A CLOSER LISTEN weekly #9
Liminaria, Battiato, and Anarchist Mountains
Dear Listeners! It is Wednesday once again, which means another installment of A CLOSER LISTEN’s bi-weekly roundup. As always, Joseph here. I’m back home in New York for a little bit, and while it looks like yet another wave of the pandemic is rising, at least the weather is nice enough to spend a lot of time outside. I’ll be heading back to Italy for the first time since before the pandemic, so future installments may be a bit less regular, but I’m looking forward to sharing a bit of what I’ll be up to there, including organizing a soundwalk in rural southern Italy.
That soundwalk will be part of the return of the Liminaria festival, organized by my friends Leandro Pisano and Beatrice Ferrera. The Liminaria festival originally ran for five editions between 2014 and 2018, culminating with a collateral event in Palermo as part of Manifesta 12. Based in the rural micro-region of Fortore, the frontier between the regions of Campania, Molise, and Puglia, Liminaria offered residencies and public presentations in which visiting artists worked with local residents to apply sound art methodologies to the unique geographies of this territory. I profiled the festival in episode 11 of the Sound Propositions podcast, interviewing the two curators. (Read more and listen to that episode, Rural Futurism, here. ) Leandro and Beatrice also edited a collection of essays (in English, Italian, and Spanish), which has just been released as an e-book, entitled Risonanze e coesistenze (Resonances and coexistences), which included an essay of mine, “Sonic Topographies of the South.” Other authors include Pietro Bonanno, Budhaditya Chattopadhyay, Nicola Di Croce, David Mollin & Salomé Voegelin, Alyssa Moxley, and many others, as well as multilingual translations of Leandro and Beatrice’s “Manifesto of Rural Futurism.” The book is available for just € 0,99.
RIP FRANCO BATTIATO
Multi-faceted Italian artist Franco Battiato died on 18 May 2021, just over one year ago. Just one week before his passing, I published a post on Battiato, interviewing Fabio Zuffanti about his 2020 book, Franco Battiato: Tutti i dischi e tutte le canzoni, dal 1965 al 2019, in which reflects upon every Battiato recording. Zuffanti is a musician himself, with a lifelong love affair with Battiato’s music. Since it is unlikely that this book will be translated into English, I reached out to him for an interview, and have included translations of entries from ten songs that are representative of Battiato’s work from the 1970s.
What follows below is an excerpt from that piece:
In recent years, audiences in the United States have finally been discovering the Italian artist Franco Battiato. Battiato’s reputation has grown in part due to Superior Viaduct re-releasing four of his classic albums from the early 1970s on vinyl there for the first time. But in Italy, Battiato is a massive star beyond comparison. Aspects of his career parallel those of figures like Brian Eno, Robert Wyatt, Caetano Veloso, and even Prince. Battiato is a figure who has moved freely from rock to avant-garde to pop superstardom and back, demonstrating that these needn’t be opposing poles.
No one in Italian popular music (other than the singer Mina) has had such a lasting career with so many distinct phases. Italian popular music has tended to privilege the singer-songwriter, the cantautore, with a heavy emphasis on lyrics. Thus Italian artists have had limited success outside of Italy as they sing mainly in Italian. It’s probably for this reason that Battiato’s more experimental records of the 1970s, which tend to be instrumental or otherwise de-emphasize the importance of lyrical content, are best known to foreign audiences.
Battiato’s earliest attempts as a songwriter date to the mid-1960s, but he came into his own with a quirky style of progressive rock a few years later, accentuated by his early use of a VCS3 synthesizer. But Battiato’s style never remained still for long, experimenting with musique concrete, electronic music, and an exceptionally austere minimalism, before reinventing himself yet again with 1979’s L’Era del cinghiale bianco. His music of this period is exquisitely arranged postmodern pop, drawing on a variety of styles, and distinguished by Battiato’s esoteric, clever, and often very funny lyrics. His 1981 masterpiece, La voce del padrone, made him a massive star, launching a string of hits throughout the 1980s and ’90s. He also produced and wrote for other artists, such as Alice, with whom he sang the hit “Treni di Tozeur” for the 1984 Eurovision competition. In the mid-1990s, he would partner with the philosopher Manlio Sgalambro, adding to his reputation for complex and mysterious subject matter.
