French-Canadian producer Antoine Bédard, the wizard behind the laptop for his third project as Montag, doesn’t wield a particularly stentorian singing voice. In fact his phrasings on the highly collaborative Going Places, no doubt mirror his ethereal soundscapes. His voice rolls down in that liquid diction Jacques Brel and other French singers of the ‘60s perfected.On 2005’s Alone, Not Alone (a better album than this wobbly outing) Bédard traversed the high-wire act between the standoffishness historically chained with electronic music and the emotional warmth of analog instruments.Analog or digital aside, Bédard’s choice to recruit a cadre of likeminded indie musicians known for their gossamer vocals was no accident. What proceeds because of it proves to be somewhat out of order ”“ akin toppling too far into the reticent side of his previous tussles with that high-wire act. Basically, there just may be too many blips, beeps and pops for one listener to stand.Amy Milian of Stars proves to be one of the best on the disc on the resplendent "Safe In Sound" though. Awash in 60s’ influenced pop, their voices mingling signal future collaboration as a necessity. “Mechinal Kids” wind-up electronics works in the same respect for them but in an understated pop way.The other highlight comes earlier on in the album. Bédard recently arranged strings for Anthony Gonzales (M83) so his voice on the epic opener “I Have Sound” seems to instead say I’m trying to live up to the electronic musicians that influenced me. For this track he certainly does. All of Montag’s signature elements coalesce in a house of worship electronic tone poem. Gonzales adds his orbital keyboard work into the mix and the song floats into the ether.Other collaborators include Owen Pallett of Final Fantasy (vocals on the bizarre string plinking on "Softness, I Forgot Your Name"), Victoria Legrand of Beach House (her indelible voice churns through the meandering ballad "Plus Grand Que"), and Au Revoir Simone, with a forgettable cameo on electro-pop "No One Else".Essentially Going Places is a patchwork of sounds instead of a true-blue pop album. In places that aesthetic works particularly well (Millan’s tracks) but in others the stately production fells to overwhelm Bédard’s slight voice.Even the Boards of Canada-esque title track that closes the album, doesn’t right the course of this Medusa-headed album. Reportedly this track ups the collaborative ante, sporting the help of 70 musicians spanning 15 countries. For an album that seems waterlogged with collaborations, it’s not particularly ambitious or noteworthy. 66%Links Montag [official site] [myspace] [buy it]