Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Zero Centigrade: Birch

Zero Centigrade (duo)
Birch (Obs, 2014)
Tonino Taiuti (guitars; electronics)
Vincenzo de Luce (guitars; electronics)

One of my favourite duos, Zero Centigrade return with albeit short but highly effective album, Birch, that continues there quest in manipulating sound structures in beautiful new ways.

Birch is essentially one long piece with a number of different movements nestled inside. Opening with a common theme of folk/blues style plucking that we have become accustomed to from the duo, it gently slides into move melodic heavy drones around the six minute mark. This effectively represent the next movement which has a number of rising octaves and tremolos that haunt the senses and permeates throughout the reminder of the piece.

The hypnotic nature of the middle movements also incorporate a number of found sounds that provided the added space and intrigue to Birch. The final structure to Birch returns to the first movement with more delicate, romantic but short chords from Taiuti wrapped with searing electronic lines across the top from de Luce.

Another beautiful and absorbing release from the Italian duo. Birch continues to explore the territory that their last release, Selce did but with even more imagination left to the listener. Birch is a wonderful and meditative piece that is both engrossing with and without headphones. Highly Recommended.

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