Maximilien Mathevon releases his new album, Totem, via Plaza Mayor Company Ltd. The totem is the meeting point between our world and that of the spirit, of belief: an animal emblem which watches over the world of reality and a gateway which allows a glimpse of the spiritual world...

Totem is a a cerebral, surreal experience. Over the course of the album's 7 tracks (42 min, 26 sec) we are taken on quite the adventure. Fans of the theremin will find this to be an interesting release, with Mathevon exploring ideas of spirituality, other planes of existence, but always with a solid grounding base of our world and existence.

The atmospheric LP takes us on a journey beyond appearances and certainties. It is the sounds of the theremin which dominate Totem and accompany the synthesizers, punctuated by percussion, breaths and the didgeridoo.

It's relaxing, unsettling, comforting and not of this world... all at the same time. It's a lovingly crafted collection of thematic pieces which conjure so many mental images and thoughts. There's a little (and I do mean little) spirit of Vangelis which runs throughout, especially on pieces like 'Totem 6'.

Each piece compliments the previous and following tracks, making this a truly pleasurable listening experience.

8

Darren Rea