ESSIAR

, aka Cyrille Essiar recorded just a mini-album and a compilation track for Radio Khartoum before vanishing in a mist, presumably back to his native France. A record horribly overlooked in general, though probably the record which has brought more fan mail from Sweden (huh?) than any other RK has released. Sparing you any Swedish, here's English praise from the people at Tonevendor, written back when they still had the time to write their own reviews: “One of the suavest, most talent-filled discs I've encountered in a long time! Bossa beats segue to acoustic guitars, seque into french pop, segue intro electropop...just freaking brill!!”

ESSIAR: Summer in Minsk

khz199 - 3" CD $7

Figure skating guitars, toy-like arrangements and a reportedly “Scottish” atmosphere. Hints of Aznavour, Gainsbourg, My Bloody Valentine, Neil Hannon and Dominique Dalcan.

“ESSIAR is a journeyman. A Frenchman on a lonely journey looking to settle the score with his past, going through melancholy and memories of happier times. And we’re invited to go along, past lost and loved ones, on a route we’ve all strayed on before. Now it’s with Essiar’s lazy drum beats as company, and those dreamy guitars that guide his tales like an unpredictable compass. It’s a twitchy ride. But you’ll want to go again.” —Henrik Engström, Geschmack Intl.