Richard Pinhas - Iceland (1980)

Richard Pinhas has included a music with this album. Iceland, or the Land of Ice, music glacial cold, pure, beautiful, dangerous, elusive ... Iceland Part 1 offers a apporhce of galciers. Iceland Part 2 refers to the fear that low voltage will be unknown, in this cold world, the sounds are fabulous. The Last Kings of Thid is particularly successful sounds getting more and more worried, guitar Richard Pinhas is half a moitié aggressive beautiful and flat, creating a kind of anxiety that can not come because it is really has a comfortable listening to this beautiful album. Iceland Part 3, here we discover the beauty of the land of ice, blue and white dominates ... purity, ecology. Sign to remind us of the turbulent world of cities, a concept album works perfectly, the title is simple but indispensable. The Last Kings of Thule Part 2, fortunately there is a deuxème on this trip so interesting, the guitar takes its splendor. Short transition, is probably a kind of animal prowess, a presence, without danger. Greenland, and the Green Earth, see the grass here, a way, the melody is sublime, the fullness, well be assured. Wintermusic is a title which announces the extreme cold, extreme, what we feared the most, the fear, but the title is very soft, soothing, simply beautiful and carefree as the album is a cure for happiness has RICHARD PINHAS Iceland music review by Discographia

Songs / Tracks Listing 1. Iceland Part 1 (1:07)
2. Iceland Part 2 (9:38)
3. The last king of Thule (2:26)
4. Iceland Part 3 (7:46)
5. Indicatif radio (1:04)
6. The last king of Thule Part 2 (5:30)
7. Short transition (0:35)
8. Greenland (8:54)
9. Wintermusic (24:53)

Line-up / Musicians - Richard Pinhas / guitars & electronics
- François Auger / drums (8)
- Jean Philippe Goude / Minimoog (8)

Richard Pinhas 3 tunes from "Iceland"

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Richard Pinhas - East West (1980)

Often nick-named the 'French Fripp', Guitarist/Electronic whizz Richard Pinhas decided to release some solo work alongside his band work. East/West is the 4th solo release of his, and again he summons the help of his old Heldon cohorts Didier Batard, Georges Grunblatt, Francois Auger and Patrick Gauthier. I'm not convinced that Pinhas has conquered any new ground here, but the album is quite enjoyable. Track 1 - 'Houston 69', Pinhas relies on Batard, Auger and Gauthier, with processed vocals from Norman Spinrad. The track hits you in the face with a barrage of electronic sounds and sequencers backed with a heavy rhythm, the Guitars are Frippian, and the overall feel is quite dramatic. Next up, RP creates a total re- working of a Bowie composition, 'Sense Of Doubt', fully re-interpreted and un-recognisable from the sensational original with a more ambient/programmed electronic styling. 'Kyoto Number 3' is along the lines of what Tangerine Dream were doing during that time (or were about to do...) with more Fripp-like Guitars and sequenced synths. It can't be helped that Fripp and Pinhas go hand-in-hand when it comes to guitar style. 'La Ville Sans Nom' features Georges Grunblatt on a Polymoog, and is fully along the lines of Fripp/Eno works, with a slow sequence and sustained guitar backdrop with some excellent Pinhas soloing. 'Ruitor' finishes the first side, another ambient piece that's very Eno-esque. Nothing original, nor offensive. The second half of the record has something far removed from anything by Heldon or what was on side 1 - 'West Side' features vocals from a Dominique E. and has more in common with Human League than Prog. Not my favourite tune here, to be honest. It's back to Fripp/Eno territory for the lovely extended piece 'Beautiful May'. This track stars Patrick Gauthier on Polymoog and PPG Synth. 'The Whale Dance' is a short ambient track, and the album rounds off with 'Houston 69 Part 2' - featuring Heldon members again, but this time around sounding more up-tempo and faster paced than the first part. In conclusion, this is a good Prog Electronic album of 3 stars, but Pinhas has done much more exciting things previously. RICHARD PINHAS East West music reviews and MP3

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Houston 69: "the crash landing" (5:41)
2. London: "sense of doubt" (2:48)
3. Kyoto: "Kyoto number 3" (2:55)
4. XXXXX: "la ville sans nom" (4:05)
5. Home: "Ruitor" (4:00)
6. New York: "West side" (3:39)
7. Paris: "beautiful May" (7:17)
8. Keflavik: "the whale dance" (3:04)
9. Houston 69: "Houston 69" (4:31)

Total Time: 38:00

Line-up / Musicians

- Richard Pinhas / guitars & electronics, Polymoog, Moog
- Georges Grunblatt / Polymoog
- François Auger / drums
- Didier Batard / e-bass
- Patrick Gauthier / Polymoog (1 & 7 & 9)
- Norman Spinrad / vocal & composition (1 & 9)
- Dominique E. / vocal (6)
- Steve Shehan / percussion (3)

Richard Pinhas, Jerome Schmidt, Milosh Luczynski

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Richard Pinhas - Chronolyse (1978)

Second solo album from the future ex-Heldon leader, Chronolyse is a surprisingly accessible album that was recorded in the summer of 76 (and therefore BEFORE this solo debut Rhizosphere) but not released until 78, around the demise of Heldon. Indeed Chronolyse sees the Heldon members of Didier Batard (bass) and François Auger on drums and percs: the result is a very Tangerine Dream-like soundscape and if it wasn't for Pinhas' typical guitar, you could almost believe that you were in Berlin. Coming with B&W televised artwork, this album was released on the Cobra label and has been reissued on CD in the early 90's on the excellent Cuneiform label.

