(Musea FGBG 4285)
With
the Kinesis label now inactive, Musea has seen to
it that the evolution of one of rock’s premiere one-man bands continues without missing a
beat. It’s been a pleasure to watch the growth of
Chris Fournier as an artist. In a time when it is nearly impossible to produce an original
style of rock music, he has carved out a unique style and sound under the Fonya banner.
U.L.O.S. sees a further refinement of that style, broadening the timbral palette to include more
electric and acoustic guitar while also experimenting with some more obviously electronic
sounds. Anyone still skeptical of programmed drums owes it to themselves to listen to this
album, as the drums are nothing short of amazing. No matter how active and intense it
gets, a relaxed vibe permeates the music, making this perfect for late-night listening.
RealAudio
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“Instrumental but powerful, this album has the punch of Steve Howe’s Turbulence but more varied and less riff driven. At times it’s very reminiscent of Steve Hackett, especially mid-to-late era. The music is complex enough that you don’t miss the vocals at all... I’m usually skeptical when a one-man show like this comes along..., but Upper Level Open Space is really impressive and has changed my mind for good. The album has the power to put you in another time and place - a wind-swept mountaintop, flying through the clouds, driving alone at night, wherever it sweeps you along to.” [Exposé]
“The nine tracks on Upper Level Open Space take us on a journey around the earth. Melodies are ample, rich. They develop slowly to occupy all the sonic landscape, revealing unseen mountains and rivers as the listener is watching high above the ground (14,000 Feet and Infinite Visions are breathtaking in that matter). Stardaze at the Summit is the perfect example of what Fonya/Fournier is capable of: an uplifting melody upon a solid rhythm section. Fonya’s musical themes are evocative without falling into description. There are no geo-ethno-musical references here. Fonya offers an instrumental progressive music that is a cut above what is usually done in this field, mostly because of Fournier’s use of guitars and percussion, avoiding the coldness inhabiting keyboards-only projects. This music breathes, it has a beating heart. To throw some references, one can think of Djam Karet (in the guitar melodies and use of e-bow) and Ozric Tentacles (but without the hypnotic pulsating rhythm), or even Mike Oldfield for the quieter moments. This record is strongly recommended to any fan of instrumental music and spacey prog.” [Francois Couture, Delire Musical, CFLX]