[Exclusive Interview] Enigmatic Sound Machines – Inside the Sculpted Darkness of “Divided By One”
ByJacopo VigezziMay 25, 2026 #Krautrock, #Progressive Rock
Few projects in the contemporary Electronic Progressive Rrock landscape manage to evolve as deliberately and visibly as Enigmatic Sound Machines. Founded in Montreal by Jeremie Arrobas and Thomas Szirmay, ESM has compressed three albums and a radical sonic transformation into less than three years — moving from the synth-driven palette of “Telepathic Waves” (2023) to the darker, more architecturally complex world now arriving with “Divided By One,” their fourth studio record, due June 05, 2026 via Progrock.com Essentials. With bassist Hansford Rowe and guitarist Alain Bellaiche now fully on board as core members, ESM is no longer a duo experiment — it’s a proper band, with all the weight and ambition that implies. We sat down with the project to go deep into the new album, the studio process, the themes, and where electronic progressive rock stands today.
Jeremie, Thomas — ESM started as a friendship project between two lifelong friends. At what point did it stop feeling like a personal creative outlet and start feeling like a serious artistic statement that needed to be heard?
It started being a serious artistic project right from the get-go! The idea was to start something different. “Telepathic waves” is a very new wave-oriented album. We needed to start somewhere, and somewhere was the place we were in at that time 😉 Thomas and I were sharing a lot of common ideas, that’s where the album title comes from. It was imperative for Jeremie to have a comfort zone compositionally and grow or ‘progress’ from there on in.
The name Enigmatic Sound Machines carries a strong conceptual identity. Was it a deliberate choice to build the project’s persona around a sense of mystery and mechanism, or did the name come first and the philosophy follow?
The name of the band came to Jeremie very naturally. We are a “machines” based outfit, we use sequencers and drum machines, we call them “sound machines” The name came out during the writing of “Telepathic Waves”. All the elements in our music world are described in these 3 words.
Your discography has moved fast — four albums in roughly three years. Is that pace driven by creative urgency, a deliberate strategy, or simply the way the two of you naturally work?
Hahaha, the fifth album is already in the works, so being creative is not an issue. Jeremie is a very creative musician, I think the only time he’s not composing is when he sleeps…although I’m not even sure of that…. Same when we write lyrics, it’s very dynamic and fast, no wasted time, just 100% effort.
The leap from “Imperfect Silence” (2025) to “Divided By One” is clearly the most significant stylistic shift in your catalog — darker tones, heavier guitars, more cinematic scope. What was the internal conversation that led you there? Was there a single moment or track idea that cracked the record open?
Thomas is the one who stirred our ship towards more progressive music. And that began with our second album “The Hierarchies of Angels”. What interested me was the doors it opens to synthesizers and sound machines. Prog music is full of synthesizers, it’s true, but our approach is different. It was more how to integrate synths and rhythms into prog. As you know we don’t have a drummer. Believe it or not, Jeremie started his musical career as a drummer. So, regarding writing drum parts it’s very easy for him. We also attended the 1974 Led Zeppelin concert, in which John Bonham prevented us from sitting comfortably. As well we started playing with different musicians and that of course expanded the scope of our music.
“Divided By One” is also the album where Hansford Rowe and Alain Bellaiche transitioned from guests to full core members. How did that structural change affect the composition and arrangement process in the studio — practically, not just conceptually?
Both Hansford and Alain are long-time friends. We played together on a few other records. So that transition became obvious to us. How can you lose using two top notch musicians?And both were essential in developing the melodic content of “Divided by One”. Alain and Hansford are very melodic players, and you can hear that clearly in each song.
The album title itself, “Divided by One,” is mathematically paradoxical — dividing by one leaves you unchanged, yet the title implies fracture or tension. Walk us through the conceptual logic behind it. What does the phrase mean to ESM?
Indeed, it is a paradoxical mathematic operation…. unless you take ONE as a word and not a number. Then, ONE becomes a “mythological” entity, some kind of divinity. Then it becomes something totally different. For example: God is supposed to unite us all….or are we divided by that “ONE”? And yes, at the same time, it also means “nothing really changes.”
