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Pushing their way further still into new sonic territory Robert Rich & Luca Formentini reveal more of their stories on Cloud Ornament (66:38). Across its eight interconnected tracks this second collaborative outing draws dramatic energy in the lure of renewal, the urge to be present, and the desire to move on. Conveying sublime messages in sound and atmosphere the duo may strike us as wandering in fog. Something both casual and alert their studio association does not give the impression of being plotted out in advance - but rather realized in many moments of invention and discovery. Having given themselves over to the creative process Rich & Formentini feel lost in their music in the best possible way. Haunting, free-floating and difficult to interpret Cloud Ornament will induce some to complex contemplation. Offering otherworldliness and possibility, from Edenic splendors and sumptuous sighs of texture and ambience, to vague, dark shadows of thought we become caught in the current of their heady, high-flown futurism. At his synths, flutes, piano and steel guitar Rich is precise, dynamic and purposeful, while Formentini's straight and processed acoustic guitar playing gives this work its breezy sensuality. As their touch softens, chords subside into a somnolent haze, creating an aura of temporal dislocation. Drifting through nothingness the listener is meant to relax, breathe with the deep drones, zones and tones, and stare out at the world with transcendent authority. An exercise in unhurried bliss Cloud Ornament does not resemble anything else. With the feel of a votive offering Rich & Formentini tell their tender tale together.
- Chuck van Zyl/STAR'S END 11 July 2024 |
