a r t i s t : Fabio Orsi & Valerio Cosi
t i t l e : Thoughts Melt in the Air
d a t e : 2009
l a b e l : Preservation
g e n r e : Ambient
r l s. d a t e : May/2009
t r a c k s : 04
b i t r a t e : VBRkbps
s i z e : 71,5 MB
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The album opens with a stasis drone, no oscillations just
thick stagnation, like an endless harmonium note. ThoughtÆs
not warm and tranquil and you can sense a power and restraint
operating beneath the surface. But then something strange
happens, suddenly we hear a drum kit playing a funky break,
slowly increasing in volume, and some distorted vocal
proclamations sounding more like John Spencer than youÆd
expect from either of these two Italian avant garde
experimental composers. Cosi is a saxophonist and
electroacoustic performer whoÆs previous worked has run the
gamut from free jazz to micro-sound. Orsi meanwhile is known
for his gentler electronic work which often features real
instrumentation. This is their second duo album and first
released in Australia. The drone forms the vertebrae of all
the four compositions here, the first two explicitly at times
almost working counterpoint to it, the third piece however
Melt in the Air allows the textures to evolve from within the
drone becoming thin wisps of digital electro acoustic residue
slowly lulling against itself. But again as weÆre mesmerized
by the widescreen grandeur of it all something strange
happens. This time it sounds like a house party next door as
this funky bass groove grows in volume, the residue starts to
sound like horribly distorted piano (which it isnÆt) and
weÆre curiously left in the Necks territory. ItÆs these
unexpected developments that make Thoughts Melt in the Air so
compelling. Despite the apparent freedom, at times there
seems to be a rule-book in experimental music and the number
one rule seems to be ædonÆt get musical, and if you do donÆt
do it for too long.Æ This duo are keeping their options open,
both compositionally and texturally. TheyÆre able to create
these highly emotive evocative pieces like no one else, have
no hesitation about moving their sound art drones into
mesmerizing musical territory and no hesitation about moving
them back out either. Thoughts Melt in the Air is a
gloriously idiosyncratic work, part Eno ambient,
electroacoustic laptop music and emotional drone, it's
simultaneously fascinating and seductive.
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01-The frozen seasons of lysergia (part one) [09:13]
02-thoughts [14:00]
03-melt in the air [13:56]
04-The frozen seasons of lysergia (part two) [11:51]
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49:00 min