But again, I suspect that most readers of this site will find the most of interest in Battiato’s experimental period from the 1970s. Besides his solo records, the 1975 supergroup Telaio Magnetico is also of interest. That group included Juri Camisasca, Roberto Mazza, Lino Capra Vaccina (of Aktuala), and Terra Di Benedetto and Giacomo Di Martino (of Albergo Integalattico Spaziale), who gathered to perform several shows in Sicily, Calabria, and Rome in support of the Radical Party’s initiative to legalize cannabis. Much freer sounding than Battiato’s prog records of the early 70s, the additional musicians bring Battiato closer to the experimentation with voice and drone happening on the outer edges of Italian music at that time. The group’s sole release, Live 75, featuring improvisations culled from two live performances, has been re-issued by Black Sweat in 2017, with an expanded edition in 2020.
The records Battiato produced for other artists in the latter part of that decade are also of note, especially three largely forgotten classics of Italian minimalism, all from 1979: Raul Lovisoni and Francesco Messina’s Prati Bagnati Del Monte Analogo, Michele Fedrigotti and Danilo Lorenzini‘s I Fiori Del Sole, and Giusto Pio‘s Motore Immobile. Each was produced by Battiato at the culmination of his experimentation with the avant-garde and minimalism, having spent the prior five years working under the influence of mysticism, Stockhausen, and the political unrest of the 1970s. Battiato was closely associated with all of these artists, especially Messina and Pio. Listening to these three helps provide a key to unlocking Battiato’s own records from that period (M.elle Le “Gladiator”, Franco Battiato [aka Zâ], and L’Egitto Prima Delle Sabbie), which have also been recently re-issued on vinyl by SONY Music.
Did the “Reflux” begin with the trial of Toni Negri or the release of L’Era del cinghiale bianco? It isn’t hard to read the story of the Italian people into Battiato’s personal journey. From a derivative wanna-be of the late 60s, he swept in on the “Vento Caldo” of 1968. His prominent use of a lead synthesizer and talk of science-fiction themes and mysticism was perfectly suited to the political climate, shaking up the received notions of what was allowed. His more noodling compositions, like a Baroque Terry Riley, defined the era of open air music festivals that proliferated in Italy, especially after Italian audiences were able to see video of Woodstock via the 1970 documentary. His retreat into minimalism and subsequent re-imagining as a pop star probably can relate more about the social climate of the late 1970s than any summary of political events I could bore you with.
Read the entire piece, including an interview with Fabio Zuffanti and his breakdown of 10 of Battiato’s best compositions from the 1970s, here.
MIXED SIGNALS
Lastly, we recently published a mix by Anarchist Mountains, a Canadian duo of brothers Jordan and Stefan Christoff. They follow last year’s A Balken Spacewalk with Fire Waves, their latest album, released by Oxtail Recordings in Sydney, Australia. They made this mix to celebrate the release.
Stefan writes: “In the chaos that surrounds this world in 2022 this mix is an attempt to not step back, but to lift up the eyes to intentionally create mental space for reflection. In this moment that decision to pull away from the noise of screens and the abusive words of politicians is a political act. Anarchist Mountains is about regenerating, healing and creating space for reflection that allows for emotional rejuvenation, allowing for a fuller engagement with the difficult struggles of our time in a way that sustains mental health. The selections in this mix speak mostly to this type of space, with a couple exceptions that address the world in a more in your face kinda way sonic clashes with the system. Tangibly, Jordan Christoff is a public school educator and ambient musician, Stefan Christoff is a long time activist and community organizer within anti-capitalist networks, as brothers the Anarchist Mountains project is about holding true to these engagements while celebrating the importance of sound as a tool for emotional rejuvenation that takes place within a context of awareness in this world.”
