This release is a welcoming one, densely moving, brilliantly produced with an avalanche of heart-breaking melodic vibes and enthralling hypno-ish synth grooves. Warmly recommended for fans of cyber-pop electronica and minimalist-death rockin’ sounding aesthetism.
[Release page] After the publication of several CDR (on Cold Current Productions, Final Music, Mannequin) and a ravishing debut effort entitled Faded Heart (2010), Breathless (2012) is the second full length release by the Italian Valentina Mushy. This new effort is published by the amazing Mannequin Records (consistently specialized in cold-wave acts, 80s minimal synth reissues and postmodern sonic ambiences). In Breathless, the shadowy cinematic romanticism and delicately melancholic musical reveries of the tremendous Faded Heart have been partly abandoned to let the place to punchy and softly acid synth pop hymns in the glorious tradition of the genre. It also includes a handful of original composite ideas that clearly correspond to Mushy’s very own musical path. The listener can appreciate a subtle musical syncronism between explosive synth-pop climax, almost nightly gothic bat-cave reminiscence, mesmeric dreamy chanting tones and discreet retro-ish kosmische grooves. We can implicitly perceive the strategy adopted by the label Mannequin and the voluntary orientated need to provide a new impulse to Mushy’s unique-intuitive musical leads.
Followers of Mushy’s first aleatoric (post-industrial) lo-fi primeval ambient inflected experiments (Superfetazione, Fando y Lis) can be slightly surprised by the cold waving tendency followed by this last opus. Nevertheless, and without any doubt Breathless will embrace a new fan base and definitely confirms Mushy’s unique ability to renew her musical range and stylistic expression without neglecting the roots of her musical heritage. In a few words, this release is a welcoming one, densely moving, brilliantly produced with an avalanche of heart-breaking melodic vibes and enthralling hypno-ish synth grooves. Warmly recommended for fans of cyber-pop electronica and minimalist-death rockin’ sounding aesthetism.
Breathless is available on Mannequin. [Release page]
