Label: Sub Rosa

限定マーブル・ヴァイナル盤!!Bene Gesseritことベルギーの超奇才Alain Neffeも参加したカルトバンドの90年代初出音源!!古代キリスト教の聖堂の正面玄関のポーチを指す"ナルテックス"をユニット名とした、Alain Neffe(PSEUDO CODE、HUMAN FLESH、BENE GESSERIT)、Daniel Denis(UNIVERS ZERO、ART ZOYD)、Nicolas de Villemarque(NUWAGE MUSIC)らによるカルトグループの音源。1994年〜1999年までに録音された全13曲を収録、大量の民族楽器を地元の半径20km圏内に点在する教会群に持ち込み、怪しくもリズミカル/エキゾチックな楽曲を録音しまくった大変貴重な内容。











Never released before (recorded from 1994 to 1999).
Limited edition Marbled Vinyl.
Rhythmic, Exotic, Deep & Primitive Sounds for Post Modern Ears.
featuring special guests: Anna Homler, M.A.L., Michel Berckmans...

Narthex means railed-off western portico or ante-nave in earty
Christian churches for women, penitents and catechumens.

Narthex is also a trio featuring (at the beginning) Daniel Denis (UNIVERS ZERO, ART ZOYD), Alain Neffe (PSEUDO CODE, HUMAN FLESH, BENE GESSERIT) and Nicolas de Villemarqué (NUWAGE MUSIC). They had a very different musical background (mostly electric / electronic rock) and decided to work in the field of a totally acoustic music recorded live (two microphones + portable DAT) in churches of their area. After several recording sessions, Nicolas de Villemarqué decides to leave the group. ln order to complete the trio, Daniel Denis and Alain Neffe ask the participation of some of their friends. Anna Homler (THE SUGAR CONNECTION, CRO-MAGNON), Michel Berckmans (UNIVERS ZERO, JULVERNE, AKSAK MABOUL, VON ZAMLA,... ) and Daniel Malempré (M.A.L., HUMAN FLESH) have accepted the challenge and succeed to fit into their musical universe.

Instruments
Church organ, harmonium, sitar, saxophone, oboe, bassoon, zither,
valiha, senzas, tarang, voice, percussions, metal clarinet, classical guitar, jew's harp, ongolok, violin, dulcimer, mouth organ, etc ...

The Music
Often dark, sometimes repetitive or experimental, sometimes
rhythmical and exotic, always based on emotion inducted by the Sound. One could define it as dark age music (as opposite to new age music), a sort of minimal come back to the roots and purity of acoustic sound without the cultural background linked to the 'academic' use of some instruments (for example African senzas are transformed and tuned to sound like Indonesian instruments, sitar or harmonium are used as rhythmical instruments, vahilla is played with a bow).

The Places
Churches located in an area of 20 kms in the region where Daniel
Denis and Alain Neffe live for years and where they feel at home
(and feel the vibrations}. Every church, place emotionally loaded,
has its own specific resonance and sound structure. Every church
gave to the musicians a particular inspiration and fill the sound of
the instruments with a natural reverberation/echo. The place but
also the moment is important. They had the privilege to be allowed
to record in the Ecaussines church at night lightened only by candles.
lt was one of their most productive recording sessions.