UPCOMING RELEASES
(complete list with Bandcamp links here)
Aidan Baker ~ Gauge Amber Tones (Slow Tone Collages, 20 May)
AJNA ~ Mors Ultra (Cyclic Law, 20 May)
Andrew Bernstein ~ a presentation (Hausu Mountain, 20 May)
Automatisme & Stefan Paulus ~ Gap/Void (Constellation, 20 May)
Brandon Seabrook ~ In the Storm (Astral Spirits, 20 May)
Chad Mossholder ~ Lighghthouse (Schematic Music Company, 20 May)
Fallen ~ Our Dreams Will Be Told (ROHS!, 20 May)
Hermann Nitsch ~ Weinviertel Sinfonie (TROST, 20 May)
Joe Rainey ~ Niineta (37d03d, 20 May)
Joel Forsberg ~ Det lilla klivet, det stora rivet (Egoljud, 20 May)
Jon Porras ~ Arroyo (Thrill Jockey, 20 May)
Koray Kantarcıoğlu ~ Loopworks 2 (Discrepant, 20 May)
Kranemann & Pharmakustik ~ Electric Fluxus (Verlag System, 20 May)
Leon den Engelsen ~ Home (Piano & Coffee Records, 20 May)
Lyli J ~ Micro Wanders (See Blue Audio, 20 May)
LXV ~ things that may not be connected (Warm Winters Ltd., 20 May)
Malle Voss ~ Death Is Easy (Blue Tapes, 20 May)
Mary Lattimore & Paul Sukeena ~ West Kensington (Three Lobed Recordings, 20 May)
Matmos ~ Regards/Ukłony dla Bogusław Schaeffer (Thrill Jockey, 20 May)
NYIÞ ~ ᛬ᚢᛁᛋᚿᛁ•ᚼᛆᛏᛁ•ᚼᚱᛅ᛬ (Cyclic Law, 20 May)
Peter Coccoma ~ A Place to Begin (Whatever’s Clever, 20 May)
Space Between Clouds ~ S/T (AKP Recordings, 20 May)
Traverse ~ Slow Moving Apocalypse (Somewherecold, 20 May)
Zoh Amba feat. William Parker and Francisco Mela ~ O Life, O Light Vol. 1 (577 Records, 20 May)
Void Stasis ~ Ruins (Cryo Chamber, 24 May)
General Magic ~ Softbop (farmersmanual, 25 May)
Ichion ~ One (Audiobulb, 25 May)
Project Vainiola ~ Waves of Inner Peace (Slow Tone Collages, 25 May)
Barkum Deer ~ S/T (First Light, 26 May)
Aidan Baker ~ Tenebrist (Cruel Nature Records, 27 May)
Christian Schwöbel ~ Dystopian Pulse (Passed Recordings, 27 May)
The Dish ~ Slaps Combo (MFZ, 27 May)
EMÆNUEL ~ SUKISTAN (sound as language, 27 May)
4T Thieves ~ Futures End (Rednetic, 27 May)
John Lemke ~ Thawlines (Denovali, 27 May)
Orphax ~ Spectrum (27 May)
Orson Hentschel ~ Heavy Light (Denovali, 27 May)
Pinkcourtesyphone ~ All Intensive Purposes (Room40, 27 May)
Queen Kong ~ Fray (27 May)
ragenap ~ Thriving Culture (American Dreams, 27 May)
Shiva Feshareki ~ Turning World (NMC Recordings, 27 May)
Soft Ffog ~ S/T (Is It Jazz?, 27 May)
Timothy Fairless ~ Rising Water (Flaming Pines, 27 May)
V/A ~ Perceptions Vol. 3 (Bigo & Twigetti, 27 May)
V/A ~ Spring Snow (Mirae Arts, 27 May)
Wanderwelle ~ Black Clouds Above the Bows (Important, 27 May)
FILM ~ S/T (Qilla, 28 May)
Giacomelli ~ Return of the Return (Somewherecold, 28 May)
Viktor Benev ~ Architextures (enovae, 29 May)
Aquarian ~ Mutations II (Dekmantel, 30 May)
Gunver Ryberg/David Morley ~ Clockworks Remixes (Machineries of Joy, 30 May)
