Massimo Ruberti – Granchite Yumtruso PT 2 (2018)

Nostress

Free Music Archive

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• New Age 
• Electronic music 
• Alternative 
• Improvised music 
• Smooth jazz 
• Synth-pop 
• Crossover 
• Krautrock 
• Kosmische Musik 
• Worldbeat 
• World music

Comment: all the music Livorno, Italy-based artist Massimo Ruberti has been creating is wonderful. On the other side, the quality is not changed worse while he has changed the nature and pace of his music over the years. It may be even more adequate to admit the changes have been organic and made step by step so one feels difference and an analogous appearance at the same time. While listening to this 4-notch release I have to assume Massimo Ruberti has added a clear pop inflicted tendency to his sound though doing it in his own particular way. It may be considered inevitable and organic if an experimental artist has explored many kind of finesse through the sound and thereafter tries to test his/her craftiness by creating a sublime pop sound. Here we are, at a sultry crossroad of world music, smooth jazz, ambient pop, sophisti-pop and synth-pop. Smooth jazz as a style is frequently signified as superficial and slight though in the recent context the aforementioned adjectives are turned off. A dominant thread is an adept employing of singing and vowel effects it is something I have a little encountered in the artist's oeuvre. Bombastic yet profound orchestrations used to alternate with loose Kosmische and psychedelic ambient drenched synths and at times more minimal rhythms play predominant role. Robots are also represented over there by denoting a transitional time span when Kraftwerk changed from a motorik krautrock combo into an electro and techno pop juggernaut somewhere between 1973-74. The other aspect is related to an esoteric impression as if one is dwelling in the middle of a rain forest and being a thousands of miles away from the civilization. Especially it can be heard at Wilderness. The release which undoubtedly makes difference is a part of the discography of Nostress, an Italian imprint.

TÜNEL – Climb (2012)

Nostress

• Noise rock 
• Electronic music 
• Alternative 
• Musique concrète
• Improvised music 
• Field recording 
• Experimental electronica 
• Leftfield 
• Art music 
• Conceptual

Comment: let's go back in time for about five years when a duo called TÜNEL recorded an imaginary soundtrack for mountaineering and possible disastrous events tightly related to it. These seven tracks constitute a terrain where different influences and genres meet one another. Furthermore, it is a mind-provoking storytelling based on sounds which starts off with sprightly children shouting and then progressing into different kinds of electronic music and surprisingly into a noisy rock binge played flat out. It can be asserted it is the frenetic follow-up of disparate chapters full of loads of turns and dodges, exciting interfaces to connect and superimpose different parts on each other and imaginative buildups to show up this kinda audiobook as vivid and magical. Mostly its structure seems to be preset and determined yet at times the duo indulges in having more loose and elemental spans to be added to the mix. You can feel prodigious inner power and impulse oozing from different slots and pits which is not surprising because the intention and goal is to depict the mountainous, threatening landscape up to the listener. This astounding outing is a part of the discography of the Italy-based record label Nostress.

Synflict – Tetraphobia (2016)

Nostress

• Post-industrial 
• Avant-garde 
• Experimentalism 
• Sound art 
• Abstract 
• Drone
• Art music 
• Electronic music 
• Avant-electronica 
• Illbient 
• Dark ambient

Comment: this 4-notch outing by Leipzig, German artist Olliver Wichmann aka Synflict is a classical post-industrial one with slowly progressing sonic terrains being culminated atop with spiky, metallic sparks and hollow echoes and spoken flickers the last of them at a time may be perceived as the playground for sanity and madness to get tightly interacted. By focusing on the titles of the issue you can meet such ones as Unrest, Exhaustion, Flashback, and Void. Each of these compositions used to be truly long yet they constitute a coherent solar system with one another. It does say quite much about the issue. By moving along this path you will be discerning uncanny, strange sounds surely of not coming from your safe and secure world. Additionally, at the foot one can hear sounds being inclined to the so-called Klingklang aesthetic being also closely related to German electronic circles. Besides the predominant electronic manipulation one can partake in guitar induced flows and because of that there are up a bunch of intriguing combinations, mind-provoking interactions to be interrupted by short circuits (read it as incisive sonic effects). On the other side, it is a subtle drift between emotions and the repulsion of them. This disturbingly awesome issue is a part of the discography of an Italian imprint, Nostress.

