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KI
Track list: Eh! Ah! (4.53), Apoteotico (4.52), Phileas Fogg (11.11), Per Vederlo Devi Chiudere Gli Occhi (4.11), L'Altra Marea (8.33), Istanbul Di Giorno (5.58), Concerto N.1 Per Pianoforte E Sgabello (0.58), Il
Nulla Respira (7.24).
The Italian band Stereo Kimono were first formed in 1988 "with the intention of exploring and thinning out the boundaries among different musical genres." The current band lineup of Cristina Atzoro
(drums, percussion), Antonio Severi (guitars, keyboards) and Alex Vittorio (bass, keys) have been together since 1995.
They say "We like to think of our music as a psycho-sensorial experience, stimulating fantasy and imagination", and label themselves as "psychophonic oblique rock", quoting their influences as
King Crimson, early Gentle Giant and Pink Floyd.
This is an album of wide instrumental soundscapes - odd rhythms abound and are set against dreamy atmospheric sections and upbeat jazzy parts, while strange experimental ideas are introduced to elements of swing ...
this is not an album that is easy, or neccessarily advisable, to try and pidgeonhole.
Also appearing on the album are co-composer and guitarist Enrico Angelini, and Silvia Tarozzi who plays the violin on one piece.
'Eh! Ah!' eases us gently into the music with sweeping guitars and keys set over a strong rhythm. The title indicates the lyrics that are sparingly used through the piece alongside the bubbling percussion and
spacey sounds that give this an experimental feel without going over the top ... a nice start.
'Apoteotico' (Apotheosis) apparently asks the questions What does it feel like to be a mosquito?
or a hippopotamus? a molecule? a stone? .... the universe? God? - not necessarily things that have crossed your mind as you go about your daily lives I would guess. This starts as a slow moving, gentle piece but about half way through the pace picks up and the music just takes off. The synths squeal and whirr, guitars soar, the bass pounds and the fast moving rhythms move relentlessly onwards, driving us towards the abrupt track ending.
'Phileas Fogg' is "dedicated to all terrestrial travellers, intergalactics and psiconautics explorers of infinite inner dimensions.
Verne's character did his round in 80 days, we try in 11 minutes!" The music starts tentively, seeking a direction; then the funky, pulsing bass rhythms begin - pure guitar notes ringing out above the rhythms and skittering synth sounds. Almost eight minutes in, the mood changes and an organ sound takes centre stage although the funky rhythms continue on through. This is a piece that continually evolves and every time I get to the end I think, "surely that wasn't eleven minutes..."
A deep voice speaking in German leads into 'Per Vederlo Devi Chiudere Gli Occhi' (In Order to See It, You Have to Close Your Eyes) - an instruction rather than a statement, I would guess. The intro to this is a
little erratic, giving a feeling of unease; but the smoothly moving main melodies soon begin, bringing a sense of order out of chaos with its regimented rhythms and classical guitar work.
In 'L'Altra Marea' (A Different Tide) "electrical waves and magnetic currents form a futuristic waltz to try in the dance hall of a sidereal spaceship cruiser" say the notes in the accompanying booklet.
This opens with metallic rhythms which give way, first to rich spacey synths, then to a full-on instrumental sound with a lilting cadence. As the music flows, it imperceptably changes and, as screeching birds cry out, the ebb and flow of the waves become evident before slipping beneath the bubbling sound of the surf.
One can see where the idea behind 'Istanbul Di Giorno' (Istanbul by Day) came from.
Like that fair city, this composition mixes east and western influences; contrasting them, sometimes setting them in opposition to each other - in essence, creating a prog fusion delight that weaves and intertwines the guitar and synth sounds together into a rich carpet of colours and textures.
The name of the brief 'Concerto N.1 Per Pianoforte E Sgabello' (Concerto No1 for Piano and Stool) is fairly explanatory. The piano provides the free form music, while the stool contibutes the squeaks!
'Il Nulla Respira' (The Nothingness Breathes) is a freely flowing, light hearted, jaunty little number. The buoyant and ebullient melody surges onwards and subtly evolving - forming an upbeat and irrepressible
endpiece to the album.
The trio that are Stereo Kimono combine a melodic sensitivity with a sense of humour and style. Although 'Ki' is in many ways an album of experimental music with its complex and intricate instrumentation, the
sound throughout is melodious, and this is a CD that becomes more pleasing with every listen.
Marisa 22nd May, 2002
Samples of three of the tracks: 'Eh! Ah!', 'Phileas Fogg' and 'L'Altra Marea', can be found on the band's website.
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