Taylor Deupree ~ Harbor (laaps, 30 May)
Judith Hoorens ~ La Reine Seule – Visages (Kapitaen Platte, 31 May)
Spacepilot ~ Hyaena Worlds (577 Records, 31 May)
Kontuur ~ A/B (wadi, 1 June)
Patrick Glynn ~ Past Beginnings (1 June)
Daniel Carter, Matthew Shipp, William Parker, Gerald Cleaver ~ Welcome Adventure! Vol. 2 (577 Records, 3 June)
Euan Dalgarno ~ Swimitrupl (Not Yet Remembered Records, 3 June)
Golden Feelings ~ S/T (Impermanent Records, 3 June)
Jim Perkins ~ Immersed in Clouds Reworks (Bigo & Twigetti, 3 June)
Modus ~ O Mira Novitas (Clay Pipe Music, 3 June)
Norman W. Long ~ Return and Recovery (LINE, 3 June)
Ralph Heidel ~ Modern Life (Kryptox, 3 June)
RedGreenBlue ~ The End of the Beginning (Astral Spirits, 3 June)
Savvas Metaxas ~ Magnetic Loops II (LINE, 3 June)
T. Gowdy ~ Miracles (Constellation, 3 June)
Voiski ~ The End of Fiction EP (Delsin, 3 June)
x.y.r. ~ Aquarealm (Not Not Fun, 3 June)
Yuzo Iwata ~ Kaizu (Butter Sessions, 3 June)
Nobuka ~ Miniatüre (Difficult Art & Music, 6 June)
Mario Salvadore, Marcos Morales, Yasel Munoz ~ MASINTIN (Orbit577, 7 June)
Method of Freedom ~ The Tape Sessions (7 June)
Flavia Massimo ~ Glitch (Audiobulb, 8 June)
Osheyack ~ Intimate Politics (SVBKVLT, 8 June)
Wilson Trouve ~ Endings, Beginnings (Bigo & Twigetti, 9 June)
Benny Bock ~ Vanishing Act (Colorfield, 10 June)
Blu Terra ~ Testo EP (Lapsus, 10 June)
Broken Shoulder/Expose Your Eyes ~ Parts Exchanged (Subexotic, 10 June)
Devin Brahja Waldman & Hamid Drake ~ Mediumistic Methodology (Astral Spirits, 10 June)
Geneva Nervi ~ The Disorder of Appearances (La Tempesta International, 10 June)
Jamie Leeming ~ Resynthesis (Sekito, 10 June)
Jason Del Campo ~ Sage (At Swim Music, 10 June)
Locked Groove & Gacha Bakradze ~ 3 Variations Sur Un Theme (Hotflush Recordings, 10 June)
Luke Elliot & Sycamore Willow ~ Hyper Nostalgia (Earth Works Outernational, 10 June)
Metavari ~ Soft Continuum (Studies Vol. 2) (10 June)
MimiCof ~ Distant Symphony (Karlrecords, 10 June)
Phill Niblock ~ Ghosts And Others (Room40, 10 June)
Sam Slater ~ I do not wish to be known as a Vandal (Bedroom Community, 10 June)
µ-Ziq ~ Magic Pony Ride (Planet Mu, 10 June)
The Utopia Strong ~ International Treasure (Rocket Recordings, 10 June)
Violet Mist ~ Cyberwave (Subexotic, 10 June)
Yamila ~ Visions (Umor Rex, 10 June)
Yann Tiersen ~ 11 5 18 2 5 18 (Mute, 10 June)
Yoo Doo Right ~ A Murmur, Boundless to the East (Mothland, 10 June)
Origin ST ~ Dark Nights are Setting In (Ambientologist, 14 June)
Pierre Bastien ~ Sonic Folkways (Discrepant, 15 June)
Aboutface ~ The water that glows like dancing glass cuts crimson (16 June)
Alberto Boccardi ~ Petra (Room40, 17 June)
Andrew Tasselmyer ~ Music for Nonexistent Films (Somewherecold, 17 June)
Anteloper ~ Pink Dolphins (International Anthem, 17 June)
