Hubble landed successfully.
Founded in 2022 by Thibault Gazengel (guitar), Raphaël Wallach (bass/synth) and Lucas Bansard (drums), the band unveiled their debut album Hubble two years later.
Although the band presents itself as an instrumental trio, it surprises us with the addition of a « fourth member » to tell the story of the Apollo 11 mission to conquer the moon: original voice recordings of the great moments of the adventure. We follow the band as they explore a wide range of registers, from minimalist Progressive Post-Rock on opening track To the Moon, to the more upbeat Voyage, where the mood is first brightly lit, then suddenly chaotic, almost frightening. Keyboards accompany the end of the track, as does Day 5, a kind of one-minute interlude where intriguing notes fly freely to join the long oppressive Landing, First Steps, Lift off, which perfectly conveys the uncertainty of a tense situation, made up of long silences, nagging quietness and much more seizing passages. The quietness reappears on the strange Splashdown, where two minutes of floating sonorities frame the radio message, before turning into a New Wave recital on Sleepin’ Bear, the final composition, all the while benefiting from the Prog approach that guides the musicians’ steps through a noisy cloud to an almost mystical final.
Not usually fond of instrumental creations, Hubble charmed me with an original approach and a fascinating theme. I dare to hope that Hubble is just the first step on a truly long-lasting sensory journey.
75/100