Like Beck following up Odelay with a lower-key album, Jean Leloup keeps expectations tempered here in the wake of his '96 pinnacle, Le Dôme. Les Fourmis was rumoured to be a live album, but in the end is a mysterious mélange of mostly live but some studio tracks, mostly new songs but three reprises as well. And that strategy adds to the thrill when you discover that Leloup only seems to be getting better here--in his element somewhere between the studio and the stage in these longish, lo-fi, psyché-rock jams. 8/10 (Chris Yurkiw) Leloup performs live on MusiquePlus tonight, Thurs., Dec. 10, at 7pm

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