Venera is a project that knows how to cultivate its mystery. Very discreet, the duo formed by James "Munky" Schaffer and producer/director Chris Hunt has suddenly released a self-titled debut album, without saying too much. Digging around, we learn that the name Venera refers to a Russian space program from the 60s and 70s to study the planet Venus. So we're well on our way to tackling this cinematic ambient/electronic project.
While the presence of Korn's famous guitarist in the project will undoubtedly attract some curious onlookers, let's stop any comparisons with the neo-metal legends right there. Venera takes the time to wrap us up and lose us in its futuristic, enigmatic synth layers. With its noise/ambient influences, Venera weaves its atmospheres and sets up its disquieting minimalist melodies with strong dramatic potential (the suspense of Erosion is worthy of a horror film).
You can tell from these juxtapositions of textures that Venera has left plenty of room for improvisation, bringing an extra touch of spontaneity to the coldness of the electronics. Drummer Deantoni Parks' performance on Disintegration, for example, gives the impression of a meeting between IDM and jazz, with its unexpected, hallucinatory breaks, a living, uncontrollable thing. While the first contact with Venera may seem hermetic, this debut album is easily seductive, thanks in particular to the relatively short length of its tracks and its few guests. HEALTH (they're everywhere !) and VOWWS bring a touch of ethereal pop melancholy to Ochre and Hologram, nuancing the threat emanating from the track, but also adding a touch of soul in the midst of this coldness, leaving room for human expression in the midst of machines. Alain Johannes, with his timbre sometimes reminiscent of Bowie in his last works, gives Triangle the twilight flavor of a closing credit sequence (this track could very well have been added to Helium to give the album a more epic finale).
After letting Venera take us into their world, the mystery remains pretty much intact: this debut album mixes cryptic experiments and cinematic evocations to offer something both visceral and (slightly) cerebral. It's a pleasure to get caught up in, and the ambiences created work wonders: by choosing a certain accessibility, Venera manages to touch us and intrigue us enough to keep us coming back for more. Above all, this is an excellent album for fans of contemplative, dark and mystical Sci-Fi.
