Vicino is the sonic creation of Obsil, the moniker of Giulio Aldinucci. An Italian music researcher, film soundtrack composer and electronic music composer. Having won many awards for his compositions in short films and art installations, Giulio delivers his third breathtaking album. This unique album has its aesthetics equally rooted in classical music as it does experimental electronic music.
Drawing comparisons with similar minded composers, Japan’s Susumu Yokota and Austrian guitarist/composer Fennesz, Giulio explores sustained harmonic drones weaved flawlessly with field recordings, classical orchestration and carefully constructed synthesis, to bring a highly enjoyable sonic experience that is both emotive and evocative.
“Poi gli alberi sono cresciuti” (“Then the trees grew”) is the first track of the album and it is a clear statement of Giulio’s aesthetic. It begins with granulated transient sounds that suggest the creaking of timber stretching as trees grow upward. The melodies effortlessly float out of the background harmonic material creating a sense of an evolving musical structure. A repetitive xylophone pattern holds the timing and tonal structure, that insures the listener does not get lost in the flurry of atomized melodic gestures. Field recordings of distant voices and bird calls compliment the whole enchanted forest feel of the piece.
Rather than being esoteric, the field recordings display self control and craftsmanship of sound at every level in every piece of this album.
Repetition is often used as a structural device throughout the album. Far from being loop based, the repetitive melodic rhythms throughout the album are reminiscent of Raymond Scott’s early electronic work, though they generally have a more acoustic sound quality to them. These structures help tie the pieces together, guiding the listener through endless sustained chords, glitch sine tones and transformed field recordings.
Giulio’s use of acoustic instruments adds reality to the surreal journeys he has crafted. Showing that Giulio is as talented dealing with pitched materials as with sound objects.
What Giulio Aldinucci has created is an electronic album that is beautiful, unobtrusive and well executed. Vicino is a carefully constructed sonic journey which rewards the listeners patience.
James Horsfall