The tracklist opens with the six-minute title track and closes with a nearly ten-minute piece (Inviolate Fields) before the Gary Numan cover. Was the sequencing of the album a long deliberate process? How do you approach the arc of a full record?
Thomas and I had decided which should be the first and last song. The final sequencing of the album was done by our label, and we believe they did a great job. At that time the cover wasn’t part of the album, it was supposed to end with “Inviolate fields”. We will come back to that later in this interview.
“Chaos Dreaming” is the longest track at 9:32 — a significant structural commitment on a record that already has several seven-plus-minute pieces. What was the compositional approach for that track specifically? Did it grow organically or was the length intentional from the start?
It grew organically. All the songs on this album come from a place deep inside our soul, everything is heartfelt. The different parts came one after the other, it was never a chaotic process, go figure! The song came to life as an instrumental and it became clear that vocals were needed to complete the story. The only section that gave us trouble was the reggae section; it was a complex arrangement and difficult to assemble at first. But once Alain added guitars, it all became fluid. Regarding the length, writing is like travelling, you start the journey and you stop once you reach your destination.
“Sirensong” and “Pool of Mirrors” sit at the center of the record and have notably more concise runtimes. Are those tracks functioning as emotional pivots or breathing spaces within the album’s architecture, or did they simply develop into shorter forms naturally?
These two songs are probably the most accessible pieces on the album. They both use the classic verse-chorus pattern. So yes, you don’t need 7mn to establish the right mood. As I said earlier, our record label decided on the album sequencing. Somehow, they do provide a change of atmosphere and a different perspective on the architecture of the work.
The album explores themes of tension, resilience, and transformation. Are these themes that emerged from the music retroactively, or were they conceptual anchors that guided the writing from the beginning?
Lyrics always come after the songs are written. On occasion, I write alone but most of the time Thomas and I sit down in the studio and we write together. The subjects vary according to the atmosphere of a song, as well determining the kind of vocal line required. When we work together, I sing phonetics (“speaking in tongues”, and Thomas channels them into actual words (a specialty of his since he is a rather prolific wordsmith). And yes, ultimately the music always dictates the essence of the lyrics.
“Heavy Water” and “Screaming Sound Machines” both suggest intensity and pressure — one through density, one through almost self-referential force. Can you talk about the production choices on those two tracks in particular? How did you build the sonic weight?
“Heavy water” is probably the bulkiest song on Divided by One. A slow build up to a major dramatic ending. All was accomplished through multiple track layering, involving several synthesizers, two guitar players plus synth guitar, and about 4 drum kits playing slightly different patterns at the same time. Talking about drums, all the tracks on this album have a minimum of three kits drumming as one. Also, Hansford plays 2 different bass tracks during the choruses. Vocals are of course a very important element of that development. We layered many vocal tracks at the end of the piece.With “Screaming sound Machines, the process was different. We also have three different guitar players (Alain, Steve Bonino, and Jeremie). Very robust guitar hooks, and that adds a lot of energy, along with a complex synth loop intertwined with Hansford’s serpentine bass lines. This song is a subtle mix of classic rock and new wave elements.
The Gary Numan cover “Are ‘Friends’ Electric?“ is a bold choice to close the record, or at the very least, to include at all in the release. What is ESM’s relationship to Numan’s work, and what does a cover of that specific song say about where you are as a band right now?
Here is the true story about that remake…. the album was completed and we started mixing, when one evening I got a call from Mark Monforti (Progrockessentials.com boss) asking me if I could do a cover of “Are friends electric”. At first, I was slightly reluctant. That song is one of my all-time favorites. Mark had no idea, I said OK, but only if we happen to do a good version of it. Three days later, the remake was done and proceeding nicely. That one has only 2 musicians playing, myself and Hansford. Thomas does the talking (he usually does).
