Alessio Ballerini – To Its Beginning To Its End (2013)

Laverna

Archive.org

• Ambient
• Electronic music
• Drone
• Organic electronica
• Ambient drone
• Chamber music
• Musique concrète
• Field recording
• Microtonal
• Abstract
• Post-classical

Comment: Alessio Ballerini (born 1980) is being an intriguing ambient/drone musician having been active since the end of the 00s. My first meet with the Italian's music was listening to Blanc (2010, Zymogen) where he collaborated with famous Austrian guitar alchemist Christian Fennesz on a track. Given that To Its Beginning To Its End is the very topic of ambient and drone music/or tightly mixed up with each other then the exploration must have been obsessive either in sequencing the templates or manipulating with microscopic elements. Any element represented within this whole of 4 tracks signifies something by adding weight either alone or changing its place within a configuration. At times the course gets an abstract turn due to having the static and faint abrasive hisses running around, at times moving towards a most exuberant realisation by incorporating the sea waves into the blend. At times the aforementioned elements are magnified, and vice versa, by significant piano incantations. And it is something which can be considered an impulse to help one break on through to the other side. The listener can hear sonic waves upsurging and then decreasing in volume until there is silence. Even those vibrations being added to the rear part of a sonic progression make up a change I would like to call tectonic. For the resemblance and then against the difference, for the repetition and then against the difference. Thoroughly enchanting, frequently transcendental release is a part of the library of Laverna. Apex charmer in all-encompassing sense.

Riccardo Cirani – Intonazioni Serafiche - Rimembranze d'un estatico oblio (2018)

Laverna

• Art rock 
• Progressive rock 
• Experimental rock 
• Avant-rock 
• Ambient rock 
• Epic 
• Improvised music

Comment: this batch of 4 tracks (Seraphic Intonations with the subtitle Memories Of An Ecstatic Oblivion) is an enchanting progression through dynamic yet slightly easy-running picturesque guitars and loopy patterns as the creative algorithm of it beneath the strings. The term "seraphic" does mean "angelic", "sainty", "cherubic" by English Thesaurus. Of course, by following the aforementioned description we cannot reject the name of a genius called Robert Fripp (King Crimson) and his approach entitled flippertronics. Looped elliptical patterns to go on while vivid guitar chords and also full-fledged riffs used to be improvised atop thereby constituting a magnificent quintessence. On the other side, the moody impression of the album resembles Penguin Cafe Orchestra which was led by another outstanding guitar player Simon Jeffes (1949-1997). Additionally to it during a year I have discovered many great experimental guitar-based issues from Italy, for example, Gaetano Fontanazza's The Grandpa Lullabies (Sucu Music), and OOAME's Milanese-Nwas (Acustronica). And in general, thanks to Italian records like Nostress, Ephedrina, Sucu Music, and Laverna for purveyance of such intellectual sort of music. Indeed, the 56-minute gem is a part of the discography of Laverna. In many senses, it is an example of perfect album because while listening to it the time as a parameter gets set aside and the finishing and starting point come together as a symbol of the circle, a geometrical symbol representing perfection and completeness. Furthermore, it is an instance of ideal music because of uniting seamlessly easy listening and artsy intellectual/progressive rock tendencies. Spirit meets mind. Undoubtedly one of the best (cohesive, cinematic, expressive, pristine, epic, dynamic, enchanting) outings in 2018. I would like to imagine myself while listening to it after a hard day's work in the middle of wildlife somewhere in the middle of a vast forest and in a hut nearby a vast lake (Great Bear Lake, Great Slave Lake, Athabasca). It is not surprising because the wildlife is a face of Divine. Are you able to put this mind(set) down?

Dildo – Febbre (2005)

Laverna

• Alternative 
• Art pop 
• Electronic pop 
• Breaks 
• Indie 
• Jungle 
• Breakbeat

Comment: this is an offbeat dance pop and breaks mixed outing. There are represented three tracks with slightly different intentions and approaches but in overall it is all about rhythmic alchemy. So take your listening time very carefully to find out all the subtle shades and faint borders from within it. Loose rhythms are variegated with more determined and compelling torrents – from artsy indie and subdued yet lurking electro pop to noisy jungle and blasting breakbeat appearances. Female and male voices are cutely intertwined with each other to create the counterpoint to those violent rhythmic progressions (especially at Industria). Dildo is the trio of Elena Pongoli, Gabriele Mendi, and Fabio Macor and these tracks were recorded in 1999. This solid impression is a bit in the discography of Laverna.

