Third time's a charm! After a debut album that lacked production and a sophomore effort that lacked bite, the French trio has finally nailed their sound with
Zepto. The songwriting has wonderfully matured, the production is just right, everything simply coalesces to push
NeBeLNeST's fierce and creative music in your face. The
King Crimson influence that was central to their debut has now completely vanished, replaced by a unique take on avant-prog, with shades of electric
Miles ("De Thriumpho Naturae"), a noisier and grittier attitude (think
Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, perhaps), and free improvisations that feel much freer (the first half of the ten-minute "Do What Thou Wilt").
Bob Drake's production on
NoVa eXPReSS was a little bit too over the top, distracting from the music or even taking it apart when it most needed to show cohesion.
Zepto has been recorded and mixed by keyboardist Olivier Tejedor and the results are tailor-fit to the band. Highlights include the riveting "Pillars of Birth" and "Majnuns," the short though very effective "The Thing in the Walls," and the surprisingly fusion-esque "De Triumpho Naturae," in which drummer Michäel Anselmi shows that his palette also includes lightness. The only disappointing track is "The Old Ones," which sounds like a heavier take on
Djam Karet's spacey riff-based jamming. Beside that piece,
Zepto is a stellar set of ballsy, thought-provoking avant-prog with a vintage touch, thanks to Tejedor's keyboard sounds. It clearly is the group's least immediately accessible release, but for all its demands, it rewards you with the most unadulterated incarnation of the band's vision.
Zepto is what
NeBeLNeST always tried to be, but had not quite achieved yet. Highly recommended.