Vortex
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Vortex

Paris, Île-de-France, France | Established. Jan 01, 1990 | INDIE

Paris, Île-de-France, France | INDIE
Established on Jan, 1990
Band Alternative Experimental

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This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

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"Rewiew Eksaïphnès by Popingays [13 nov 2002]"

Dès la première écoute, il est impossible de ne pas identifier leur musique à celle de Cure (période Pornography), ou aux Cocteau Twins (Garlands), tant l'atmosphère y est lourde, bruyante et entêtante... Guitares stridentes, voix éthérées presque parlées, percussions, il y a tous les ingrédients d'une "cold wave" nouvelle génération. Vortex, est un petit duo français composé de Nico (guitare / voix / programmation) et de Sonia (basse / voix), ils n'ont rien laissé au hasard, s'occupant même de réaliser l'artwork de l'album. Pour donner une image à cet album, on pourrait facilement le comparer à un violent orage, qui parfois laisse place à quelques courtes accalmies... un disque réservé aux amateurs d'ambiances sombres et torturées...

Franck - Popingays [indie website]


"VORTEX Eksaïphnès review by ELEGY, indie French mag [2002]"

See the link... - ELEGY [Indie French Mag] - Barberousse


"VORTEX Eksaïphnès, D-SIDE review [Indie French magazine]"

See the link - D-SIDE [Indie French magazine] - Jean François Micard


"Welcome to the world of contemporary French Rock! Chi Chung's Choice, Hong kong [March 07, 2002]"

The duo includes Nicolas Guerrereo (vocals, guitars, electronics) and Sonia Cohen-Skalli (bass, vocals, tapes). Their passion for industrial music can be revealed in the opening number “Sun of a 1000 Centuries”. The groove is like machine pumping. Yet, they are kind of subtle guys and they like to create atmosphere. So, the kinds of noise or vocals have heavy treatments that make it more surreal. Perhaps the influences of My Bloody Valentine can explain part of the feel. In addition, their debut album also aims at a more eclectic approach. Experiments with the guitar noises, ambient instrumentals, blending of contemporary music elements like Ligeti and Arvo Part……all mix down a unique sonic journey.
Just a word of reminder: this travel can be as moody as its cover pictures protray.
by Chi Chung - Chi Chung's Choice [Hong kong website]


"Omaggio alla memoria della divina Nico? Kataweb Musica [IT <=> UK translation] [2003]"

Translation [UK]

Their names (Nicolas guerrero & Sonia Cohen-Skalli) tell us even less than the group name. It can't be otherwise because it's actually the first time they appear on the music scene.

There is something more in their attitude than to show the influences of their sound: My Bloody Valentine and rock as Suicide, Arvo Pärt and Ligeti contemporary music. There is great walls of guitars, mainly dominated by scenes of emotion and mood so dark and depressing than Joy Division seems a merry chamber orchestra in comparaison.

A dark fantasy flashback inspires more explicit titles like Ode Terminal, Blue Ruin, Lost Place, The Last Flames. But in addition to the existential moods that has inspired them, they have a noisy industrial attitude that seems to lead a trance for the two musicians, far from simple songs, seeking instead to venture into more experimental areas.

Maybe not far from the inaccessible roads of Glenn Branca that Vortex thanks in the liner notes.

Just After paying tribute to the memory of the divine Nico.

Elio Bussolino


Review in original version (IT):

I loro nomi, Nicolas Guerrero e Sonia Cohen-Skalli, dicono ancor meno della sigla assunta a ragione sociale. Né potrebbe essere altrimenti, visto che questa è di fatto la prima volta che i due si presentano sulla ribalta discografica.

Qualcosa di più rivelano quelli che entrambi riconoscono tra le fonti più autorevoli del loro suono: My Bloody Valentine e Suicide sul versante rock, Arvo Part e Ligeti, su quello della musica colta contemporanea. Come dire: muri di rumore chitarristico alzati a contenere scenari emotivi dominati quasi sempre da umori così cupi e depressi che al confronto i Joy Division paiono un?allegra orchestrina di ballo liscio.

Un ritorno di fiamma all?immaginario dark, insomma, reso ancor più esplicito da titoli come Ode Terminale, Bleu Ruine, Lost Place, The Last Flames, ma al malessere esistenziale che li ha ispirati si somma un?attitudine industrial e noise che sembra mettere la coppia transalpina al riparo dal puro e semplice calligrafismo per spingerla piuttosto verso i territori più avventurosi della sperimentazione.

Magari proprio lungo gli impervi sentieri tracciati da quel Glenn Branca che i Vortex ringraziano dalle note di copertina.

