AimA & The Illusion Of Silence – Music For Certain Ritual (Album – Indiestate)
Genre/Influences: Ethereal, Cinematographic, Neo-Classic.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: This album resulted from the fusion between singer AimA –known as Aimaproject and previously involved with Allerseelen, Les Jumeaux Discordants, iNsCissorS) and The Illusion Of Silence. I discovered the work of Luca Bonandini (The illusion Of Silence) by the promising album “Black Rainbow” (2016) while the next opus “The White Summer” was released in 2017. This work is based on some Orphyc Hymns chosen among the 87 short poems composed in either the late Hellenistic era’; poems that were attributed to Orpheus.
Content: You recognize the artistic sound creation of Luca Bonandini mixing cinematographic passages together with a Neo-Classic and pure Ethereal style. The Ethereal influence is accentuated by the voice of AimA. She’s mixing elevating, ethereal chants passages together with half spoken vocals sung in Italian. Her voice sometimes becomes an extra instrument while the real instruments are once again mainly acoustic.
+ + + : This kind of production has a strong authentic feeling because of the use of real, acoustic instruments. I recognized guitar, flutes, bells and santoor, but more instruments have been used as well. The piano is one of them and has a very important role in the album, creating a sensation of despair and loneliness. The vocals are now fragile and next elevating, but music and singing together create an intimate atmosphere. It’s a dark album, which also has something ritual and definitely intriguing and accomplished with subtle arrangements. I also want to say a word about the sober, but artistic digipak format.
– – – : This is the kind of work that will probably not get a deserved attention. I can’t say it’s the best work I’ve ever heard in this music genre although it’s a great piece of music.
Conclusion: “Music For Certain Rituals” is a beautiful and enlightening piece of darkness elevated by enchanted female vocals and a graceful composition.
Best songs: “To Victory”, “To Mars”, “Ama il tuo sogno se pur ti tormenta”, “To The Moon”, “To The Sea”.
Rate: (8).
Artist: www.facebook.com/aimaandtheillusionofsilence www.facebook.com/aimalichtblau /
www.facebook.com/theillusionofsilence1
Label: www.facebook.com/indiestateofficial
About AimA & The Illusion Of Silence
AimA & The Illusion Of Silence pairs vocalist AimA with Italian multi-instrumentalist Luca Bonandini, who also records solo as The Illusion Of Silence. Bonandini plays piano, keyboards, bowed psaltery, zither, guitar, percussion, flutes, santoor, mbira, melodica and bells.
“Music For Certain Rituals” sets several Orphic Hymns, ancient poems used in ritual and attributed to Orpheus, alongside two gold-leaf tablets found in graves at Thurii and Hipponium, plus two poems written by AimA. The album was produced by Retortae and mixed and mastered by Jhonnie, with artwork by Diego Cinquegrana.
Bonandini discussed his approach to sound and instrumentation in a Side-Line interview tied to his solo album “Gardens In The Dark”, released on Shadowplay Records.
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