A collection of tracks which represents particular variants of minimal-synth, sometimes pushing out the boundaries to embrace musical schemas and sporadic excursions in dark wave, disco-trancedelica and cold driven soundscapes.
Minimal Trend Records is a new independent label based in Milan, dealing with minimal-synth pop and fusion electronic genres from rising and more confidential artists. With edition activity, it also provides tour management and appears to support actively the world of vinyls. This first LP is a collection of tracks which represents particular variants of minimal-synth, sometimes pushing out the boundaries to embrace musical schemas and sporadic excursions in dark wave, disco-trancedelica and cold driven soundscapes. If I except the work of Oksana Rodionova (and her side project MarryMe2night) I must confess that I previously never heard anything from the projects selected in this compilation. Let’s have an overview about the music collected here.
AU+ opens the compilation with a slowly evolving minimal impressionism cadence which progressively rises in a very tripping and neurotic pulsating soundscaping ambience within a moodily-dark aura. Plovdiv offers complex sonic electronic textures through buzzing dark waving sequences and mechanically infused rhythms which gives to the ensemble a very bodily ecstatic touch. The Tobler Orchestra delivers what I consider to be the most enigmatic and unusual facet of the whole set with various electronic collages and an automatic-futurist Kraftwert-esque tendency. Words and Action provides a fine track of EBM with intensely demonic and obsessive moves which seem to be rooted in classic and massive industrial music. An energetic and cyber-inflected electronic hymn with a solid rhythmical architecture and really captivating ethereal synth moments. Side B closes the journey with MaryMe2night and its gorgeously psycho-active punchy grooves punctuated by enthralling harmonies. To sum up things Minimal Milan is a beautiful “sonic musical voyage” built on a sea of minimal waving synth textures with direct reminiscence from the 80s electronic underground within a modern shape.
The world of physical edition is quite uneasy in terms of longevity especially those days, this mainly due to recent changes on the market, the sub-culture of the “ephemeral” and consumers habits. Nevertheless this new label deserves our interest and this debut effort announces things brightly with a beautiful musical variety and a real passion for music production.
Minimal Milan is available on Minimal Trend.