Giusto dopo aver reso omaggio alla memoria della divina Nico?

Elio Bussolino
- Kataweb Musica [Italian website]


"VORTEX, Eksaïphnès CD dsa [11/14/2001] reviewing by A U D I O G L O B E [independent italian distributor]"

THIS IS MY PERSONAL DISCOVERY OF THE MONTH !!! Simply amazing debut album by this French Duo composed by Nicolas (vocals, guitars, electronics) and Sonia Cohen-Skalli (bass, vocals, tapes). They started working together some years ago and were clearly influenced by bands like My Bloody Valentine, Lycia or Suicide... and the noise/ industrial scene. Later on they opened their ears to contemporary music (Arvo Pärt, Ligeti) and rehearsed almost a year before they started producing their first album. Eksaïphnès is a real electric album with walls of guitar sounds, vocals deep in the mix but also features quiet instrumental pieces of music in a more ambient , but nevertheless DESPERATE dark and negative mood. VORTEX deliver a really IMPRESSIVE debut, far beyond clichés or usual paths in music. The perfect soundtrack for cold and lonely autumn days and moon-less winter nights. Frightening and charming at the same time. Darker as dark and still uplifting BEAUTIFUL ! - A U D I O G L O B E


"Magnetic storm, "Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace" L.H [French diary & web] [FR <=> UK translation] [01.2001]"

UK translation:

The Parisian Vortex band is probably the most exciting music to listen now in the field of French rock, in the broadest sense. Illustrating their album "Eksaïphnès", with acid guitars and aerial voices, these songs succeed the hybridization between The Cure and My Bloody Valentine as we tried to fantasize.

Signed on the French avant-garde label "Les Disques du Soleil et de l'Acier" (known for his action towards the Japanese music scene, or Ulan Bator), Vortex impresses with its performance, which shines through in this first disc.
Composed by Nicolas Guerrero (guitars, programming and vocals), and Sonia Cohen-Skalli (voices and bass), Vortex moves deliberately apart of current musical trends. With their claimed influences as The Cure or My Bloody Valentine (yes, those that fused guitars and catatonic vocals around 1988-1989!), two of the most inventive bands of the 80s in England, they attempt the astounding synthesis which is "Eksaïphnès.
Tampered and angelic voices, as recorded through an endless fog, coupled with music made from mutant rabid guitars - but attenuated by obscure sonic treatments - and deadly melodies, which product a real jolt for the listener.

As a result, the delightful sensations abound, all songs expressing nonetheless a slow descent down to an abyss of depression, few instrumentals musics seeming extracted of a David Lynch movie (like "Lost Place"). the vocals are midwater, as smoky, whether male or female.

There are noisy temptations, as an industrial screeching, quickly countered by some autumnal tunes like "Eleutheron. Emphasis will be placed in quicksilver songs as "Sun of centuries to 1000", "Ode terminal", "The last flames", like a forgotten landscape.
It's when appears the "Blues from the stars" that we understand the despair of Vortex but also all its hypnotic beauty.
L.H.


Original version [French]:

Le groupe parisien Vortex est sans doute ce qu'il y a de plus passionnant à écouter actuellement dans le domaine du rock français, au sens large du terme. Illustrant "Eksaïphnès", leur album, à coups de guitares acides et de voix floconneuses, ces chansons réussissent enfin le croisement entre The Cure et My Bloody Valentine que l'on tentait de fantasmer.

Signé sur le label avant-gardiste "Les Disques du Soleil et de l'Acier" (connu pour son action envers la scène musicale japonaise ou Ulan Bator), Vortex impressionne par son accomplissement, qui transparait dès ce premier disque. Composé de Nicolas Guerrero aux guitares, à la programmation et au chant, et de Sonia Cohen-Skalli aux voix et à la basse, Vortex se place délibérement en porte-à-faux des tendances musicales actuelles, puisque leurs influences revendiquées sont The Cure et My Bloody Valentine (oui, ceux qui fusionnaient guitares et chant catatonique aux alentours de 1988-1989!), soit deux des groupes les plus inventifs des années 80 en angleterre. Ils tentent la synthèse ahurissante qui fait "Eksaïphnès". Voix trafiquées, angéliques, comme enregistrées au travers d'un brouillard sans fin, couplées à des musiques mutantes faites de guitares enragées - mais atténuées par d'obscurs trafics sonores - et mélodies mortifères, qui font ressentir une réelle secousse pour l'auditeur.
Du coup, les sensations ravissantes abondent, les chansons exprimant pourtant toute une lente descente au fond d'un gouffre dépressif, quelques instrumentaux semblants même tirés d'un film de David Lynch (comme "Lost Place"). La voix est entre deux eaux, comme envapée, qu'elle soit masculine ou féminine.
Les tentations bruitistes existent, lorgnant vers le crissement industriel, vite contrecarré par certains airs automnaux comme "Eleutheron". On s'attachera tout particulièrement aux passages vif-argent comme "Sun of a 1000 centuries", "Ode terminale", "The last flames", comme tirés d'un paysage en voie d'oubli.
C'est lorsque s'entr'aperçoit le "Bleu des étoiles" que l'on comprend toute la désespérance de Vortex mais aussi t - "Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace" L.H [French diary & web].


