Review: Italian Megapost

It's no secret that I absolutely love the music coming from Italy now......some of the most creative, thought provoking and thrilling material out there. Labels such as Boring Machines, No=Fi, Artetetra (amongst many others) release album after album of challenging and experimental music that never fails to exhilarate. Of late I've received many submissions from Italian artists and labels and my attention has been drawn to others. So, as a vain attempt to bring as much as possible to your attention I've decided to compile one mega-post, starting with the latest from the Boring Machines roster. Enjoy!

Adamennon - Le Nove Ombre del Caos



This is a bit special! Last year I wrote an article for Shindig mag about the Italian Occult Psychedelia scene and the debt it owes to the Giallo soundtracks of the 1970s. As if to prove my point comes this belter from Adamennon. Ostensibly the soundtrack to a horror movie that was never made, 'Le Nove Ombre del Caos' pays respectful homage to the soundtrack greats of formative years, the likes of Fabio Frizzi, Goblin, Bruno Nicolai and Walter Rizzati. It is full of malevolent organ and doom laden symphonics and creates an atmosphere of dread and suspense as befits any good horror score. This album sees a natural evolution for Adamennon, drawing on previous works such as 'Nero' and 'MMXII' whilst still retaining a fresh perspective. I seriously love this album - the mix of dark prog and, in places, bordering on symphonic black metal is moody and atmospheric - a real sepulchral treat. 'Le Nove Ombre del Caos' is available from the Boring Machines Bandcamp page as a download or CD. A cassette version is also available from Artetra and can be found on their Bandcamp page here.



Divus - Divus



Divus are electronic musician Lucianno Lamanna and saxophone player Luca T. Mai and their self-titled album is one full of glitchy techno and plaintive saxophone. It is not 'clubland' techno but rather dark, beats-based atmospherics that rely on feelings rather than bpm. The saxophone of Mai is reminiscent of the evocative sax heard on Bowie's 'Neuköln'...sombre and yearning and it complements the electronica very well to form four tracks of well-balanced experimental music that is just crying out for a film to score. 'Divus' is available on vinyl and download from the Boring Machines Bandcamp page here.

Cristian Naldi - Rurale



Cristian Naldi is an Italian guitarist and one half of 'impro-magik-drone' duo FulKanelli with Paolo Mongardi. 'Rurale' is the second chapter in Naldi's solo project, following on from 'Spettro', and is a simply beautiful body of work. Comprised of original compositions and reworkings of pieces from classical composers such as Gorecki, Faure, Shostokovich and Arvo Part. Naldi's style and feel is redolent of Loren Connors and shares his innate ability to convey so much emotion via one guitar. His guitar is accompanied and supported at various times by some field recordings from Giovanni Lami as well the Byzantium Experimental Orchestra and it all comes together to form an album of exquisite beauty and beguiling invention. 'Rurale' can be found on the Boring Machines Bandcamp page and is available on vinyl and as a download.

Cristian Naldi - Rurale from Boring Machines on Vimeo.

Adriano Zanni - Falling Apart 7"



I don't normally review 7" singles as a rule but I'm gonna make an exception for this one from Adriano Zanni. Zanni is a photographer, sonic artists and sound recordist and this single sums up nicely all that I love about the Italian experimental scene. Comprised of 2 tracks, 'White' and 'Black', it is full of glitchy electronica, broken beats and snippets of field recordings all masterfully put together to form a coherent and atmospheric whole. Great stuff! Available as a 7" and download from the Boring Machines Bandcamp page.



Rainbow Island - Crystal Smerluvio Riddims



Rainbow Island are one of the original movers and shakers of the Italian Occult Psychedelia scene and mainstays of the annual Thalassa festival in Rome with such heavyweights as Mai Mai Mai and Heroin in Tahiti. Their debut album 'RNBW', released in 2012, set the bar for subsequent IOP material and 'Crystal Smerluvio Riddims' will only see their reputation rise further. A joint release between Flying Kid Records and No=Fi Recordings (owned no less by Toni Cutrone of Mai Mai Mai), the album is an intoxicating melding of liquid psychedelia, lysergic dub and experimental electronica that veers from deeply meditative to the expansively experimental in the blink of an eye. A pretty much essential purchase for anyone who digs the whole IOP scene....top stuff! It is available to order on vinyl from Flying Kids webstore here



Creapopolvsque - Mentula Aurum



Must admit, I don't know a great deal about Creapopolvsque (least of all how to pronounce it!) apart from the fact that you really don't wanna be playing this album when Great Aunt Edith is visiting! The duo play some ace drone/synth atmospheric stuff that is heavy on the orgasmic moans and groans (indeed, they are described on Bandcamp as playing 'experimental ambient horror porn soundtrack'....that just about sums it up!) That's not to say, however, that Creapopolvsqve are some porn based 'gimmicky' band - the tracks on this tape release from No=Fi are all top quality synth soundscapes...just don't flash the cover about at work. The tape is available from the No=Fi Bandcamp page here.



Unimother 27 - Fiore Spietato



Unimother 27 have appeared on these pages previously with their last release, 2015's 'Frozen Information' (review here). Unimother 27 is a project by Italian multi-instrumentalist Piero Ranalli and he plays pretty much everything on the album, and damned well at that! 'Fiore Spietato' is five tracks of solid psychedelia, straying at times into guitar based krautrock and prog. Tracks like 'There is no trip for cats' are heavy on the psych guitar with Ranelli really letting go while others like 'Heirophantes' hark back to the seventies with a kraut/prog edge. Standout track for me is 'Something about the clouds', an inventive foray into genuine krautrock with a repeating synth motif and squalling guitar..I've had this track on repeat pretty much all afternoon!. The whole album is technically of the highest standard and is a real joy! Mr Ranalli is one talented guy. The CD is available from the Unimother 27 discogs page here.



Various - Interdimensional Folklore Vol.1



This one actually dates back to late 2016 but is so good it's worth that small trip back. 'Interdimensional Folklore Vol.1' is a compilation curated and put out by the Communion collective from Milan. The album acts as an exceptional sampler for some of the cutting edge artists working out of Italy and there is an awful lot to enjoy. From the organ,drones and skitty electronica of opener 'Perso Nel Mio Vuoto' from AMR to the dark ambience of Samir Nasa via a wonderful cameo from the previously mentioned Rainbow Island. Standout tracks, however, must be Cris X's drone workout 'Bardot Thodol' which channels the sci-fi/horror soundtracks of yore (got definite 'Bladerunner' vibes) into a wonderful, atmospheric piece, and BABAU's 'Leum Mai Long' which takes earthy, ethnic music and transforms it into a pulsating and evocative track. 'Interdimensional Folklore Vol.1' is available on transparent vinyl and download from the Communion Bandcamp page here.