[microsound-announce] Luca Formentini - Scintilla - Review

[David Newman]

http://www.merchantsofair.com/albums/luca-formentini-scintilla#

After the two pieces of musical intensity I reviewed earlier today, I needed something to calm me down. Luckily, that something is always to be found in the rich and excellent catalog of Audiobulb Records. Today, I picked out 'Scintilla' by Italian sound sculptor Luca Formentini. With nine tracks and fifty two minutes long, this is a perfect album for this dreary November Sunday.

Armed by electro-acoustics, the piano, guitar and a heap of effects, Formentini walks the thin line between classical music, ambient, jazz  and sound-design. The result is a beautiful album, full of emotion and atmosphere.

The album opens with the minimal 'Somewhere In That Moment', which draws comparisons to something between classical compositions and the ambient series of Brian Eno. With that, the tone is set for a slowly lingering and meandering album with many highlights. 'Youinyou' is one of my absolute favorites here, a shy but playful tune, driving on minimalism. Minimalism is also the keyword in 'About Disappearing', a piece of music that breathes both solitude and contentment. 

If you want references, I think placing Luca Formentini among ambient gurus like the aforementioned Brian Eno but also Bill Laswell, Pete Namlook, Harold Budd... is not a bad idea. Much like them, Formentini works in an intuitive and emotional way, allowing unusual sounds like doors and typewriters to infiltrate the music. The result is something warm and soothing, something every ambient aficionado will easily appreciate.

The darkest track is 'Density Of Light', driving on a deep drone, gloomy soundscapes and vague melodies. In a way, it's also the most jazz-inspired one, especially with the guitar plucks guiding it. Follower 'To The Seer' even adds a dark jazz bassline and sweet post-rock guitars, only to add to the amount of variation. So yes, this is a highly enjoyable piece of work, one that truly deserves a spot in your ever growing ambient collection.

http://www.audiobulb.com/albums/AB082/AB082.htm 

Best wishes

David Newman

www.audiobulb.com | exploratory music
www.audiomoves.com | ambient music sync specialist

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