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ANIMAT
All Is Lost
(2019 - Disco Gecko Recordings - UK)

https://discogecko.bandcamp.com/album/all-is-lost

A lush and rich aquatic aural experience composed and performed by Mark Daly and Michael Harding, who already have a brilliant history of unique ambient electronica fused with dub and varied electro elements (including world music influences). Animat have previous projects where the duo take an already established filmscore, replace the original music for a new soundtrack with the permission and, in this case, full support from the director and production team.

'All Is Lost' is a J.C. Chandor film starring Robert Redford, in a suspenseful survival movie about a man lost at sea (the sole actor in the work is Redford). The OST for the actual film was by Alex Ebert (who is the frontman for Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, and usually a folkie musician, but with this he is a composer of gorgeous fairly sparse music, that also stands alone as a magical score. Another film Ebert did the score for is 'A Most Violent Year', which was also a J. C. Chandor movie, for those soundtrack lovers). The listener can easily imagine the general atmosphere and Animat do an absolutely grand job of making new music to not only frame all the experiences of this adventure, but also convey the emotions of the character as his days and nights continue thru the film.

It should be noted that Animat originally did a new soundtrack for screenings of the film across the UK during 2019, and this album 'All Is Lost' is made from remixed/rearranged studio recordings of that live music. While it may be confusing, the album is a 2nd refining of their already new version, in which they used elements from the film's sound effects track, and created their own product. The film takes place at sea, so the compositions reflect the terrifying ocean journey superbly. Twelve tracks plus two bonus tracks (if you buy the physical CD version - which is a very nice glossy gatefold digi-pak with a compass printed onto the disc) make up this ample soundscape of infectious music by the wizardry of Daly and Harding. The entire recording is magnetic and oddly, very little of the music draws attention to what instrument (out of a large collection) is being played at a given moment. The compositions are strong enough to suffice on their own as sound creations, that carry you on a trip often with difficult circumstances involved, and allows the listener to have an open experience.

A soundtrack it may be, rendered from and for, but the music stays vital and important. There are plenty of majestic passages, forward driving rhythms, and some quiet contemplative moments. Surprisingly, a myriad of hopeful instances also appear throughout. Perhaps not what one would expect from the title 'All Is Lost', but there lies the message of not giving up. A boundless album with much to admire.

   ©Reviewed by Lee Henderson 11 - 5 - 2019   

 
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A  magazine focused on inventive, progressive, and creative music in any genre that stands out from the rest
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ACQUA FRAGILE
Moving Fragments
(2023 - Maracash - Italy)


https://maracashrecords.bandcamp.com/album/moving-fragments


  A group who have the uncanny talent of keeping their classic  sound along with staying up tpo date. This amazing return is from 1970's Italian progressive rock outfit, with frontier man lead vocal Bernardo Lanzetti, who made this band and some PFM albums so specifically brilliant. At this decade, to expect more beauty would be a fantasy, yet it is set before your ears, even with the first notes, this masterpiece of Italian, (and not only Italian) progressive rock that certainly grasps the notion of what the genre of "progressive" was always meant to be. ACQUA FRAGILE create another sweetly classic knockout recording, not with even a heavy breath of past to present effort.  In fact, it sounds and feels more authentic than ever.  Bernardo sounds as if he never aged a week, and all muscians present are at full force, not passing up the chance to make another massively classic album.   An album to put Acqua Fragile at the top of the few chosen progressive rock choices of all time. The first song ('Her Shadlows Torture' 05:52 - editors note:  A misspell on the 'Shadows' which is on Bandcamp at this writing - but is correct as 'Her Shadow's Torture' on physical CD)  hug you and give all relief, as to any possible doubts of a long awaited fourth album by this top notch Italian band. I claim it will leave your heart lay bleeding. Grab the spectral energy and enjoy a glimpse of beautiful cocoon birth.

  Not one song is with sacrifice, even a wink of lamb. In fact, some elements are added to further enchance and stun the audience, such as inclusive female vocals by Rossella Volta. The bulk of the outfit is Piero Canavera (drums, percussion, vocals),  Franz Dondi (bass), Bernardo Lanzetti (lead vocals, guitar, Glovox),  Stefano Pantaleoni (keyboards),  Claudio Tuma (guitars), with special aid by (aforementioned vocalist Rosella Voita) ,  Gigi Cavalli Cocchi - drums (1,6),  Sergio Ponti - drums (4,9), Stef Burns- guitar (2),  Brian Belloni - guitar (4),  Davide Piombino - 7 string guitar (5),  and David Jackson - sax & flute (6). Could you ask for more?   After one listen you cannot want more. Thank Maracash label (Italy) for standing behind so many great Italian artists who have done the blood, sweat, and tears in earlier years, and deserve the attention now.
Although the band name translates to 'Fragile Water', it might be better described as Precious Water at this point and time in our decreasingly cared for world. Perhaps even better, Rare Water. The beauty of this entire recording is apparent, true, sincere, and a step forward. Better than one would dream of, past the point of how all old fans could imagine, and  actually done in the upper atmospheres of what anyone could have dreamed of. Everyone is top notch and most of all, Lanzetti is 100% present, making it another masterpiece.  It is my deep recommendartion for all fans of both classic progressive rock and the new fields of progressive music to give this a direct and full attention (no distractions) listen. RECOMMENDED.
  ©Reviewed by Lee Henderson 1 - 19 - 2024


 

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