Cinema Noir – Fernweh (2015)

Nostress

• Post-rock 
• Alternative rock 
• Epic 
• Electronic music 
• Indie rock 
• Indietronica 
• Remix

Comment: I am back again at the discography of Nostress Records though it is the first step of mine to Cinema Noir, a combo from Palermo, Sicily, Italy. Allegedly this 6-notch issue is their first step (partly) into electronic music. More profoundly, it includes majestic and blissful progressions through guitar buildups and synthesizer-based clouds, respectively. Indeed, the listener gets wrapped up in hazy, hiss soaked clouds and sublime dynamics of sonic abysses filled in with unknown surreal creatures because it chimes so beautifully and blissfully. Its beatific touch does have a remarkably more tremendous impact in comparison to every day's life. If you get stricken by the Sun then you may experience a similar feel. Frequently it reminds of a Mogwai's turn into electronic music (at Happy Songs for Happy People) though Cinema Noir's turn seems to be more overwhelming and crucial both mentally and physically. For example, listen to a track called Miles Davis, the most irresistible composition over there. You can hear many themes and progressions of running simultaneously in one and the same track. At Persepolis the music turns into something to get its power from the roots of minimalism. It chimes as if a post-rock track being produced by Steve Reich. There is up one track being remixed by another Italian combo Veivecura. In a nutshell, it is a sonic leviathan which must be heard.

Etterem – Catching the Big Fish (2016)

Nostress

• Post-punk 
• Electronic 
• Crossover 
• Celtic music 
• World music 
• Mash-up
• Avant-pop 
• Spoken word 
• Art music

Comment: indeed, David Lynch has been back for a while through his music (The Big Dream (2013)) and the revitalisation of Twin Peaks in 2017. However, he is also over the place thanks to tributes paid by others to him. For instance, the recent 13-notch outing by Etterem which in turn is directly inspired by Lynch's book Catching the Big Fish (2006) by arguing on how to suppress negativity and bring forth more positivism in one's life. The main idea is to do it through meditation. On the other hand, it should not be messed up with Dale Carnegie-alike books of which quixotic appearance to hold on the main theme provides no viable duration. Musically it is a very interesting issue extending from plunderphonics and mash-up elements to sultry post-punk thudding and the most pre-eminent thread, Celtic music progressions in many variations, through microscopic noises, provoking sonic effects. At times those numbers chime in a mind-blowing, majestic way as if The Pogues or The Dubliners were produced by Simon Jeffes himself. Furthermore, there are also up more roots related numbers full of minimalist beauty and austere yet uplifting magic. The aforementioned post-punk and electronically induced numbers do demonstrate specifically Lynch's mystical, dreamlike nature towards the art. By citing Lynch the issue shows up contrasts and turn on the lights (read it as music in the recent context) and darkness goes. The release is a part of the discography of an Italian imprint, Nostress. No stress.

Massimo Ruberti - Granchite Yumtruso PT. 1 (2016)

Nostress

Free Music Archive

Archive.org

• Ambient pop 
• Post-classical 
• Avant-pop 
• Indietronica 
• Art pop 
• Free jazz 
• Electronic music
• Post-pop 
• Alternative pop 
• Electro-acoustic 
• Space pop 
• Drone pop

Comment: Massimo Ruberti`s previous issue Armstrong (which was also a Nostress` issue) made me fairly psyched and excited because it was a beatific instance of spaced-out electronica. It was dedicated to Neil Armstrong and was an exemplary of how the music must be accomplished. The Italian musician continues to plough through the same field though there are up some differences too. For instance, the opening track Snorri/Hollow Earth chimes as an instance of indie electronica/drone pop/post-classical, having similarities with such artists as Spacemen 3, Tortoise, Penguin Café Orchestra, Efterklang. Welcome, to the indie music world, Massimo! The following track is as exhilarating as the previous one because gentle field recording templates, dribbly piano keys and a minor key motif are mixed up with majestic singing of alien-alike children, all of which later turns into the saxophone-led progression. Believe me, that’s very astounding. Once again, there can be drawn comparisons with another Jason Pierce-related project, Spiritualized. At Metal Talking Artifact Box Ruberti demonstrates again that he has entered into the indie music field because contemporary indie artists have jettisoned the guitars to replace them with other instruments, notably with the electronic keyboards. It could be admitted about the more mainstream-related artists and underground artists. More profoundly, the track is a tight mix of free jazz, and dub and electro-inflected electronic music (one could perceive more and less implicit nods toward Kraftwerk in the latter branch). This excellent issue will be finished off with Spider Guardian Machine in a space pop/ hypnotic electronic/shoegaze vein being provided with high intensity and dynamic impulses. It is one of the best issues in 2016. 

