Hugo Race & Gianni Maroccolo - The Vigil [Gusstaff Records]

Scheduled for release via the Polish Gusstaff Records label on May 16th, 2k25 is "The Vigil", the latest collaborational album outing conceived by Australian PostPunk- and beyond legend Hugo Race and Italian producer Gianni Maroccolo who's been invlvd in the countries alternative music scene and the scoring of underground movies since the 80s. (Still) under the impression of the Covid-19 pandemic and its implemented regulations throughout the albums production period from 2k20 to 2k23 the core duo, alongside a few accompanying musicians, cooked up an eight tracks and 45 minutes spanning lonygplayer which starts from an angle of gritty, slow and Illbient-informed, PostPunk-infused Downtempo x TripHop which surely is about to resonate with fans of artists like Tricky at his darkest in the opening title track subsequently followed by the touching emotional ballad of "Phoenix" before "Soldiers" explores an intensely claustrophic fusion of Spoken Word and twangy, score-like, Morricone'esque backings. Furthermore "La Pace" provides a shimmer of hope at the horizon, backed by stumbling beats and hovering calm, beautifully arranged atmospheres whereas "Pandora" evokes faint memories of deep, almost beatless cuts by classic band outfits like Eyeless In Gaza. "Where Does The Night Go" weighs in a surprising turn as a captivating piano backed ballad before "Duru Duru" enters a realm of seemingly acoustic yet reprocessed guitars and raw abstract rhythms of doom before the final "Phoenix (Reprise)" waves goodbye in a score'esque manner, painting pictures of barren, desolate landscapes and grandiose mountain ranges for a closing. Highly recommended, this!

Album artwork on Instagram!