ALBUM REVIEW: Mosaic – Lesoir

It could be easily said that LESOIR, a Dutch progressive rock five-piece, has been quite prolific over the last 10 years. Their new, fifth studio album Mosaic represents a release that builds on all of the act’s previous vigour while eliminating all of the persisting issues. Also, the fact that producer John Cornfield (MUSE, SUPERGRASS, ROBERT PLANT) is a part of the project probably has fans expecting at least some of that vibe that comes along with his impact.

Mosaic is the absolute fulfilment of all things LESOIR has been working towards since their 2011 full-length self-titled debut. It’s the unpredictable ambiences merged with reflecting fundamentals of the later PINK FLOYD output. It’s the strong poignant sounds conveyed by an undertow of artful progressive themes. In particular, it is all of those components amplified and carried out in a more effective collection of songs. LESOIR has achieved this by expanding the range of their influences, and by not being worried to drive the tempo of their tunes past the easy-going velocity set by the previous few releases. This evolution has lead to a heterogeneous release that can glide from a song such as Is This It with its vibrant riffs, swift tempo and outstanding vocal harmonies right into a moderate, more typical piece such as The Geese. The aftermath is a recording that is attractive to those intrigued both by powerful and gentle arrangements. The expanded importance on the previous releases’ biggest elements is letting Mosaic to be easily accessible and catchy right away. That is not to say that this is a superficial release, but rather a multilayered album that doesn’t put the listener through the sonic Golgotha.

Whereas the previous records used certain themes and ideas to emphasise each overall track, this release has pushed them into being the entire focus. Without much digression, each piece on Mosaic is going to start mellower than it will eventually finish; each track is going to cover you with elevating harmonies and gentle melodies and just about every one of them will keep their passionate bond while pushing the well thought out blueprint.

The flourishing melodies of Mosaic aren’t forced to move the bulk of each piece, but instead they’re combined into the comprehensive musical arrangements and transformed by the numerous tempo shifts. They’re further adorned by the voice of Maartje Meessen, whose vocals are simple yet eloquent, and the harmonies are often some of the high points of each track here.

Mosaic is a giant leap forward for LESOIR and also a step that finds them escaping from any limitations. This is a band that doesn’t hesitate to break from the conventional structures in favor of something a bit more strident, a band that doesn’t hold back from boosting up their passion. This all summarises Mosaic as the best work of LESOIR’s career.

Rating: 8/10

Mosaic is set for release May 4th via GlassVille Records.

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