Nemirni zvuci starine – recenzija albuma “Atene” italijanskog muzičara Fonemi


Projekat: Fonemi
Ime albuma: Atene
Izdavač: Unexplained Sounds Group
Godina: 2018
Žanr: drone, ambient, electronic, unpredictable sounds

Piše: Desya Lovorov

S pravom nazvana kolevkom moderne civilizacije, Grčka i njena istorijska pretkinja će uvek inspirisati novije generacije umetnika - suvišno bi bilo nabrajati dela, pa i cele epohe koje u sebi nose pečat ove kulture. Ni eksperimentalna i elektronska muzika XX i XXI veka nije imuna na taj uticaj - dovoljno je pomenuti Xenakisa i Vangelisa, kao one koji nose tu iskonsku iskru u sebi i u muzici koju su podarili.

Fonemi je italijanski muzičar koji svoj diskurs gradi u domenu ambient/drone-a. Album "Atene", izdat za italijansku kuću "Unexplained Sounds Group", nedvosmisleno je inspirisan istorijom stare Atine i njene visoke kulture, obojen mediteranskom atmosferom - krajnje neočekivani spoj kontinentalne mirnoće i žustrosti primorskih krajeva. Te suprotnosti se ogledaju u samim numerama, koje bi se nenaviknutom uhu činile samo kao jednolične. Suština ovakvih muzičkih komada jeste dostizanje određene atmosfere i dekonstrukcija ponavljajućeg tona, koji zaokružuje tu atmosferu. U tom muzičkom istraživanju, neprestanim igranjem sa teksturama i iscrpljivanjem uske palete tonova, "Atene" nudi vrlo oštri drone sa naglaskom na "hladne" pasaže, koje je autor uobličio ka uzorima koji pripadaju ranoj elektronskoj muzici. Ipak, u samu strukturu pesama je utisnut i Mediteran, kao donosilac topline i dodatnog sloja "nemira" u kompoziciji. Rezultat su veoma čudne i dinamične numere (kao faktor iznenađenja), čija struktura zahteva vrlo predano slušanje i razumevanje drone-a kao muzičkog koncepta.

Ono što se mora istaći jeste da su numere izuzetno i neočekivano ritmične, koliko to žanr dozvoljava. Iako se melodija razvija pravolinijski, različite teksture u zvuku (koje su već pomenute) odaju utisak gotovo hipnotičkog efekta i to je upravo ono što izdvaja ovaj album kao prijemčiviji široj publici. Takođe, sam zvuk i atmosfera celokupnog albuma imaju izrazito jaku crtu filmske muzike i filmova snimljenih 60ih i 70ih na prostoru Italije i Grčke.

Bez obzira na hermetičnost i kompleksnost ovog žanra, toplo preporučujem "Atene" zbog obilja muzičkih tekstura i atmosferičnosti, kao i ljubiteljima grčke/helenske kulture, u svojstvu alternativne muzičke podloge za istraživanje.

Restless Sounds of the Ancient – a review of “Atene” by Italian musician Fonemi


Project: Fonemi
Album name: Atene
Publisher: Unexplained Sounds Group
Year: 2018
Genre: drone, ambient, electronic, unpredictable sounds

Written by: Desya Lovorov

Rightfully named as a cradle of the modern civilization, Greece and her historic ancestor will always inspire new generations of artists – it would be redundant to list all works, and even all epochs which have a signature of its culture. Neither experimental and electronic music of XX and XXI century is not immune to this influence – it is enough to mention Xenakis and Vangelis, as ones that carried initial sparkle in theirselves and in the music that they made.

Fonemi is Italian musician who builds his discourse in ambient/drone domain. Album “Atene”, published for Italian label “Unexplained Sounds Group” is explicitly influenced by the history of ancient Athene and its high culture, colored with Mediterranean atmosphere – edgy and unexpected blend of continental peacefulness and passion of sea sides. This opposition reflects itself in the songs, which could sound just monotonous to an untrained ear. The essence of musical pieces of this type is reaching the exact atmosphere and deconstruction of repeating tone, which shrouds that atmosphere. In that musical exploration and continuous playing with textures and exhausting of the narrow tone palette, “Atene” gives very sharp drone with accents on “cold” passages, which composer aligned with his inspirations from early electronic music. However, in the very structure of the songs, Mediterranean is imprinted, as a bringer of warmness and additional layer of “distress” in composition. The result is highly strange and dynamic songs (as a surprise factor), which structure demands really serious listening and understanding of drone as musical concept.

The highlight of this album is that songs are extraordinary and unexpectedly rhythmic, in amount that genre allows. Even though melody is developing linearly, different textures in the sound (already mentioned) give impression of mostly hypnotic effect and that is the main thing which proves the album to be enjoyable for wider audience. Also, the sound itself and atmosphere of the whole album have the taste of movie soundtracks and movies, as well, filmed in ‘60s and ‘70s in Italy and Greece.

Despite the hermetic and complex nature of this genre, I highly recommend “Atene” because of numerous musical textures and atmosphere, and also to Greek/Hellenic culture lovers, as an alternative soundtrack for further exploration.