Matti Bye explores the intrinsic musicality of cinema and inner moving images within a captivating and distinctive style where relaxing lounge orientation meets complex modern jazz interferences; the whole thing connected to densely textured ambient excursions.
Consistent, fresh, and emotionally moving
Matti Bye is a skillful, eclectic and talented sound artist with a core specialization in music for films and visual arts. Avid listeners of quiet and deep ambient music very likely have heard of him, thanks to his published efforts on the indie labels Northern Electronics and Time Released Sound. I’m not familiar with his work for television as well as for cinema, but the eloquent and alluring Capri Clouds immerses the listener in alluring, sensitive, and cinematic experiences.
This album finds a place next to Denovali’s groundbreaking efforts which operate a syncretism between experimental jazz noir and ambient chamber music—reference The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble and Bersarin Quarttet, Capri Clouds is dominated by piano melodic phrases, thrilling atmospheric sound effects, somber organ chords, sustained by a small jazzy orchestration—the result is really stylish, elegant, and with some eerie moments, but generally mellow and subtly enveloping. The soundtrack vibes can suggest mystery-thriller moods dominated by a powerful sense of evocativeness and trembling feelings, like in the Giallo genre and the music of Bruno Nicolai; however, those pieces won’t be misplaced to re-design the music for Three Rooms in Manhattan (1965), Elevator to the Gallows (1958), and The Killers (1946).
This album is consistent, fresh, and emotionally moving with a very appealing use of soothing piano-centered motifs. If you like the music of old-school French cinema—notably George Delerue, but also modern days scores from electronic and neoclassical musicians such as Nils Frahm, A Winged Victory for the Sullen, and Marsen Jules Trio—then this album is made for you.
Matti Bye explores the intrinsic musicality of cinema and inner moving images within a captivating and distinctive style where relaxing lounge orientation meets complex modern jazz interferences; the whole thing connected to densely textured ambient excursions. Warmly recommended for anyone in love with adventurous, cinematic, refined, and immersive music capable to break out frontiers between genres and archetypes.
Capri Clouds is available on Denovali. [Bandcamp | Site]