Colin Stetson, Elliot Sharp, Billy Martin, Payton MacDonald ~ Void Patrol (Infrequent Seams, 17 June)
Giusepe Ielasi ~ The Prospect (12k, 17 June)
Grant Stewart ~ The Lighting of the Lamps (Cellar Music Group, 17 June)
Heroes Are Gang Leaders ~ LeAutoRoiOgraphy (577 Records, 17 June)
High Castle Teleorkestra ~ The Egg That Never Opened (Art as Catharsis, 17 June)
John Stein ~ Lifeline (Whaling City Sound, 17 June)
Loris Cericola ~ Metaphysical Graffiti (Artetetra, 17 June)
Maria Faust ~ MOnuMENT (17 June)
Matthew Ryals ~ impromptus in isolation (Sound as Language, 17 June)
Minamo & Asuna ~ Tail of Diffraction (12k, 17 June)
V/A ~ String Layers Vol. II (7K!, 17 June)
Wild Up ~ Julias Eastman Vol. 2: Joy Boy (New Amsterdam, 17 June)
Yenting Hsu ~ Flash (Touch/Ash International, 17 June)
Stereo Minus One ~ Lodestone (Machine Records, 20 June)
Ametrom ~ Club Balkan (24 June)
Conrad Praetzel ~ Adventures into Somethingness (Paleo Music, 24 June)
CYRK ~ Freundschaft (Burial Soil, 24 June)
FFT ~ Clear (Numbers, 24 June)
Glenn Jones ~ Vade Mecum (Thrill Jockey, 24 June)
h e r e a f t e r. ~ This Life Is a Beautiful War (24 June)
Larkhall ~ Say You’re With Me (24 June)
syn∙the∙sis ~ still motions (Post.Recordings, 24 June)
Tommy Crane ~ We Are All Improvisers Now (Whirlwind Recordings, 24 June)
V/A ~ Alien Parade Japan (Morr Music, 24 June)
V/A ~ TARAXIA (GODDEZZ, 24 June)
Vongoiva ~ Jatuli Observatory (Flaming Pines, 24 June)
Chloe Alexandre Thompson ~ They Can Never Burn the Stars (SIGE, 27 June)
Daniel Carter et al ~ Telepatica (577 Records, 1 July)
François Robin & Mathias Delplanque ~ L’ombre de la bête (Parenthesis Records, 1 July)
Julian Tenembaum ~ fragmentos (Schole, 1 July)
Mark Ball ~ Amplified Guitar (The Garrote, 1 July)
Yui Onodera ~ Too Ne (Room40, 1 July)
Antti Tolvi ~ Spectral Organ / Feedback Gong (Room40, 8 July)
Catarina Barbieri ~ Spirit Exit (Warp, 8 July)
Delay/Aarset ~ Singles (Room40, 8 July)
Timewitch ~ S/T (9 July)
Jolanda Moletto ~ Nine Spells (Ambientologist, 13 July)
Arp ~ New Pleasures (Mexican Summer, 15 July)
Blurstem & Elijah Bisbee ~ Geneva (Bigo & Twigetti, 15 July)
Caleb Wheeler Curtis ~ Heatmap (Imani, 15 July)
Helena Celle ~ Music for Counterflows (False Walls, 15 July)
Indian Wells ~ No One Really Listens to Oscillators (Mesh, 15 July)
Madeleine Cocolas ~ Spectral (Room40, 15 July)
Rafael Anton Irisarri ~ Agitas Al Sol (Room40, 22 July)
Iceberg ~ Final Thaw (Astral Spirits, 29 July)
Black Sky Giant ~ Falling Mothership (Made of Stone, 30 July)
BI DA DOOM ~ graceful collision (Astral Spirits, 5 August)
Keefe Jackson / Oscar Jan Hoogland / Joshua Abrams / Mikel Patrick Avery ~
These Things Happen (Astral Spirits, 5 August)
Susie Ibarra & Tashi Dorji ~ Master of Time (Astral Spirits, 12 August)