On the production side: how did the recording and mixing process for “Divided by One” differ from the previous albums? Did the expanded lineup require a fundamentally different approach in the studio?
This album required plenty of bass and guitar recording. It was a time-consuming and very productive process in my home recording studio. Steve Bonino and Roland Buhlmann guitars were sent to me as wave files, as well as Laura Piazzai vocals. The mixing was done in two parts. Most of it was done by Hansford and Jeremie in the first phase, and then these mixes were sent to Ian Beabout in Ohio, who put the final touches on them and mastered the complete album. That process also involved Alain who was at that time in Mexico. It was occasionally very difficult to agree on what should be the final mix. Ian did a great job and that settled any debate.
Montreal has a rich and somewhat underacknowledged history in Progressive and Electronic music. Does the city’s creative environment — its studios, its community, its cultural texture — have any measurable influence on ESM’s sound, or do you operate in relative isolation from the local scene?
I don’t believe the Montreal scene had any impact on ESM sound. We don’t really listen to what’s going on, or let’s say it doesn’t influence us. Thomas certainly has many prog connections in the province of Québec, but just like Montreal, it’s a huge and diverse melting pot that embraces a wide variety of languages, cultures and musical styles.
Speaking more broadly: how do you read the state of progressive rock and electronic prog today — internationally, but also specifically in your own country? Do you feel part of a movement, or more like an outlier?
We consider ourselves to be relative outsiders. We don’t follow and have no intention of pursuing any ongoing trends. So many things have already been said by so many amazing bands. The idea is to be different and create our own little universe.
ESM has been primarily a studio project. Have there been live performances in the past, and if so, what did translating this music to a live context look like? Any specific memory from the stage that stays with you?
We haven’t played live yet.
With the full quartet now in place, are there live dates planned around the release of “Divided By One”? Is getting ESM on stage a priority for this album cycle?
There are plans to bring ESM live in 2027, maybe even later this year. Stay tuned 😉
Before we close — are there additional singles or visual releases planned between now and June 5th? Anything else listeners should be watching for?
“Divided By One” arrives June 5th, 2026 on Progrock.com’s Essentials. The title-track and the Gary Numan cover “Are ‘Friends’ Electric?” are already available. For ESM, this is not simply another release in a fast-moving catalog: it is the record where the project consolidates its identity, expands its lineup, and commits fully to a darker, more demanding version of itself. Listen and watch attentively.
Pre-Order “Divided by One” on Bandcamp: https://enigmaticsoundmachines.bandcamp.com
Enigmatic Sound Machines |Official Website|Bandcamp|Facebook Page|Instagram|Spotify|YouTube Channel|ProgRock.com’s Essentials |Official Website|Facebook Pa
Album review The Prog Whisperer’, from The ‘Progressive Rock Time Machine”.
May 15 2026
Album Review:
Artist: ENIGMATIC SOUND MACHINES
ALBUM NAME: DIVIDED BY ONE
TOTAL RUNNING TIME: 61:07
RECORDING/PRODUCTION DETAILS:
Label: Progrock.com's Essentials
Composed by: Jeremie Arrobas (Are Friends Electric? Composed by Gary Numan)
Produced By: Enigmatic Sound Machines
Mixed By: Jeremie Arrobas, Ian Beabout and Hansford Rowe
Mastered By: Ian Beabout
Artwork: Jeremie Arrobas
Release Date: JUNE 5, 2026
Reviewed by ‘The Prog Whisperer’, from The ‘Progressive Rock Time Machine”.
First off, let me just acknowledge the sheer excellence of ESM's Web Site for offering a wealth of information relating to the band and music, lyrics, videos, news, reviews, and so much more. Great job building that site out!
Enigmatic Sound Machines is a great name for a band who utilizes and implements odd ‘Sound Machines’ into their instrumentation palette, which Jeremy and Thomas use avidly and effectively throughout their projects. The best part of listening to this band is trying to figure out specific instrumentation (or even ‘type’ of instrumentation) being used at any given time. It's an ingenious blending and usage of electronic and ancient music machines.!
