was left to chance. From the music and text, to the artwork and design, everything in “Conscience” has some meaning, not unlike parts in a clockwork mechanism.
Seemingly picking up where “Gourmandise” left off, “Consience” is a more mature piece of work than that previous album (which was already an excellent release). Once more, the listener is taken in an exploratory voyage into the strangely beautiful, dream-like (and very personal) universe of the Eating Machine. Despite the apparent chaos, the progression of events in this universe is carefully orquestrated by an omnipresent but unseen clockwork mechanism composed by every component of the universe itself making it undeniably organic in the end. Not necessarily a paradox, if one looks around one’s surrounding reality…
Musically, “Conscience” is an experimental/ambiental album that consists of carefully composed sound collages. One of the first things that become readily apparent when listening to “Conscience” is the meticulous and careful work that went into the recording and choice of the samples used in the sound collages. Similarly, the construction of the musical pieces shows Patrice Duisit to be extremely skilled and talented, he clearly knows what each track should convey but also how to achieve the effect. Another interesting aspect to “Conscience” is that it is extremely immersing, the music is composed so that the listener will hear what the composer wants to be heard. Even when used as background music, “Conscience” maintains a strong presence and does not fade into the background.
“Conscience” is an outstanding release which is a must-have, although one might find it a bit strange or unnerving at first. It is definitely worth acquiring and investing time and effort to apprehend and savour the weird sonic universe that is presented, with all its subtle intricacies.

[10/10]

— Miguel de Sousa

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