"VORTEX Eksaïphnès review [winter 2001]"

see the link... - OCTOPUS [Indie French Mag] / David Sanson


"Vortex album [2002]"

VORTEX
"Eksaïphnès"
(Les disques du soleil et de l’acier)
Les grandes plages instrumentales que l’on peut qualifier de musique contemporaine, mêlant les influences noisy, ambiantes et classiques, ouvrent leurs paysages gris électrique aux souffles des voix et envahissent peu à peu notre cortex. Un premier album très prometteur.

Isabelle Bernaleau
- Longueur d'Onde [French]


"VORTEX - Russian rewiew [03.06.2001]"

????????? ??????????????? ??????? ??????? ?????????? ????-???? ?????? 80-? ????? ???????? ???????? ??????????? ????????????????? ????? Les Les Disques du Soleil et de l'Acier ??????????? ?????????? ???????.
???? ?? ??????? ? ?? ??? ??? ????? ??????, ??????? ????????????? ? ??????????? ? ?????? ?????? Dead Can Dance , ????? ???????? ????? Cocteau Twins , ?????????? ??????? ???????????? ? ????????????? ?????? 4AD , ??????? The Cure ?????? "Pornography" , Siouxsie & The Banshees ??????? "Juju" , ? ??? ?? ?????????? ?????????????? ????????????? ??????????? ??? ??? ????? ???????????? ?????? ???????? ? ???????????????? ?????? ??? ????-??????, ??????? ??? ?????? ????? ?????? ?????? ?? ???? ? ???????? ?????? ????????????????? ??????, - ?? ? ???? ?????? ?????? ???????????? ????? Vortex "Eksaïphnès" ??????????? ??????? ????? ???????? ?????? ? ???????? ???????. ? ???????, ??????????, ???? ???? ????????????? ? ?????????? ? ??? ????????, ?????? ??????????? ??????????? ???????? ? ????????.
? ???? ????? ??????????????? ?????????? ??????? ????? ?????? ???? ??? ????, ????? ??? ????? ?????? ?????????? ?? ??????????, ? ??????? ????????? ?????? ??????? «Eksaiphnes»: ????????? ?????????? ?????? ???????????? ????? ???????????? ?? ????? ????.

????????? Vortex Nicolas Guerrero (?????, ??????, ???????????) ? Sonia Cohen-skalli (???, ?????, tapes), ? ???????????? ????????? ???????????? ????????? ??? ??????? ??????, ??????? ???????????? ???????????????? ? ???????????? ?????? ? ???????????? ????????? ????????? ???????. ?? ?????????? ?????? ???????????? ??? ????????? ???. ?????????? ??? ?????????????? ???????? Suicide ? My Bloody Valentine , ? ????? ??????? ? ?????????????? ?????, ???????????? ?????? ? ???? ?????????? ? ???????? ????? ????????????? Ligeti ? Arvö Part . ??????????????? ????????? ???????????? ????? ????, ????? ?? ??? ???????? ?????? ??? ???????? ????????.

«Eksaiphnes» ????????????? ????????????? ???????? ?????????? ??????????? ??????????? ????, ??? ??????????????? ???????? ???????, ????????????? ????? ? ???????????? ???????? ?????????????? ???????? ??????? ? ???? ??????????? ghost-????????. ???????? ???? ?????? ??????????? ? ???????? ??????? ???????? ? ??????????? ??????? ???????????, ????????????? ??????, ???????????? ? ????? ????-?????????? ?????, ? ??????????? ????????????? ?????? ?? ?????? ??? ?????????? ?????????? ????? ?? ????-???? ?????? 80-?, ? ??? ?????? ??????????????? ???????? ???????????, ????? ? ?????????? ??????? ??????? ?? ????????? ????????? ? ????????????? ????-????? ?????? ????? ?????. ??????????, ???? ?????? ???????? ????? ?????, ???????????? ??? ?? ?????????????? ??????????? ????????????, ??? ? ?? ?????????? «????? ????????? ????» ? ????-???????, ?????????? ?????? ? ???????, ??????????? ???? ???????????????? ????? ????????? ? «??????????» ??????, ?????????? ??????? ?????????? ????????????. ????????, ????? ???????, ???????? 20 ??? ????? ?????? ?????? ??????????, Vortex ??????????, ????????, ???? ???? ?? ?????, ????????? ?? ????? ???????? ??????????? ????????, ?? ???????????? ?? ??????, ?? ??????????? ??????????? ??????. - Odm [Russia]