The Star Pillow vs Tacet Tacet Tacet – Concurrence (2016)

Laverna

• Ambient 
• Space rock 
• Doom rock
• Avant-rock 
• Improvised music 
• Trance rock
• Experimental rock 
• Avant-garde 
• Ambient rock 
• Krautrock

Comment: in truth, the talented musicians need no rehearsal time to cake a delicious food. There is up such a case where three musicians met each other for the first time and decided to improvise a set at the studio. More profoundly, Paolo Monti (The Star Pillow), Francesco Zedde (Tacet Tacet Tacet), and Angelo Rondine (The Swan) provide a set of three compositions which is saturated with clouded synthesisers, murky guitars and stomping yet infrequent drums to drift somewhere between doom-laden rock, krautrock, and ambient (rock). At times it is just a state of mind as if the soundscape used to stand still and hover at one point. Indeed, it is a blissful daydreaming on its own. In general, these magic moments used to move in and out or just changing places with more moving progressions. The listener can discern aesthetically evoked tensions within the trio`s soundscape of being both aesthetical/mental and physical kind. It is also a battle field for an impulsive power and the inertia. By kindred souls there can be drawn parallels upon the likes of Slowdive`s Pygmalion, Labradford, Silber Records-related artists, Flying Saucer Attack, Saito Koji, Glenn Branca, for instance. It is one of the issues in 2016 and being a part of the roster of Laverna.

Muhr – Lucas Arc (2013)

Laverna

• Post-rock
• Experimental rock
• Avant-rock
• Modern classical
• Electronic music
• Epic
• Cinematic

Comment: Vincent Fugère aka Muhr comes out from a place where the guitar-induced music means a lot. More profoundly, he has based out from Montrèal, Quebec, Canada. There is up a wide spectrum of guitar groups who play it in an unconventional way as it is on the recent 4-track issue. Beyond that he had been the head figure of the fascinating experimental music label Camomille Music, an imprint for modern classical, post-rock, ambient and experimental and electronic music.  For sure, Muhr is a talented musician and producer whose outlet involves a bunch of mind-blowing constructed parts, heroic thematic developments and synergic streaks. For instance, he exploits guitars and mandolins juxtaposed against warped electronic undercurrents to conjure up experimental yet highly appealing results at Lucas Arc Part 2. The same could be said about the rest of the pieces where the epic of overdriven guitars, delicate electro-acoustic scintillas, reversed chords will surface a beatific level to dignify one`s soul and mind. Furthermore, something of this sort could be a soundtrack for any motion picture with fairly lofty content. This sonic gem must be heard and gotten.

Orrorin Daydream - A Distant Veil (2015)

Laverna
Archive.org

Bandcamp

/Dark ambient, Soundscape, Experimentalism, Minimalism, Abstract, Ambient dub, Epic/

Comment: Orroin Daydream`s 10-track issue A Distant Veil is a case of exuberant layers within catchy noises and fluctuating pulsating ambience coated with hisses and microscopic sounds (of course, all of that it is made in a deliberate way). Emotionally it is at times restrained and neutral, at times ready to turn into more ominous compartments saturated with echoes, specters and monochromic gothic fictions. In any cases, the whole stimulates the listener`s brain to fantasy and create pictures in her/his head. To understand the purpose it is quite trivial but it is the very goal ascribed to music. The Belgium-residing artist`s music could be compared with the likes of Tim Hecker (especially the Canadian musician`s first albums where boreal-related fictions were more depicted than on his later issues) and Vladislav Delay (also the artist coming from the northern hemisphere, more concretely from Finland) because of depicting a trudge across the pathway of (sub) dub-inflected wobbles and electro-acoustic bangles. In a word, the result is an outstanding notch within the realm of holophonic poetry getting a place in the list of the best albums of 2015. Being related to the Halloween date by the way.  

Twyxu - At Dawn And Dusk You Come (2014)

Laverna

Substance

/Post-rock, Noise, Ambient rock, Electronic, Drone, Avant-garde, Kosmische Musik, Experimental rock, Ambient drone/

Comment: this 7-track issue is an amazing listening thanks to its mystical peripheries of sublime noise plateaus, exuberant post-rock jitters and spaced-out incantations. Actually the album represents a huge periphery on its own. The more you listen to it the more you get involved in a vast picture of galaxy or outer space. Indeed, it seems to be no music anymore, it is rather a tremendous prayer or chant to call people back to their own roots. Despite its technical approach and premises the album chimes truly in an organic way like a swarm of bees or hornets frequently. At times Nicola Fornasari aka Twyxu´s masterpiece reminds of Seefeel`s more experimental glimpses into a morose ambient and electronic mixed universe. All in all, it is one of the best albums in 2014 so far. Fabulous.          