OK, so for Track 1 we begin ‘Divided By One’, the title track, which runs for 6:16 in length. It opens with an atmospheric dark keyboard tone, which begins pulsing the tempo before the band joins in (organ, bass, drums, bass guitar, guitar, vocals). It’s an electronic fused rock/alternative song which offers a really nice melodic feel with chorused harmonies, etc.
The instrumental passages are very good offering a lead to the vocals and harmonies with sweet delay effects and a spoken word narration effect, before the instrumental closing.
I heard a sound I turned around
I saw a gun I saw a face
It was too late to say a prayer
Blood was running down my hands
I thought my world was going to end
Will it be my last breath
If love is all you wanted tell me
Why the wind erased my name
So many doors so many windows
Black keys underground
Divided by one
How many tears before we drown
So much more to leave behind
Now I question your intentions
We lost our way divine is one
Epitaph will be my fate
I don’t want to be the one
Is this another damn lie
I need to stand I need to face
Deliverance from the human race
Track 2 is called ‘Chaos Dreaming’. It begins initially with strong psychedelic electronic noise (sound machines) before the electronic keyboards begin setting up the melody. Running to 9:32, the tempo gets established early with the bass-guitar and drums, accompanied with short guitar accents and electronic keyboard piano. The tune has a subtle oriental feel of old world instrumentation used, which is very nice, accompanied by a straight up bass guitar and 4/4 drum beat, before the vocals begin. It’s a steady beat tempo with instrument effects and sounds being weaved alongside the melody, including a short reggae feel with funky rhythm guitar chops, synthesizer passages, piano passages, etc. out to the 7:26 mark, when the vocals return to the core melody.
You are the light
You are the moon you are the sun
You are the stars
The air I breath the wind I feel
You are everything I know
Everything I touch is you
You are the reason why I am here
Chaos dreaming
Chaos dreaming in your eyes
You walk away
Far beyond the promised land
Behind horizons beyond imagination
Chaos dreaming in your eyes
And when you will get home
I’ll be there next to you
Track 3 is called ‘Sirensong’, which runs for slightly over 5 minutes. This one begins with some very strange sound effects driven by keyboards as well as additional ‘sound machines’ derived from multiple sources and blended into a feedback-induced, delayed and atmospheric layer of psychedelia. The vocals come in at the 3:32 mark and brings a very sweet melodic vocal with a slow and melancholic supporting rhythm, with guitar, bass, drums, keys and voice. The bridge and instrumental transitions are electronically atmospheric.
She’s calling me from deep below
Her song is such a deadly melody
Inside her voice is haunting me
I want to run but everything is sinking
The ocean has me dreaming
The moon inside my head is full
A flame once took me far away
Into a world with no forgiveness
I sing your name I sing your song
I sing and I feel no pain
Sirensong I hear your call
I feel your love
You need to understand
That day she took my soul away
To a place inside her mind
A place I never left
Track 4 is called ‘Pool of Mirrors’ and it runs for almost 6 minutes. Opening on an electric piano, building out the melody while we begin with a very sweet tempo, backup vocals (oohs and aahs) while a soft subtle drumbeat manages the tempo. The vocals follow the main melody and are sung over atmospheric keyboard strings. The tempo allows the listener here to remain undistracted while riding the main melody.
Silence holds so many words
Broken promises and hearts
So many lies so many tears
History tells what it wants
In the end you will believe
Distant memories of you
No matter what you say
No one will know
No one will ever know
Heaven seems so far away
Even angels lose their way
There is no light there is no sound
To guide you now
On this road you leave no trace
Fall and rise again
No matter what you say
No one will know
Now you know what no one knows
And no one knows what you know lies ahead for you
No one stands no one bows
Freedom is the air I need
Whatever moment time allows
I will be there I will be loud
’Cause in the end it’s you and me
Track 5 is called ‘Heaven’s Rain’ and opens with a soft organ introduction, evolving the melody to include guitar accents, string accents and a percussion rhythm which begins the doubled vocals. This band likes to demonstrate that you do not always need overwhelmingly complex parts to fit this genre and style of music. Using these oddities of sound machines, allows simple implementation of melodic and dreamy passages that do not require virtuoso skills to incorporate. In other words, the band is really much more inclined to provide excellent melodicism and soft lush interactions, layers and transitions, then to try to blow anyone away with self-indulging performances. They sit in a perfect place to provide ethereal and atmospheric instrumentation to a melodic and somewhat spacey initiative, all while allowing the melody to provide the driving expertise. These tunes breathe very nicely and that is a very important characteristic of outstanding compositional skills.