Opening on the seven variations of the theme of Bene Gesserit, we are in a typical TD/Schulze mid-70's realm where the sequencers are now fully developed and provide some rhythm and the whole thing is much less brutal than the Heldon material. The seven pieces pass by fairly quickly, each providing a different ambiance, but all are the result of Pinhas alone on his Moog, as is the Duncan Idaho piece that fills the rest of the album's A-side, well in the .same sonic galaxy. This first side is well recommended to Rubicon, Blackdance and Stratosfear fans.

The flipside is taken up by the sidelong 30-mins Paul Atreides track, in which the other two Heldon members help out, and allow for Pinhas to pick up his guitar and play us some of his Fripp-inspired solos The live-recorded track starts out much like the other two, with lots of moog, but consistently crescendos to add bass, drums, guitars and loads of Mellotron. But what one has to listen to mostly is Pinhas' low and insidious guitar doing slow painful wailing throughout most of the length of the piece. Despites a few lengths, this is great stuff that should be discovered by all progheads, especially those fascinated with 70's electronic prog. RICHARD PINHAS Chronolyse music reviews and MP3 review from progarchives.com

Songs / Tracks Listing

Variations Sur Le Theme de Bene Gesserit
1. Variation I (2:22)
2. Variation II (2:15)
3. Variation III (1:36)
4. Variation IV (1:44)
5. Variation V (1:35)
6. Variation VI (2:05)
7. Variation VII (4:33)
8. Duncan Idaho (6:12)
9. Paul Atreides (30:23)

Total Time: 52:45

Line-up / Musicians -

Richard Pinhas / synthesizers, Mellotron, guitar
Guest musicians:
- Didier Batard / bass (9)
- Francois Auger / percussion (9)

Richard Pinhas "Paul Atreides" (1/2)

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Richard Pinhas - L 'Ethique (1982)

I'm going to quote the Wayside Music site because they say it better than i can. "During a fairly incredible 7 year run that began in the mid 1970's,Richard Pinhas released a large string of influencial albums;7 by HELDON and 5 under his own name,all of which attempted in one way or another to meld(avant-garde) rock music with electronics. "L'Ethique" was his final release of that 12, recorded in 1981 and originally released in 1982.It was his final solo album before his musical retirement throughout the 1980's and it's one of his great "classic period" works.It also features the only studio recordings by the short lived Richard Pinhas Band.This group featured a great cast of musicians who had all previously played in MAGMA.Clement Bailly(drums),Patrick Gauthier (synthesizers) ( also of HELDON and WEIDORJE) ,Bernard Paganotti (bass) (also of WEIDORJE) and Richard on electronics,synthesizes and guitar." I also would mention J. Philippe Goude(minimmog,percussion) and Francois Auger(drums) just because i'm big fans of both.Yes it would be another 10 years until we'd get another album from Pinhas after this one.. "L'Ethique(Part 1) has this electronic beat with bass and percussion as synths join in.The guitar comes in soloing around 3 minutes.It settles right down after 4 1/2 minutes and we get spoken word samples and atmosphere taking over. "Dedication To KC" opens with guitar as drums and bass join in.It turns KING CRIMSON-like before a minute and those angular guitar excursions kick in before 2 1/2 minutes.This really reminds me of BI KYO RAN.Intense stuff.It changes after 4 minutes as the intensity levels off then it picks back up before 5 1/2 minutes. "Melodic Simple Transition" builds and we get an uptempo beat in an electronic soundscape.I like it ! "Belfast" has these different electronic sounds that come and go in a rhythmic pattern.Drums after a minute and bass too.This is so good as those electronics continue.The guitar after 2 minutes is lighting it up. "L'Ethique(Part 2)" sounds great with the guitar grinding away in the background. "The Western Wail(Part 1)" is minimoog crazy early on then the drums join in.This is uptempo with lots going on.Percussion too as the guitar joins in.It settles down before 5 minutes then the rhythm stops before 6 1/2 minutes as we get random drum patterns,guitar and more. "L'Ethique (Part 3)" has these sounds that echo along with samples and atmosphere.It's getting louder and drums join in.It settles down around 4 minutes to a spacey mode. "The Western Wail(Part 2)" is dominated by synths.Beautiful stuff right here. "L'Ethique(Part 4)" is a short elecrtronic piece. "Southbound" is my favourite because they just rock out like a Metal band.The drumming from Auger is relentless as is the guitar from Pinhas.Gauthier is on bass here adding depth.A powerful and intense track. An interesting album where those spacey soundscapes take a back seat as the guitar,drums and bass come to the fore. RICHARD PINHAS L'Ethique music reviews and MP3 Review from progarchives.com

Songs / Tracks Listing 1. L'Ethique Part 1 (6:21)
2. Dedicated to K.C. (6:57)
3. Melodic simple transition (4:14)
4. Belfast (5:00)
5. L'Ethique Part 2 (4:08)
6. The Western Wail Part 1 (7:46)
7. L'Ethique Part 3 (4:48)
8. The Western Wail Part 2 (4:31)
9. L'Ethique Part 4 (1:46)
10. Southbound (6:39)

Total Time: 52:10
Line-up / Musicians

- Richard Pinhas / guitars, synthesizers
- Georges Grunblatt / Minimoog
- François Auger / drums
- Clément Bailly / drums
- Bernard Paganotti / e-bass
- Patrick Gauthier / Minimoog
- Jean Philippe Goude / Minimoog, percussion
- Gilles Deleuze / voice

Richard Pinhas - Melodic Simple Transition 

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