Molven - Removed Memories (2009)

Laverna

9.2

/Experimental electronica, IDM, Industrial electronica/

Comment: this pack of 4 compositions is filled with soothing electronic progressions immersed in vapor and mist. The difference comes in with the addition of groovey, acidic synthesizers and lightly bouncing electronic shuffles around it. By the way, if to spot on the gloomy nature of the drones and glacial atmosphere overhead these tracks do provide some similarities with industrial tinged electronica. However, despite its sparse instrumentation Molven`s mini release is an interesting listening satisfying the thirst for demanding electronic music.

Leonardo Rosado - a long white sleep EP (2012)

Laverna

9.7

/Soundscapes, Abstract, Shoegaze, Ambient, Post-rock, Epic, Dark ambient, Minimalism, Ambient drone, Dystopbient/

Comment: Leonardo Rosado`s 4-track album does reflect upon ambient music in slightly different ways filled in with remote noises and majestic panoramic burning fading away across the Universe. The paradox of the issue is being both abstract and moody at the same time. Especially by listening to variation in white #3 which used to evolve into the realm of shoegaze and space rock-tinged frequencies. By kindred souls there can be drawn parallels upon the likes of Saito Koji, Tim Hecker, slept., Caustic Reverie, Pan American, Bing Satellites, Loscil. In conclusion, it is highly formidable in its serious capsule providing a possibility about the situation on Earth after the existence of the human race is ended up. The skyscrapers are wrapped up by creepers and the asphalt world is full of cracks and fissures and Heidegger`s books are washed out from rooms and eroded. It is epic, don`t you?

Bruno Sanfilippo - Piano Texture Found (2012)

Laverna

9.2

/Modern classical, Ambient, Experimental electronica, Electro-acoustic, Piano music/

Comment: Bruno Sanfilippo is a Barcelona residing composer of Argentinian heritage who provides a batch of 3 compositions undertaking the exploration of experimental piano music where the sequences of subtle piano chords are amplified and channelized into an atmospheric realm which in turn is filled in with sensitive touches, lofty ascensions, fragile digital-ragged fringes and microtonal noises and dropping electro-acoustic bits. In a word, it is a relaxing listening session worth your time to be spent for. By kindred souls there can be drawn parallels upon the likes of Max Richter, Bosque De mi Mente, Lubomyr Melnyk, for instance.

Bing Satellites - Areas Of Darkness And Light (2011)

Laverna
Bandcamp
Lastfm

9.8

/Ambient, Shoegaze, Psyambient, Dystopbient, Kosmische Musik, Soundscapes/

Comment: this is very vast, very broad, very profound...one of the best ambient artists in the world at the moment because of mixing intensely up the warmth of arctic fields and shimmering of borealic fires. Sounds like the kind of shamanic dance below the aurora borealis reminding a bit of the works by Tim Hecker in the first half of 00s. It is supposedly quite rare when the sound gets much bigger than your possible imagination about it. Actually the other works by Brin Coleman are as qualitative as this one here.

Giulio Aldinucci - Boule à Neige (2011)

Laverna
Lastfm

9.5

/Dark ambient, Soundscape, Avant-garde, Ambient, Minimal/

Comment: Giulio Aldinucci`s minor issue will be turned off at the length of 17.27. What could we experience during this course? At the first glance the case seems to be very simple because of taking on soothing yet somehow disaffected primal bits of soundscape, highly dreamy and fragile soundscapes indeed. At times it resembles of the still life worked out in the manner of Mark Nelson aka Pan American, at times borrowing more from Alio Die`s holistic sensitivity thanks to more orchestrated and dark-hued appearance. It would probably have been part of the realm of Plato`s (beauty) ideas.

Elisa Luu - Ebbrezza (2011)

Laverna

8.5

/Experimental electronica, Art-pop, Indietronica, Ambient, Electronic pop/

Comment: This is Elisabetta Luciani aka Elisa Luu`s follow-up to her masterpiece The time of waiting (2010, La bèl), though, at the time her ambitions are more lopsided toward fluttering electronic-based approach, deliberately convulsive ambient experiments or slightly subdued or introspective feelings brought forth through dreamy electric pianos, rather than exultant indietronica and experimental fusion, respectively. Only the kick-off H1 (feat. Giulio Maresca) hints at her previous habits regarding indie(tronic) sound more detailly. In any cases, those 4 tracks do make out a fine synergy.