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Gaudi:Testa - Continvvm
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Morpheus Music
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Nov 7, 2005 16:10
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1. prologue - helictite labyrinth 11'41
2. deimos' prophecy 5'58
3. night watch 6'24
4. dawn cliffs: il risveglio delle pietre 6'23
5. micro-evolution 7'18
6. interlude 2'47
7. dub hypnosis 8'49
8. bass instinct 5'33
9. space-mind continuum 5'24
10. no escape 5'41
11. epilogue - after the plunge 7'54
Morpheus Music Review
STYLE
Electronic textures and abstractions encrusted with various percussives and sampled sounds. Most pieces are rhythmic or skimmed along by deeply effected beats - filtered, distorted, sweeping through a variety of degradations or tonal ranges. Ambient planes undulate gently, populated with drowning, spiralling voices - spoken, whispered, murmured. Drips, tape echoes, stalagmites and stones, theremin, tubes and bubbles, bone flutes, water drum, shells and singing bowls - all contribute to this electro-organic continuum. One moment everything lumbers along dub-laden and nodding, strong beats driving across open spaces, the next we're drifting on a viscous curl of hypnotic shifting tone...nothing remaining constant for long.
MOOD
A sense of wonder at the variety and beauty of sounds both natural and manipulated. Just as one may be engrossed in nature with all its enormity or in the fragile detail of its minutiae, a rust formation, a lichen ring - so Continvvm holds the attention with large scale rhythmic structures and sonic landscapes or with the sparkle of a well placed electronic tweak, a sonorous impact a breath. From melancholy to eerie, from ageless dusts to futuristic circuitry, from ritualistic grooves to introspective minimalism - we're allowed to roam the mind at will. The promotional material explains that this release may be "better classified 'space-out' than 'chillout', pointing out the intent to establish a blank canvas "for the listener to explore their own inner worlds."
ARTWORK
Maintaining em:t records' high standard of presentation Continvvm is released as a quality digipack that is a joy to own. The lead image is an extreme close-up photograph of some abandoned agricultural machinery thick with abstract surface detail - water droplets fresh and clean bejewelling a mottled, rusted domed centre. Elegant white expanses dominate the remainder of the three-panel foldout, faintly textured on the inside of the package. A simple tracklisting takes up only a corner of the rear cover with credits floating against abundant white inside. One wing presents the definition "-n. continuum, that which must be regarded as continuous and the same and which can be described only relatively."
OVERALL
Em:t records (pronounced "emit") have been off the scene for five years, having produced a series of seventeen releases between 1994 and 1998. The label has the reputation of delivering music that defies ready classification. Here London based artist producer Gaudi has teamed up with Sound-Therapist Antonio Testa bringing together Testa's love of ethnic, recycled and homemade instruments and Gaudi's electronic skills to create a deeply absorbing series of strangely accessible audio aberrations. Collaborators include, among others, Alio Die on nai flute, Walter Maioli with drones, Opium with voice, Nir Bakshy on cello.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS ALBUM
Continvvm works to further blur the boundaries between established genres - fans of pure ambient will likely appreciate the atmospheric departures established here whilst chillout and downtempo lovers that enjoy the experimental edge will be drawn by the colour, depth and exotic nature of this excellent CD.
Original review and sound samples is here:
http://www.morpheusmusic.co.uk/html/reviews21.htm#continvvm
Cheers
Paul
  MORPHEUS MUSIC
www.morpheusmusic.co.uk
ELECTRONIC MUSIC MALL
http://www.electronicmusicmall.com |
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furthur
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Nov 30, 2005 09:14
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After having blown us away with his last release Bass, Sweat & Tears, Gaudi is back in collaboration with the music-therapist Antonio Testa.
This time, Gaudi goes into much more subtle territory exploring atmospheres and the mental imagery these atmospheres evoke. Even the title of the recording reeks of symbolism, Continuum, defined inside the digipack as “that which must be regarded as continuous and the same time which can be describe only relatively”. Well, this is the main difference between this and the previous recording. Whereas, Bass… was a compilation of amazing songs, the new album is truly a continuum of sonic conceptualization. For this reason, I will not go over songs one by one, but will attempt to describe what the album as a totality does to me.
The continuum theme runs throughout the album, meaning not only that it is a concept piece, i.e. to be heard whole, but also that it contains a continuum of organic and spacey sounds.