"Amazon website [FR <=> UK translation] [Fév 2001]"

UK translation:

Under this sybilline title taken from a philosophical concept tied to the suddenness hides the first album from a French band who has had ample opportunity to hone his speech before the recording. With influences noisy, hardcore, post-rock and industrial, the duo staged by Nicolas Guerrero (guitars, machines, vocals) and Sonia Cohen-Skalli (bass, vocals) book the fruit of its works: the instrumental " Lost Place " rubs to dreamlike atmospheres as much as a contained violence which equaled those of Fugazi and Shellac, while a title like the fantastic" Ode Terminal "where the voice loses foot in a wall of layers of satured guitars, suggests the best time of My Bloody Valentine in the "Loveless" album. For sure, Vortex is one of the most interesting group of the Hexagon.
With them and the turbulent "Cheval de Frise" (punky duo acoustic guitar / drums) and NLF3 (trio) (instrumental version Slint in VF), Prohibition and Ulan Bator feel less alone. To discover.
Philippe Robert.


French review:

Sous ce titre abscon emprunté à un concept philosophique lié à la soudaineté se cache le premier album d'une formation française qui a eu tout loisir de peaufiner son discours avant de se lancer dans l'aventure discographique. Fort de ses influences noisy, hardcore, post-rock et indus, ce duo monté par Nicolas Guerrero (guitare, machines, voix) et Sonia Cohen-Skalli (basse, voix) livre là le fruit de ses recherches sonores: l'instrumental "Lost Place" côtoie des plages ambient comme des brûlots dont la violence contenue n'a d'égale que celles de Fugazi et Shellac alors qu'un titre comme le fantastique "Ode Terminale" où la voix perd pied dans un mur sonique aux couches de guitares saturées et superposées évoque le meilleur de My Bloody Valentine période "Loveless". Assurément, Vortex est un des groupes de l'Hexagone parmi les plus interessants.
Avec eux et les bouillonnants Cheval de Frise (punky duo guitare acoustique/batterie et nlf3 (trio) (Slint version instru en V.F.), Prohibition et Ulan Bator se sentent moins seuls. A découvrir.
Philippe Robert. - Philippe Robert [French reviewer]


Discography

- Vortex "Eksaïphnès" CD - 2002 [Les Disques du Soleil et de l'Acier / réf.cat. 54065]
- Vortex "Coriolis Project" - 2003 - Unreleased.
- Nico guerrero "Quatum Musics" & "Agartha" - 2006 - Unreleased.
- Vortex "Eksaïphnès" - Digital reissue 2010 [Zimbalam]
- Vortex "Horns of Jericho" - 2011 [Shinto Records]
(http://www.sin-tech.org)

Coming soon:
- Vortex "Agame" - new CD+digital version 2012
- Vortex # Live at Les Voûtes 2004 [Zimbalam 2012]

Photos

Bio

Active since the late 80's in France, Vortex is part
of a strange musical avant-garde, of those that remain hidden to the
general public... visceral sound, prepared and abstract guitars,
melancholic voice and melodies that arise smoothly on a real wall of
swirling harmonies, as a relevant meeting between Nico, Glenn Branca and My Bloody Valentine.
Founders of the duet, Nico Guerrero (guitars and vocals) and Sonia
Cohen-Skalli (bass and vocals) have been joined on stage since January
2015 by Arthur Geffroy (guitars and keyboards) for new concerts in France, Iceland, and Europe. The news of the Parisian
band have always been rare and fragmentary, as well as the official
recordings. Their "Eksaïphnès" album released in 2002 on the French
label "Les Disques du Soleil et de l'Acier" (Pascal Comelade, Keiji Haino, Kas Product, Etant Donnés...) is probably one of their best incarnation.

Websites:

http://vortex.nicoguerrero.com
http://vortexplace.bandcamp.com/album/eksa-phn-s
https://soundcloud.com/nicoguerrero-vortex

Videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi92TuUc3dI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eY7GZCtLrc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQSiDvDqAdc