Anni Rossi Afton Review

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Afton, the debut 4AD release from Anni Rossi, establishes the 22 year old Minnesotan as the newest talent in American alternative music. With original composition and organic sonority, Rossi mixes her classically trained singing and viola playing with a wide range of woodwinds, paced rhythms and string instruments in Afton, proving that she is worthy to brush elbows with Beirut, Minotaur Shock, and Blonde Redhead on the 4AD roster.

Machine starts the EP with Anni’s viola playing, the self proclaimed centerpiece of her music. Her viola playing is varied, sometimes sharp and punctuated with dissonant notes, other times silky and erudite. The ease with which other instruments are blended into her style is notable, whether it’s clarinet in Venice, or organ in Ecology, the different layers of sound are seamless, almost bestowing a ‘band’ feel to the music.

Rossi uses an impressive amplitude for her vocal composition, and she’s able to produce different vocal harmonies together with the instrumental chord progressions. Her singing isn’t the focus of the music, but rather works as an equal part of the many instrumental layers. Downtempo rhythm enters the fusion in West Coasts and Wheelpusher, and tremendous effort was put into the percussion, making it interesting on its own and staying away from overused quaternary rhythms.

Classically trained since the age of three, Rossi is now based in Chicago, IL and tours as a solo artist. Afton was mostly recorded in 2006, and the tracks previously have been available on Anni’s Myspace page or on limited releases. The collected songs don’t feel too different from each other, and the total 20-minute experience feels complete. Rossi is now working on her debut album at Electrical Audio with Steve Albini, to be released in March, 2009.

Influences in Afton range from folk music to classical to rock and roll, spanning decades and genres. However, Rossi genuinely achieves a style of her own, in her plucked viola playing and in her multi-instrumental composition, while maintaining a pleasant, contained approach to her combination of sonorities. The music is rich with personality, and strives to establish uniqueness and incomparability.

Coming to a close with Central Utah, an almost concerto-style track with semi-orchestral backing, Afton leaves us thinking ‘over already?’, and leaves a promise of future delights from Anni Rossi, carving a space for her musical expertise and talent, with arguments to spare. Anni Rossi is a rising star, and those who want to listen to something different and be surprised should get the EP here.

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Geskia - Silent 77 Review

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Hailing from Japan, Geskia surprises the Electronica scene with their debut album Silent 77, released by Flaü. Mixing organic-sounding yet assumed electronica with hip hop and technical breakbeat, Geskia stands among Minotaur Shock, Four Tet, Autechre, cLOUDEAD and Boards of Canada as one of the leading artists in the alternative electronica genre.

Silent 77 starts off slow: dense hip hop beats, permeated with layers of fuzz and experimental sounds in 2Hour/Seahoses and Were Saw. Sound quality and unique sampling, coupled with a high beat-per-minute, post-IDM fizzle is elegant, and would make the experience almost light headed if it weren’t for the heavy kick downtempo, the one that makes your head want to bob on its own.

The over-programmed feeling doesn’t stop in We Are, 3days Trial, and even though every sound is somehow twisted and modified somehow, the beat always sinks in. It gives the album a track to run on, a certain flow. Passages between songs, the transition from happy to sad composition and simple beats to complex never feels contrived, or on purpose even, it’s just one complete masterpiece.

Sampling ranges from piano and vocals in Second Coming, to strings and metallic clicks in Right Lights. Some of the more organic samples repeat, akin to Minotaur Shock, others are based on algorithms in the vein of Autechre, and still others are painstakingly programmed from scratch like Squarepusher. Fall Fall, twelfth on the album, is a perfect example of beauty while in a very complex context of rhythm and dense programming.

As the album comes to a close with heavy hitters Over The Three Rainbows, and Windowpane Stencil, the message becomes apparent, Silent 77 is an album based upon both ambiance and technical prowess. The different layers in the music, some complex, others less, can appeal to all listeners, and the album is worth several listens to try to grasp all of them. The music flies by, uncaring if you caught all the details. However, not concentrating too hard on the music, and letting it travel into lower levels of consciousness is also notably soothing. It’s perfect for any occasion.

Top-notch post-production, worthy of comparison with 4AD releases, certainly gives an extra advantage to Silent 77. Meticulous placement of frequencies, left right stereo shifts for specific samples and sound tinkering are used frequently and simultaneously, all helped by remarkable post-production. Special attention was given to each and every sample, and tracking those minute fluctuations is rewarding, for many sub-melodies and hidden layers of composition can be plucked.

In Endrole, Silent 77's closing track, flutes play in the distance and the experience is dramatically over. Calm and mellow, while solid and rhythmic, Geskia makes music easy and complex at the same time and is highly recommended to all. Get it here.

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