In the quiet corners of Cuneo, Italy, a dialogue has emerged that challenges our fundamental perception of resonance. Filippo Ansaldi and Simone Sims Longo have crafted a sonic document that feels less like a standard recording and more like a physical examination of air as it passes through brass and circuitry. Their collaborative debut, ‘Solo Suono,’ operates in a liminal space where the traditional identity of the saxophone is dismantled and rebuilt through the lens of electronic manipulation.
The release opens with “Dodici”, a piece that immediately establishes the duo’s commitment to the architecture of breath. Here, Ansaldi provides the skeletal structure with his saxophone, while Sims Longo acts as a shadow architect, stretching and folding the acoustic input until the source becomes an abstraction. This philosophy of transformation continues through “Temporaneo”, where the fleeting nature of the performance is captured and frozen. The music suggests a state of constant becoming, refusing to settle into predictable rhythmic or melodic patterns.
One of the most striking aspects of the record is how it treats the mechanical noise of the instrument. In “Cosmo”, the clicking of keys and the hiss of the embouchure are elevated from peripheral distractions to central melodic components. By the time the listener reaches “Appena visibile”, the distinction between the organic lungs of the performer and the synthetic processing of the computer has nearly evaporated. It is a study in subtlety, demanding a high level of focus to discern where the physical gesture ends and the digital expansion begins.
The middle of the album introduces “Curundu”, a track that leans into the hypnotic potential of looped gestures. It provides a grounding contrast to the more ethereal moments of the record, though it never loses the sense of fragility that defines the collaboration. This is followed by the brief, punctuated energy of “+1”, which serves as a sharp reminder of the immediacy of live performance. The mastering by Anton Jechiel Kossjanenko ensures that these delicate timbral shifts are rendered with absolute clarity, allowing the listener to inhabit the space between the notes.
As the record winds toward its conclusion with “Alibi” and “Illusione”, the title ‘Solo Suono’ begins to reveal its layered meaning. It translates to just sound, a description that seems humble until one considers the complexity required to strip away artifice and leave only the core vibrational truth. In these final tracks, the duo achieves a meditative state that feels both ancient and futuristic. They have bypassed the usual tropes of electroacoustic music, avoiding grand gestures in favor of a deep, focused exploration of how sound occupies a room.
Ultimately, this release represents a sophisticated evolution for both artists. Filippo Ansaldi proves himself to be a reed player of immense restraint, while Simone Sims Longo demonstrates an intuitive understanding of how to process acoustic weight without crushing its spirit. Together, they have created a work that resists easy categorization, choosing instead to exist in the quiet, expansive gap between the human heart and the machine.
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