A source of energy is required in order to levitate and, braiding tight his synthesized drones, Paolo Ielasi achieves this feat splendidly. The younger brother of Giuseppe (a talented musician and technician, nowadays known most for site-specific works), this is Ielasi’s third physical edition after two privately-released compact discs. It proves him deft at fulfilling his mission statement, engineering the “interaction between field recordings and analog machines.”
Why Are You Talking So Loud? opens with trembling soap-opera organ underscoring buzzing dragonfly forays. After hanging long in tensed suspension, subsequent tracks take a relaxed, pleasantly meandering path, before the fifth of six untitled, unnumbered pieces urges the listener to activate and hear what is happening beyond; far behind the upfront turbine thrum – far, like in another neighborhood far – a saxophone sweetly, passionately plays. And soon, even more happens.
Ielasi’s process of restrained synthesis is rich in character and rewards repeated listenings. This is a durable album, crafted with skill. Into the pleasing gatefold packaging by fledgling Polish label Sublime Retreat has been inserted an accordioned booklet featuring some fine black and white photography, mostly taken by the artist himself.
Stephen Fruitman
Avant Music News 