To name some of the instruments used in creating this music that is meant to heal, moog, theremin (one we should by now be familiar because of its appearance on Bass…), ondes martenot, kalabash, mbira. The two musicians do not limit themselves to traditional instruments nor to the ones invented by Testa. They also use stones, stalagmites, shells, etc. to create that natural feel to the ethnic-infused ambient scapes. Do not get me wrong; I do not use the word ethnic in the same way as I would describe Bass… The pieces here are not unearthings of traditional styles from around the world dubbed by Gaudi. They are all highly original compositions by the two men going outside the traditional western music realm to get inspired. That is what I meant by ethnic for lack of a better word.
This is not an album that will expose its beauty during the first listen. At least, this was not the case for me. It took many casual and a couple of very serious listens to get the depth built into this.
The moods here are very dark compared to what we are used to from Gaudi. Nevertheless, this comes as no surprise, as he is not someone that sticks to a formula once he finds one. In any case, I do not remember him ever having a formula.
This darkness I speak of however is not the in-your-face darkness overused in music. What the composers achieve here is taking you into the recesses of your mind, influencing these recesses slightly by samples such as “Do you think the world is going to end?” and leaving you there gasping for air. The song with the above sample ends and never do we get an explicit answer to the question. Gaudi has realized that making one ask a question is more constructive than giving one an answer.
The thing is that whereas in his previous work, the quote was that “one would never get to heaven if one was afraid of getting high” (slight paraphrasing possible), here Gaudi assumes that one is past that stage already, and no longer afraid. On this recording, it is not about getting to heaven, it is about overcoming the heaven and hell duality, “by making the darkness conscious” instead of “imagining figures of light”(Wordsworth quoted inside the digipack).
While at some parts, more so in the second half of the album, we get some very high-quality “psy” chill material, at other parts, the music becomes pure ambient, not losing any of its psychedelia in the process, reminding us that we are good if we stay true to ourselves and unhappy if we stray from this (my hebrew is a bit rusty). This relaxing ambient music often finds a way to become very intense with the didges bellowing and the other instruments following suit, only weaving a more intricate labyrinth in the conduits of our minds.
The percussion work Gaudi is usually known for is very present here, although more subtle once again, showing its presence when required and not one iota more. Micro-Evolution for example is highly percussive coming into and out of the foreground hypnotizing the listener with all of those perfectly placed sounds. The title is exceedingly fitting, as there is undoubtedly an evolution to this piece, but the evolution is painlessly slow, taking its time to go through the phases needed to put one into auditory hyperspace. Truly head music. Not merely for the head mind you, because your feet will inevitably follow. A very trancy micro-evolution having as a result a rebirth of nature with birds singing and a cello materializing out of the darkness gaining consciousness giving way to strong dub vibes after the interlude.
I want to emphasize once again that not only is the quality top-notch here and the originality way above par, but the flow… The flow is what makes it the opus that it is. I would have the sequencing no other way than it is. The hypnotizing dub would not be as hypnotizing had it not been so built up by what came prior to it. The massive layering that sounds so clean despite the quantity of sounds present is exemplary considering that nothing is out of place in the evolution of sound that is Continuum, a continuum with a definite speck of harmony and order at the end of the tunnel that is chaos. The above metaphor is nowhere more present than in the methodical yet cacophonous Bass Instinct, the primal cry that makes you feel as if the auditory receptors in your brain were constantly relocalized, and yet every new place they find themselves in seems more appropriate at the time to process the colossal amount of information.
Barely being familiar with Testa’s previous work, I was somewhat apprehensive of his being labeled a music-therapist. The work manifest in Continuum dismisses any such doubts. Finding one’s way out of the places the album brings one into is highly restorative. There is quite nothing like a thorough deconstruction of oneself brought on by a marvelous soundtrack. And yet, it is not quite nothingness the album brings us into. It creates new worlds, worlds inside the space-mind continuum, but still inside the continuum, a continuum the composers say there is no escape from, and oh, how spectacularly they do say it. But then again, who would want to escape lands such as are presented to us under the influence of these compositions, compositions that lure us back there time and again.
Finally, as for some constructive criticism, I would not have those piercing sounds in No Escape quite so high-pitched, even though I do recognize the usefulness of the piercing effect.
