The works of Italian avant-garde percussionist and composer Lino Capra Vaccina are among the most highly regarded in Italian minimalist music. He was a member of the Italian progressive pioneering band Aktuala in the early 70’s whose eponymous debut album (1973) featured a multitude of instruments offering a groundbreaking fusion of different styles including free improvisation.
While his first solo work was released in 1978 (Antico Adagio) his discography is far from lengthy. His follow-up to his debut, L’Attesa, wouldn’t surface until 1992. The slim number of releases that have surfaced to date means that news of a new album is always well-received. This absence of prolific output lends these releases the weight of musical statements and his latest offering, Metafisiche del suono, has been described as a masterpiece.
The album is to be released on Italian label Dark Companion, a label which prides itself on high-end audiophile quality recordings.
The label feature a number focused outputs including one called Ephemerals which offers “peculiar and magical albums, recorded live or in a recording studio, in handcrafted and numbered editions.” Their first Ephemeral release (DCE001) featured English rural dark folk collaboration between Michael Tanner (Plinth, The Cloisters, United Bible Studies) and Alison Cotton (The Left Outsides, Trimdon Grange Explosion, The Eighteenth Day of May). For this new release, Vaccina who performs on Vibraphone, Grand Piano, Gong, Metallophone, Percussion, Tabla, Wind Chimes, Bells, Cymbal, Strings and Timpani called upon Tanner and Cotton for contributions. Tanner plays Autoharp, Psaltery, Dulcimer, E-bowed Electric Guitar and Cotton plays viola. Listen to Policromie Sospese below on which they both contribute. The album also features Camillo Mozzoni on Oboe, Oboe d’Amore, English Horn.
The album was produced by Massimo Marchini who is quoted as saying “Many asked how he could go further. This new work I had the honour of producing, is the answer. In delicate balance, flexible grace between sound and silence, a new astounding masterpiece.”
Order Metafisiche del suono via Bandcamp (CD/Digital) or Soundohm (Vinyl)