Massimo Ruberti – Armstrong (2015)

Nostress

/Space music, Electronic music, Conceptual, Ambient, Kosmische Musik, Experimental electronica/

Comment: it is nice that musicians are still up to get inspired by benchmarks with regard to conquering of the outer space by the human race. Unfortunately there have been way too little space flights into the space after Yuri Gagarin and US astronauts did it. More profoundly, there is no qualitative progression to have been since then (it might be the reason why there are arising conspiracy theories about expressing doubts regarding the flight to the Moon in 1969 and thereafter, for instance). The flight to Mars seems to be very far away if not impossible altogether. Of course, it needs a huge amount of money to prepare it. On the other side, countries are rivalling with each other to spend their money to get economic, resource-related, and military advantages and the most worst one is that wasting resources and annihilating environment around us. As the human race we have no sole fist to realize our goals. By personal aspect I have no faith into it anymore. It might be the only aspect what we could realistically do for the cosmos is to protect our beautiful home planet Earth, the only genuine pearl that we have been having. The human being is way too stupid to reach it if he/she is not able to change the overwhelming economic order around him/her based on excessive, destroying consumption. The human being is still as clumsy as he/she was many deacdes ago in connection with curing such diseases as high-grade astrocytomas, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer and myeloma, for instance. This is a notch of our Mars which needs to be conquered. However, Armstrong by Livorno, Italy-based experienced electronic musician Massimo Ruberti is a pearl as well, though a sonic pearl. The titles of it reflect upon Armstrong`s stages to get into and to be in the outer space and landing on the surface of the Moon. By listening to it one could experience hyper-realistic emotions wherein dreamy,glacial-alike synth threads and glimpses used to intersect with the sounds of digital bug filled radio transmitters where the message of an astronaut coming out of it rings in a fabulous way. It is quite weird and funny that at the ending part of Moon Ruberti uses a mandolin induced motive that reminds of a Russian folklore ditty as if depicting Russians landed on the Moon instead of US-Americans. On the other side, maybe it is a try to consolidate two nations to have at least one goal to conquer the nearest planets. By regarding the example the Italian composer extends its scope beyond usual understanding of electronic music by using exuberant orchestrations and motives and rhythms in addition to ordinary package of electronic sounds. In a word, get this album, listen to it. Even if your optimism about space expansion will not be aroused those sounds and constructions respectively entering into your ear and brain give you a candidate for the list of the best albums in 2015. 

Alexander Zaitsev & Jelena Glazova - Live @ Taiga 2014 (2014)

Nostress

/Sound art, Experimental electronica, Live session, Noise, Abstract electronica/

Comment: Zaitsev-Glazova`s 26-minute set consists of experiments with electronic sounds, noise and droning monoliths. At the first glance it seemed a little bit monotonous by its nature but affording many listening time the result used to reveal many previously hidden effects and tiny details within its body. More concretely, many of them are deliberately semi-shadowed or brought to the front, some of them used to merge with other sound into something unclassifiable somehow reminding of boreal sounds as if coming directly from the nature. The result is captivating upon the listener is immersed in it.               

Alejandro Remeseiro – Storm (2014)

Nostress

/Spoken word, Experimentalism, Organic electronica, Avant-garde, Musique concrète, Conceptual, Dark ambient/

Comment: Alejandro Remeseiro aka Thanatorium aka Elias Falken aka Eemian aka Prowano Prosper aka The Advanced Antennas aka Konsumprodukt is a prolific sound explorer from Spain whose 5-piece issue Storm is based on a relatively simple idea, mixing up agitated weather report annunciations (regarding the hurricane Sandy in 2012 on the east coast) with emotionally loaded sonic backgrounds and effects. However, the result is impressive because of going right to evoke epic dread and impending doom. Remeseiro`s work is haunting a little reminding of such seminal work as Irdial-Discs´ The Conet Project: Recordings of Shortwave Numbers Stations (1997) (although do not have even a similar context). 