I never told you life was an easy road to travel
I never told you life would bring everything you wish for
I never met someone
Quite as beautiful as you
Heaven’s rain will fall
When you open up your heart I see fire
Then I sit back and smile
Know you will be fine and free
It’s only heaven’s rain
Falling over the world
Falling over you
What if I can find
How to be the one to take away the pain
What if I can find
A way to heal your soul
Will you let me in
Will you let me be the one who brings the rain
What if I can find
Words that make you smile
Track 6 is called ‘Screaming Sound Machines’ and it runs to 4:57. After setting up the melody in the opening as an atmospheric intro with rhythm, the bass comes into the picture to establish the tempo and melody. The vocals begin but there is a sense of unease with these vocals. The vocals ride over a dark droning atmospheric ambience but are somewhat dissonant. The melody is primarily electronic with delays and echo interspersed, accompanied by harmony vocals and delays, prior to a nice lead guitar riff at the 3:09 mark. The music in this piece is intriguing and mostly works, but I thought the vocals were a little bit weak on this one. If the slightest stress, caused by the vocal dissonance, is not resolved it begins to feel like it’s ‘misplaced’.
I feel my soul is made of lead
Maybe alive surely dead
Once so pure now unsure
If you are the venom, I want no cure
Give me your pain one more stain
Nothing ventured nothing gained
I want to melt in your noise
Am I one of your toys
Ain’t that a shame
I want to sway in your voice
Don’t ask me why
I feel your rhythm is a lie
That you will deny
Screaming sounds machines
Screaming all the time
I feel my soul is made of lead
Maybe alive surely dead
Once so pure now unsure
If you are the venom I want no cure
Give me your pain one more stain
Nothing ventured nothing gained
I want to melt in your noise
Am I one of your toys
Ain’t that a shame
I want to sway in your voice
Don’t ask me why
I feel your rhythm is a lie
That you will deny
Screaming sounds machines
Screaming all the time
Track 6 is called ‘Heavy Water.’ The song runs to 7:33 in length. The slow setup of this song begins with a bass guitar establishing the time and tempo, along with an accent guitar and electric piano alongside. The vocals begin at the 1:56 mark and are heavy on effects emulating an alienlike vocal. The tempo is very slow and purposeful. The bass guitar and drums continue a pattern of co-existence and slowly introduce backup vocal harmonies to complete the verse lines. Around the 4-minute mark, the song begins to withdraw into a slow, methodical and ambient instrumental melody, but at 5:07 the song kicks into a stronger tempo with a more driven rhythm along with bells and additional ‘sound machine’ layers of sound, accompanied by paired backup vocal harmonies over a trippy background.
Feeling totally submerged and drowning in “Heavy Water”, as the mad scientist rubs his sweaty palms in abject delirium, that crimson red button looks awfully appetizing!
Once again, a trio of squealing guitars wreak havoc (Roland Buhlmann replacing Steve this time). Out of abject fear, the sequencer equipment has decided to shriek now, ferocious and sizzling. Dripping oblique scales, battering ram drums, bludgeoning explosions of fury and a voice conjuring dark desires, the mood is either fusion or fission, surely atomic and definitely cataclysmic.
The ‘New Wave’ of ‘Progressive’ has surfaced, as some might want to call it one fine day, when peace will finally slay war.
