Nicola Ratti - Ossario Volumes I & II [Holidays Records Promo]

Coming from Italy and being recently released on two seperate, limited to 300 copies white vinyl 12" pressings on Holidays Records is Nicola Ratti's new ten track release "Ossario" which - according to the info sheet coming alongside the promotional CDr - basicly focuses on sounds generated by modular synthesizer, tapes and samples to a darkening, skeletal and and unprocessed effect that is somewhat reminiscent of the slow, continuous motion of gargantuan alien machines and the surreal sounds of their steady operating process in extraplanetary industrial sites. Defined electronic pulses and gnarling mid to low frequencies are painting a bleak, futurist sonic picture whilst uberly cold, droning athmospheres add up to the panoramic view over barren, devastated territories. But as the time passes one starts to recognize more and more organic sample work of a warmer nature shining through - twisted instruments, even more or less natural sounding (prepared ?) piano tones and slightly processed percussion of a kind of ritual nature. With the untitled sixth track of the CDr which we presume to be A1 of "Ossario Volume II" Nicola Ratti introduces chirping melody fragments on tilt mode, creating an ultimate danger zone feel on top of heavily compressed beats that might be filed under the flag of Industrial Electronica - see former releases on labels like Hymen or Block4 as a reference here - whilst the following tune brings the work of Rachel Kozak / Hecate under her Raquel De Grimstone-alias to mind, serving haunting vocals and an intense, ritualistic attitude. Later on we find examples of a specific, calm Deep Listening sound one might describe as Unambient due to the various layers of feedback noises and irritating modulations accumulating on top of dreamy electronic creations, a short, meta-rhythmic and tribal'esque skit as well as a frolicking, microprocessed Electronica piece that provides the most positive, partly even happy sonic connotation of Nicola Ratti's most recent work. Recommended to fans of Autechre, Hainbach and other like-minded projects.