Poncey exoticism has never attracted my attention, particularly when it's clear that the more or less noticeable insertion of etnhic elements get justified by no particular reason that an inappropriate titivation, but I cannot say the sonic researches by French sound-artist Laurent Jeanneau, one of the most activ contributor of Sublime Frequencies, which recently released a collection of sonic documents of unknown indigenous music from ethnic minority groups of Southern China, prolific producer of ethnographic field recordings and tireless wayfarer, belongs to that kind of sonic fetishism. On "Voices" as in Jeanneau's previous collages, the concept could be vaguely close to Freform's Audiotourism, but in spite of the computer aided editing which is not invasive at all, there's no particulr stylistical imprint and the process of coalescence between recorded voices, field recordings and textures of traditional (mainly percussive) instruments doesn't taint the authenticity of the source. It rather highlights the immersive listening experience that Laurent evokes. As you can easily imagine, "Voices" focuses on vocal excerpts he recorded in the southern regions of Yunnan and Guizhou, China, in Sapa, Northern Vietnam and phongsaly, Northern Laos, which are often embellished by means of intriguing instrumental twines: the overlapping of entrancing vocals on the initial "Baozoo Khen", the lopsided string striations on the absorbing "Sixian Miao Choir", the ritual scent and the odd howling of the speaking woman on "Cym Wu Khmu" are the most impressive moments of a record, which is going to steep listener's mind into the remote corners of the planet Laurent genuinely documented.