As the title implies Passeports by Matias Delplanque is concerned with geography, particularly locis of transport – train stations, harbours, parking lots – in the cities of Nantes, Lille and Dieppe, France. Delplanque works by processing field recordings from these locations, softening them into gauzy, cushioned blurs, identifiable traces peeking through the haze. Elements of Delplanque’s domestic environment intermingle with the outdoor material, so the clink of cutlery, stationary, and family footsteps cross paths with motor hum and wind.
It’s Delplanque’s way with processing, his ability to locate and extract a form of wispy wistfulness from his sources, that makes Passeports such a compelling album. Despite this intervention the integrity of his sources remains intact, and the impact is comparable to the editing of Francisco Lopez. In ‘Passeport 1 (Nantes)’ the abstract din of external sound slowly escalates in volume, like a slow fade in cinema, or the gradual opening of a theatrical curtain. This reveals a quiet rumble, possibly a plane taking off, amid the whispered rattle of close objects and oscillating waves of smoky drone. ‘Passeport 2 (Lille)’ employs the same technique to the sound of rain, as passing cars (possibly) speed by on an overhead bridge. ‘Passeport 5 (Lille)’ sounds somehow sadder, streaming waves of sand growling like Flying Saucer Attack. The final ‘Passeport 7 (Nantes)’ involves more staccato sounds, sparse droplets and indistinct chirrups, all popping like Pole on summer-camp, before dense streams of chattering voices intrude – sourced from a call centre in New Delhi. This reveals even greater depths to Delplanque’s compositional approach. Joshua Meggitt
via Cyclic Defrost