Tubular bells seek out the Ommadawn , as the Orffian choir settles in, en masse
I read your mind your darkest desires
I fear the seed is in place
Everything is on fire
You built a world you can destroy
A world that was provided
A world you took away
I need more time I need more time
Said the man to the void
Heavy water heavy water
I hear your voices I hear your call
Heavy water heavy water
I hear and I feel we are close to the end
Track 7 is called ‘Inviolate Fields’. The tune begins with a beautiful organ underneath a brief electric piano interlude before entering a gently whispered vocal introduction, similar to atmospheric band ’Enigma’, and the non-lyric lead vocal that comes is ambient bliss.
The tempo remains slow and methodical with noise and effects baked in, alongside the bass line accents over the ambient orchestration. The song slows to a crawl at the 4 minute mark until about 4:40 when the tempo again becomes softly dominant and the non-verbal vocal harmonies return once again. The instrumental continuance at the 6:41 mark boosts the instrumental melody and the accompanying rhythm slightly, bringing a ghostly and yet slightly commercial instrumental feel.
Track 8 is called ‘Are Friends Electric?’. This is the album closer and runs to 5:16.
Cutting into a bass guitar setting up the time and melody, the vocals drive the song into a pop-influenced, alternative sound that accompanies the multiple sound machine instruments used to capture the songs intended mood & feel.
The steady beat of the tempo of this ‘Gary Numan’ tune, fits ‘Jeremie Arrobas’ vocal style.
RATING: '9.1' ON A ‘10’ SCALE
Reviewed by ‘The Prog Whisperer’, from The ‘Progressive Rock Time Machine”.
Closing Summary:
This is a very good band who impressively and effectively blend ‘early alternative’ & ‘new wave’ with pop melodicism, electronic and progressive inspirations.
Drama, passion and a relentless desire to use sounds either never before heard, or at the very least ‘seldom’ heard, has them on a track to be a very distinctive leader of tis style, and with their music backgrounds, Jeremie Arrobas & Thomas Szirmay bring it all to the party where you will voyage through a dark but melodic electronic foundation, into a world of music that is full of variety and transitional stages, making it all sound more ‘prog’ than it might be. But that’s not to take anything at all away from this band, especially now that they are a foursome!
I would classify ESM as ‘Prog Adjacent’, not 'Neo-Prog' and it’s not 'Progressive Rock' (but it is very good) or 'Metal' or 'Folk' or, or pure 'pop' music. It’s ‘Progressive Electronic’ or ‘Alternative Electronic Prog’, or some other similar name. Who really gives a @#$ about a genre label anyway?? They are doing what most Progressive Rock bands are doing: Blending several different genres into their library. (No, it’s not 'fusion') ... lol
Anyway, what really matters most here, is that this is a very good band who are exploring new dimensions in progressive and electronic rock and combining elements of these newly explored new wave regions into their own mixture of Alt, Electric & Prog. I think it's awesome.
It takes guts and a lot of skills to begin putting a stamp of ownership on the ‘creation of another developing hybrid prog subgenre sound, defined and mostly for themselves. And now with this 4th release, they've got themselves a ‘really big head start’!
‘The Prog Whisperer’, from The ‘Progressive Rock Time Machine”.
PROGRESSOR.NET Mini-review - Enigmatic Sound Machines: Imperfect Silence (2025)
Canadian duo Enigmatic Sound Machines are out with the album "Imperfect Silence", and progressive rock is the style explored on this production. It is a bit of a softly melancholic trip into the atmospheric laden progressive rock landscape we get on this occasion, and while it may not be quite accurate to describe this as an album with pop music sensibilities it is an album of compositions that are rather accessible in nature. The combination of careful piano, keyboards and saxophone that is a presence in many of the songs does give me associations towards some of the calmer songs from the Blade Runner soundtrack by the late and great Vangelis, in some cases combined with what might be described as a borderline neo-progressive rock expression. A little bit of a bluesier vibe is a sometime presence here too, adding a touch of Pink Floyd in the associations department, and we also get occasional flirts with sounds, mode of expression and moods of the kind I tend to associate with a band like Tangerine Dream. This is a most accessible variety of progressive rock, distinctly atmospheric laden too, and my impression is that those who enjoy the Vangelis just as much as Gilmour-era Pink Floyd and bands similar to Tangerine Dream might find this production to be an interesting one.
