Stendeck – Folgor (CD Album – Tympanik Audio)
Genre/Influences: IDM, cinematographic, electro-ambient.
Content: Alessandro Zampieri, better known as the brain behind Stendeck, strikes back with his first full length album in 4 years. I’ve always enjoyed the sound of this artist for his creative electronic exposure and the intelligence of the global production.
“Folgor” doesn’t sound that different and once again leads the listener into an exploration of a great sound canvas carried by a slow rhythm. There’s an interesting and very noticeable contrast between bombastic passages and ultra refined arrangements. Some of the tracks move into dreamy cinematographic passages, while the different influences running through this work also melt together at a few cuts. “Folgor” is a quite diversified piece of work, maybe revealing the most eclectic composition of the band.
I personally prefer the more into tempo sounding cuts, which clearly result from a complex writing procedure based upon a quest to create unique sound treatments. This is the kind of work that requires time and attention. All the passion and the patience of the composer comes through on several tracks. Those cuts are illuminating “Folgor” with pure artistic beauty and grace.
From the dreamy-like “Tonight Is Forever” to the more dynamic “Violently Exciting And Extremely Loud (Folgor)” to the deeply cinematographic “At The Gate Of Impossible Things” this album has a lot to offer and often delivers a few great surprises.
“Trying To Hold Every Little Second That Flies Away” brings us back into a ‘harder’ rhythm and a divine exposure of magic sound treatments, but there also is a trance flavor running through this great song. A somewhat similar creation is “Nobody Lives Here Anymore” excelling in sound beauty, but still featuring a more sensitive and dark touch. Stendeck also composes more sensual rhythms, which are carrying the danceable “Momentary Pleasure”.
The final part of the opus moves on alternating heavier and sometimes pretty bombastic passages (cf. “In Deep Waters We Feel Apart”) and pure soundtrack-orientated compositions (cf. “Nothing Will Be The Same Again”).
Conclusion: Stendeck definitely belongs to those selected list of genius composers deserving more recognition for their visionary approach in electronics. “Folgor” is one more great exposure of this project.
Best songs: “Violently Exciting And Extremely Loud (Folgor)”, “Trying To Hold Every Little Second That Flies Away”, “Nobody Lives Here Anymore”, “Momentary Pleasure”.
Rate: (DP:8)DP.
Band: www.stendeck.com / www.facebook.com/stendeckmusic
Label: www.tympanikaudio.com / www.facebook.com/tympanikaudio
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I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
