My new musical experiment is called -ii-.
Pronounced “two eyes,” the project has been around since 2018 thanks to the collaboration between singer Hélène Ruzic and multi-instrumentalist Benjamin Racine. With the help of Maxime Keller (bass/keyboards, Dvne, ex-Headbussa, ex-Smash Hit Combo) and David l’Huillier (drums/percussion), the band unveils its second album, Apostles of Flesh.
The album begins with heavy rhythms and strange keyboards on The Birth of Venus, but Hélène‘s vocals soften the whole thing, retaining the disturbing and oppressive touch before allowing the two worlds to come together. Ethereal elements haunt the sound throughout, like a warning that the musicians could explode into riffs at any moment, which they don’t hesitate to do before moving on to the mesmerizing and unpredictable Digging for Blood, which hides moments of soothing gentleness. Where the previous track was punctuated by violence, this one is punctuated by hypnotic tranquility, only becoming truly chaotic at the end before giving way to the abrasive Lotis, which progresses between dark blocks, even allowing the vocalist to abandon herself to rage for a moment before returning to her usual gentleness. The atmosphere remains quite dreamy on Sisyphus in Red, which goes through some rough patches with marked industrial touches before returning to its intoxicating tones, but the quartet envelops us once again in darkness with The Fountain of Helicon, which follows without delay and develops its own veil of musical uncertainty. The track gradually builds in intensity before releasing us with a certain amount of frustration, then we slide naturally into Pearls beneath the Embers, where crystalline touches meet oppressive, captivating drums, which prove to be very calm when they reveal themselves. The singer eventually leaves us before the instruments become disturbing again, fading out on L’Onde et l’Abysse, where piano and vocals intertwine to offer a poetic interlude in French before returning to unpredictable tones on Where the Diamonds are Hurl with a very repetitive keyboard, but also a fairly minimalist instrumental basis. The track remains fairly accessible until the vocalist gets carried away, supported by the rhythm section, but a pause awaits us before we return to that transcendent climax, which we abandon for Sisters of the Coven and its occult scents that gradually come to life, literally making us lose track of time. The finale will wake us up with a jolt before we move on to Under the Skin, which in turn charms our minds with its volatile and muffled tones, as well as its intricate guitar harmonics that slowly set the powder keg alight, then everything calms down again with When Beauty is a Crime, where percussion plays a major role, accompanying the surrounding sound swirls that grow almost imperceptibly stronger. The sound fades away, then returns to haunt us even more before finally letting Virginia’s Mirror close the album with its natural softness, which seems almost too smooth at first glance, but has a few surprises in store before truly surrendering to silence.
Apostles of Flesh is an extremely long and complex album that will require several listens to truly grasp its essence. But once you get used to its haunting presence, -ii- will open up to you and whisper its deepest secrets to your mind.
75/100