ENIGMATIC SOUND MACHINES – Imperfect Silence
ENIGMATIC SOUND MACHINES –
Imperfect Silence
Canadian duo delve into melodious noises to drench the void with voodoo vibes.
A musical collective’s mission to “venture even further down the prog path, moving away from previous multi-level stylistics into a more homogenous instrumental sound” might seem bordering on boring in our day and age when many similar ensembles rearrange the same elements of their DNA without any advances towards the unknown as their chosen genre originally dictated. This Montreal team think differently, though, and they set off a few surprises on “Imperfect Silence” that arrives in the wake of 2024’s "The Hierarchies Of Angels" which emerged a year after the band’s debut. Enriching what can be perceived as a sonically familiar art-rock terrain with fresh colors, Thomas Szirmay and Jeremie Arrobas defy their peers’ proclivity for reliance on those stylistic staples and define their own space here.
And the aural space the Canadians carve out for themselves on this album is so geographically varied as to include New Orleans idiom, a possibility other proggers didn’t dare explore. So while mini-epics like “Wrapped In Black” – the scene for which is set via the finely detailed and deeply emotional symphonic grandeur of the titular piece – enshroud the listener in dusky, dynamically striking vistas, “Hallow” not only echoes the “Hello!” of “The Distance Between Here And Now” but also picks up its groove to channel Dr. John’s hypnotic chants. Still, as Arrobas’ vocals and ivories and Szirmay’s soundscapes get tethered to the ground by Rob Harrison’s flute and sax, whose licks imbue the overall imagery with force of nature, and Alains Bellaiche and Roig’s guitars breathe tuneful fragrance into the ether, the exquisite “House Of Shadows” enters the realm of pop balladry, and “Haunted” tries new-wave shoegaze for size. The organ-infused and riff-driven “Endless Beginning” brings in a whiff of blues, however, and “Red Forest” shines its majestic, crazy-ruby light over a folk-tinctured backdrop stricken with owls’ hooting and wolves’ howling.
Enigmatic, indeed – and as alluring as any mystery must be.
A truly proggy band name for this project from Montreal. Entirely new to our magazine as well, even though we are already dealing here with the third release by this Canadian duo. Multi-instrumentalist Jeremie Arrobas has a past with the band Men Without Hats, who in the eighties launched waves of new wave and synthpop at their listeners. Alongside Arrobas we find Thomas Szirmay, a true connoisseur of the prog rock genre, actor, singer, reviewer, and all-round creative spirit. Together with a few guest musicians on more conventional sound machines such as guitar, bass, flute, and saxophone, the pair has made a rather charming album in which electronics are the driving force.
Opening with the instrumental, slightly altered title track In Perfect Silence, the gentlemen set out on an atmospheric, conceptual path. The tempo is consistently low across the album, with hardly any bombast; instead, you hear a somewhat bare sound with plenty of “space.” The music is layered, yet not compressed; within the room that this creates, details and refined transitions emerge. This keeps everything open, fresh, and accessible in tracks ranging from over five minutes to some stretching as long as nine.
The blues-tinged Hallow has the cadence of a camel (Camel?), and is a genuinely enjoyable piece with saxophone, where Arrobas’s not-so-brilliant vocals can be easily overlooked. The groove continues into the following Haunted, also a strong composition. Calmly building prog is heard in the closing Red Forest, a successful attempt by Enigmatic Sound Machines at creating a true instrumental epic full of moods and shifts. To ensure Imperfect Silence a frame of reference, think of the crafted work of former Dream Theater keyboardist Kevin Moore’s project Chroma Key, Castanarc, with a touch of Pink Floyd. The creators themselves call it retro-futurism. Fine — as long as the thing has a name. As a first-time listener, I was, in any case, captivated by what was offered.
--