AMN Reviews: Nihil Impvlse – Anabasis (2023; Eighth Tower Records)

This is the fourth full-length release from Italy’s Nihil Impvlse, a one-person endeavor of Francesco di Stasio. It is a follow-up to 2020’s Stasis, and shares that album’s dark mechanical acousmatic approach and attention to detail. Indeed, to appreciate those details, listening in a quiet room at generous volume is highly recommended.

Fog of War leads off this effort with multi-frequency drones, ominous percussion, and sculpted static. The percussion initially takes the form of a single repeating drumbeat before growing denser and echoing. This results in a rough balance between mechanical and organic textures.

This broad directionality continues on Drifting Ground Zeroes, but with a focus on quieter loops that are electronically manipulated. Combined with hazy washes and rough waves, this slow-moving piece produces alien soundscapes with long-held tones. It progressively becomes more and more creepy, as distorted post-industrial elements that resemble obscured voices and martial percussion are included.

Nomad Insurgency includes bursts of white noise over echoing rhythmic structures and controlled feedback. Falling waves, indistinct chanting voices, knob-twisting electronics, and pulsing drones generate a sense of disquiet. This is the stuff of ancient nightmares updated to incorporate modern dystopian horrors.

Anabasis is full of wonderful ideas and my appreciation of di Stasio’s craft grows with each listen. I’ve been reluctant so far to nominate a 2023 album of the year candidate, but no longer as Anabasis is a stark and remarkable offering.

The album was released on July 6 by Eighth Tower Records.