100 Unheralded Albums from 2010

Victoire: Cathedral CityVictoire: Cathedral City (New Amsterdam, 9/28/10)

Victoire: “Cathedral City”

[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Victoire_Cathedral_City.mp3|titles=Victoire: “Cathedral City”]

Formed in 2008, Victoire is an all-female electro-chamber quintet that was founded by composer Missy Mazzoli. Cathedral City is Victoire’s proper debut, and it’s a striking album that marries emphatic string motifs to minimal yet clever accents of keyboards, clarinet, melodica, and rapturous vocals.

Other chamber ensembles have pushed boundaries in the 21st Century, but Victoire does so in a way that feels completely natural.  Digitized hi-hat beats, looped/glitched vocals, and touches of electric guitar (courtesy of The National‘s Bryce Dessner) subtly complement a harmonious blend of violin, double bass, and the aforementioned elements.  Cathedral City is an exciting arrival.

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