Overall, this is an album highly recommended if you enjoy good music and traveling. This is not an essential downbeat release. This is an essential music release. Music to heal to. Do take the plunge if you feel you are up to the task. You will not regret it.
www.emitrecords.com www.gaudimusic.com www.antoniotesta.info
available at amboworld, saikosounds, backroadsmusic and many of your other favourite online shops. Load Universe into Cannon. Aim at Brain. Fire.
www.ganesha.ca |
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furthur
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
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Posted : Nov 30, 2005 09:20
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oh yeah, and at the end there, it is something being said played back backwards, right?
had this been another recording, i would have asked if someone can decypher what is being said, but in this context, the fact that it is played backwards is much more important than what is said imo.
Load Universe into Cannon. Aim at Brain. Fire.
www.ganesha.ca |
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furthur
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
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Posted : Apr 6, 2006 08:31
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really, noone else?
well, this is one of the best releases of 2005 without a doubt
deep as hell
amazing cd, that might be going overlooked
do yourself a favour and...
Load Universe into Cannon. Aim at Brain. Fire.
www.ganesha.ca |
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Pt.
IsraTrance Senior Member
Started Topics :
236
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6106
Posted : Apr 6, 2006 14:44
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Well, I got this album a couple of months ago after hearing it at a friends place.
I really love it and it's mood. Some brilliant dripping ambient and dubish tracks on this release. Both thumbs up! Sweet and dark =)
So far imo: 9/10
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Acidhive
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
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2014
Posted : Apr 6, 2006 15:36
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It's good, no mistake about it. I only fear that nowadays, when there's such a big netlabel scene for stuff like this, that it might end up getting overlooked. Still, worth your pennies. 
"Subconscious unravels at the point of death, and all time it has known erupts into a moment. As death extinguishes us, so we become it."
[Esoteric: Subconscious Dissolution Into The Continuum] |
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furthur
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
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Posted : Apr 6, 2006 17:58
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Quote:
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On 2006-04-06 15:36, Acidhive wrote:
It's good, no mistake about it. I only fear that nowadays, when there's such a big netlabel scene for stuff like this, that it might end up getting overlooked. Still, worth your pennies.
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what are the netlabels if you dont mind my asking
Load Universe into Cannon. Aim at Brain. Fire.
www.ganesha.ca |
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Adigroovy
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
24
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1647
Posted : Apr 6, 2006 19:54
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Quote:
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On 2006-04-06 15:36, Acidhive wrote:
It's good, no mistake about it. I only fear that nowadays, when there's such a big netlabel scene for stuff like this, that it might end up getting overlooked. Still, worth your pennies.
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always so optimist |
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Acidhive
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
76
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2014
Posted : Apr 6, 2006 21:36
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[quote]
On 2006-04-06 17:58, furthur wrote:
Quote:
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what are the netlabels if you dont mind my asking
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I don't mind. Check out http://www.thinnerism.com for instance (specifically their sublabel Autoplate and check out artist like Marsen Jules, Off The Sky etc.)
As for their main label: Check out the releases and do check out Nulleins and the stellar Rktic vs. Surphase release. If you like progressive house/dub this should be right up your street.
Browse around in their 'Links' section and check out some of those netlabels too. The main focus is on ambient and experimental electronics or noise/power noise/techno. Zeromoon, Mimi, FukkGod and Subsource are a good place to start if you want the darker experimental side of things. Drone is also a big focus for some of the netlabels, specifically Webbed Hands Records has some good releases in that area. Also check out http://www.archive.org which hosts most of the files of the netlabels (you can find loads there).
(for example: Seism's 'Ambient Mutations' series are excellent forms of drone ambient)
Oh, and for dark ambient: do check out http://www.darkwinter.com (especially the Samsa releases are great)
And seriously, look around yourself. There are so many netlabels out there. There's sure to be a label that can provide you with great music. If you have further questions/comments regarding this, feel free to PM me.
To Adigroovy: It's called realism.
And it has nothing to do with being negative. I'm positive about this album, it's just that, with so much free music like this out there, people that look around on the net can easily fulfill their musical needs elsewhere (and for free as well in most cases).
That, as a fact, does not mean this album pales in comparison. Nothing of the sort. This is a stellar effort by Gaudi and well worth the buy.
"Subconscious unravels at the point of death, and all time it has known erupts into a moment. As death extinguishes us, so we become it."
[Esoteric: Subconscious Dissolution Into The Continuum] |
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bluespectralmonkey
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Apr 6, 2006 21:58
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blueOrb
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Posted : Sep 6, 2006 06:48
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