Massimo Ruberti - The City Without Sun (2013)

Nostress

• Krautrock
• Robot pop
• Alternative
• Kraut-techno
• Leftfield
• Kosmische Musik
• Motorik
• Leftfield
• Electronic pop
• Psychedelic electronica
• Art pop

Outstanding tracks:

The city without sun
Last bird in the valley
Sabotage
Smog
The wind

The Fucked Up Beat - Rust Belt (1968) (2012)

Nostress

Bandcamp

• Sampledelic
• Cut and paste
• Cinematic
• Alternative
• Leftfield
• Exotica pop
• Sound collage
• Avant-garde
• Experimentalism
• Mood music
• Film noir

Outstanding tracks:

Conveyor Belt of Lost Hopes/ Galaxy of Shoppables

Detroit, Je T´aime

Monolith Monsters/Day of the Triffids

Mothmen, James Dean`s Head

Lake Erie Body Snatchers

Night of the Hunter

Theme From Rust Belt/Doomsday 1968

Nick Z.Gibarian - Mule Cartoon (2012)

Nostress

9.1

/Experimental electronica, Psychedelic, Alternative, Leftfield, No Wave, Avant-pop, Noisetronica, Repetitronica/

Comment: Gibarian`s 9-piece issue bases on a sonic blueprint wherein hard-edged, abrasive electronica is suffused with faint psychedelic vibes and repetition-heavy progressions thereby reminding of some krautrock-esque approaches entirely based on electronic devices and machines. Or the No Wave concept with regard to Suicide. On the other side, the chiptune/tracker music/bitpop concept dwells quite nearby. Indeed, any track coming out from within the set chimes like an enormous loop of signals, blips-bleeps and high frequencies. Maybe the tracks like Flying Valve Mule, and The Molecule Walking Machine (Left Part) are the exceptions on the strength of more danceable vibes, though, again, wrapped up in the steely swathes of sound. the rest of the material is a tiny bit more abstract. However, one of the strengths of the release is tension between peripheral noises and an overt pop feel (obviously thanks to the aforementioned psychedelic shades). Figuratively it appears like a dance of molecules coming out through the metallic blood vessels of robots. In a nutshell, the more you listen to it the more charm and magic come out of it.

Black Cocks - Sweet Illutions (2013)

Nostress

9.3

/Space rock, Dark ambient, Experimental rock, Improvised music, Avant-garde, Classical music/

Comment: the spaniard Mauricio Diaz Varela aka Black Cocks takes on 5 tracks in a diverse way. It starts off with mesmeric dark ambient compositions full of monotonous  black walls and grey electro-acoustic floors and ceilings. In between that you can perceive weird vibrations, microtonal noises, and ghostly exhales. On the other side, there is also represented a tough yet atmospheric edge of experimental rock, intriguing rhythmic explorations and demented classical music appearances concocted with concrete sounds. Ubiquitous experience.  

Gumbel - Cavan (2012)

Nostress

Bandcamp

• IDM
• Experimental electronica
• Electro-indie
• Electro funk
• Breakcore
• Leftfield
• Crossover
• Motorik
• Breakbeat
• Harsh electro
• Chill out

Marco Manzella e Antonella Scalia (2013)

Nostress

9.5

/Post-rock, Symphonic rock, Experimental rock, Ambient rock, Instrumental, Classical/

Comment: this batch of 7 compositions is a mindblowing one composed of the elements of orchestrated classical terrains, post-rock-esque carcasses, and ambient (rock) jitters. Inspite of heady structures the release is counterbalanced with a torrent of senses and enough mood turns pouring out of any slots (sometimes reminding even of Penguin Cafe Orchestra in its uncompromising pursuit for beauty). Behind this combo are Marco Manzella (electric guitar), and Antonella Scalia (classical violin) who started off their  collaboration and thereby the combo in 2012. However, they are assisted by Simone Alvich (pianoforte), and Emanuela Sala (voice in Oltre) at times. Very special post-rock collective.

Zreen Toyz - Grimoire Of Eternity (2012)

Nostress

8.8

/Industrial illbient, Avant-industrial, Experimental electronica, Sound-art, Musique concrète, Avant-garde, Experimentalism, Non-music/ 

Comment: Zreen Toyz is a French music group (the collective has issued releases since 2007) whose 6-notch album is filled with sharp electronic overthrows and synthetic bubbles and chips turning into austere industrial flickers and gleam. All these elements are mixed up with the laths of concrete sonic bits. Indeed, it is abrasive and irritating, which lacks in emotions and lushness. Not exactly...actually there are represented lush undulation and emotional shift as well though all of that just used to be outside the pop realm by its nature.