Promenade is the culmination of his work to date, merging the grandeur of the movie theatre with the intimacy of the cellar club.
Subtle and superb synthesizer music
Lunar Disko have been at the forefront of Irish electronics for well over a decade now. The Dublin based imprint has helped foster a community of homegrown producers, Automatic Tasty, Leonid and Slowburn for example, as well as those who have adopted Ireland as home, such as Lerosa and Cignol. For their latest, the Lunar Disko lads have cast the net a little further and caught a cracking 12” from Minimal Rome boss and all-round synthesizer virtuoso Heinrich Dressel.
Dressel, or Valerio Lombardozzi, has developed and honed his sound and style since first appearing under the moniker back in 2007 on Legowelt’s fantastically eccentric Strange Life Records. Back then, the music pursued was on that conjured up the soundscapes and soundtracks of the silverscreen. Over the ensuing fifteen years, this focus on the cinematic has only grown with Italian diving ever deeper into the intense compositions of slasher flicks and giallo films whilst maintaining an electro edge and techno warmth.
Promenade is the culmination of his work to date, merging the grandeur of the movie theatre with the intimacy of the cellar club. Textured strings and distant drum patterns introduce “Seed.” The track has echoes of Dressel Amorosi, a project that saw Lombardozzi team up with Federico Amorosi of Goblin (a legendary Italian group) with some truly astounding results. “Seed” is completely unassuming. Its elements weave together with such ease that the complexity of the work is masked as the audio narrative takes hold. A rich bassline and lonesome snare accompany “Exile.” Broad synth-lines dawn, a sinister undercurrent being brightened by some wonderful key changes. That brightness follows into the flip as the tempo rises with the title piece. Aquatic elegant notes are driven by a rasping rhythm. Like its predecessors, this work is expertly balanced allowing for a lightness that makes it the perfect companion for these Summer months. A grey cloud arrives with the first steady kicks and ominous bass of “Midnight RDV,” yet rays of sun soon penetrate with warbling lines and fizzing percussion. There remains a movie house magic to the piece, a story running through the subtle side sounds and understated arrangements. That film score fascination comes to the fore in the finale. Slow beats and glittering arpeggios are the driving force of “Cimiez,” a piece where lounging melodies melt in a twilight haze of cigarette smoke and possibilities.
Promenade is the latest expression of Heinrich Dressel’s versatility. An artist who can plunge into the darker depths, Lombardozzi is also more than comfortable creating in brighter shades as he explores his machines and music. This five tracker finds that beautiful sweet spot between both sounds while recalling the breadth and daring of cinema composers. Subtle and superb synthesizer music.
Promenade is available on Lunar Disko. [Bandcamp]
