Frammenti is a vivid and thoughtful collaboration. Through Mosconi’s detailed sonic worldbuilding, De Dominicis’s intimate vocal work, and Salvadori’s poetic narratives, the album becomes a moving study of memory’s scattered, shimmering remains.
An exploration of memory, fragility, and decay
Federico Mosconi’s Frammenti, released on the revered label Dronarivm, is a richly textured and emotionally articulate work that affirms his status as one of Italy’s most compelling sound artists. Known for his ability to weave dense layers of guitar, live electronics, and field recordings into immersive atmospheres, Mosconi continues his exploration of memory, fragility, and decay across six long-form compositions he refers to as “fragments.” These pieces are not simply tracks — they function as sonic impressions of lived experiences, internalized and transformed into echoing soundscapes.
Mosconi, who has previously released works on labels like Slowcraft and ROHS!, has long demonstrated a fascination with the poetic potential of sound. Trained as a classical guitarist, he brings a refined sense of dynamics and tone even as he dissolves traditional structures. On Frammenti, his guitar is often unrecognizable — a source of texture rather than melody — processed through a series of devices, pedals, and granular effects. Yet beneath the abstraction, there’s a lyrical sensibility, a painter’s attention to contrast and layering. He uses silence and space as much as he does noise and density.
Barbara De Dominicis plays a crucial role in shaping the emotional contours of the record. Her voice — alternating between song, whisper, and spoken word — gives form to the intimate stories written by Mirco Salvadori, co-founder of the netlabel Laverna. These texts, included in a booklet, are as essential to the project as the music itself. De Dominicis’s delivery is not ornamental — her presence anchors the album in the human, even as Mosconi’s compositions drift into abstraction. Be sure to explore her striking solo work Body Maps on Folderol for further listening.
The highlight for many may be “Frammenti V. Promesse,” where all elements of the album seem to converge perfectly. The music moves with quiet urgency — a dense blur of echoing tones and layered textures — while De Dominicis‘s voice drifts in and out like a memory surfacing and fading again. It’s a moment of beauty and weight, balancing fragility and depth with precision.
Frammenti is a vivid and thoughtful collaboration. Through Mosconi’s detailed sonic worldbuilding, De Dominicis’s intimate vocal work, and Salvadori’s poetic narratives, the album becomes a moving study of memory’s scattered, shimmering remains.
Frammenti is available on Dronarivm. [Bandcamp]
