Six years after “Ground Proximity Warning System” first a live performance was announced for the 25th aniversary of Tesco and then a new album to be released at that very festival. Jérôme’s Tesco show started off very ambient, a recognisable Propergol sound with stretched sounds, samples and low frequencies. This was nice, but instead of having a show with tracks running over in eachother, there were pauses between the tracks and only after a “come on” from the audience, the sound got dirty. There is close to nothing of the dirty sound on “Paradise Land”. Like the last album, the new one is mostly dark ambient, but in the Propergol way. Carefully built up tracks, making a great, dark atmosphere. No outburst, like I said. I would not mind if those came back, but “Paradise Land” is a bit more of ‘Propergol light’ for people who are not too good with extreme electronics. If you are one of those, try this album first and work your way back in the catalogue of this great, French project. To old fans I will say that in the lengthy last track, some unexpected elements appear. Propergol does not stand still.
Links: Propergol, Tesco