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10/08/2019

Daniel Barbiero & Cristiano Bocci – Wooden Mirrors (2019)




  • Improvised music 
  • Avant-garde 
  • Experimentalism 
  • Electro-acoustic

Comment: it is collaborative act between an Italian (Cristian Bocci), and American musician (Daniel Barbiero) who both play double basses in the opening composition (clocking in at a 22-minute), and Cristian Bocci only performs live electronics in the second track From a Concourse (clocking in at a 13 minute). First of all, it is a thoroughly improvised act which seemingly starts off a bit awkwardly as if searching for the intention through accidental notes and sonic combinations based on the plucked instruments. By going on, at a time, the listener can hear more contoured, channelized progressions in the embodiment of dynamic gears and semi-orchestrations which may be considered a drier version of Penguin Cafe Orchestra which are strengthened with iterative phases, phase changes and general improvised music aspects. As mentioned before, From a Concourse is the platform for electronic music within these 36 minutes which reveals a bit creepy wobbly electronic effects which do interact with vivid cello manifestos. There are up amplified echoes, loopy cello gears and ghastly shades coming out through contact microphones to eventually build up a sultry, lofty composition. There can be drawn parallels upon some works of the like of Arthur Russell, for example. The solid issue is a part of the discography of Plus Timbre.