REVIEWS OF AVANTGARDE ALBUMS (in english)

by piero scaruffi

See also the archive of electronic and new age music and the the discography of electronic and new age music
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Umberto Petrini: Ooze (Splasc)

Petrini is an italian pianist rooted in the tradition of Thelonious Monk with a touch of free jazz and a lyrical approach that reminds us of late romantic sonatas (check out "Un verso di Eluard"). A profound "sentimental mood" propels each of his 11 original meditations in an orbit of its own. The decadent and moody pace of the melodies reflects the hybrid style of the performer, who is not content with the jazz traditions and delves (sometimes ferociously) into minimalist and serialist diversions, who shuns happy endings and often nests his plots in fragmented, cubist structures. In the end Petrini's music shows feeling and feelings, solemnly European but deeply african, at the same time abstract and earthly, conceptual but only to a point. SPLASC c/o Senz'H V.Roma 11 20151 Arcisate Italy


Le Forbici Di Manitu`: Luther Blissett/ The original soundtracks (Alchemax)

The Cd collects the soundtracks composed for a brazilian director by the Italian collective Le Forbici Di Manitu`. The occasional nature of the music might explain the extremely diverse styles of these electronic songs. The common theme is collage: the band constructs structures out of incoherent sounds pasted together in wild and disconnected ways. The outcome is more often engaging than pretentious, alternating techno-pop to an organ chorale complete with gregorian chants. Every element of the harmony seems inert and abstract to the point of pure art per art, with no other referent than the sound it is making. Alchemax Industries c/o Vox Pop v. Bergognone 31 20144 Milano Italy