Silentes Italy Vinyl & CDs

Review: The reissue of Moltitudine in labirinto, originally released in 2003, is a profound sonic exploration by ambient pioneer Gigi Masin and electronic artist Giuseppe Caprioli. This album merges Masin's signature subtle minimalism with Caprioli's raw electronic textures, crafting an intense and introspective experience. Moltitudine in labirinto draws listeners into a maze of sound that evokes hidden corners of the psyche, with low-frequency drones and looping motifs guiding the journey. Across nine movements, Masin and Caprioli create a cinematic symphony that feels simultaneously vast and deeply personal, channeling a 'harmony of the spheres' through restrained yet emotionally powerful soundscapes. The intricate structure and fluidity reflect a complex inner world, making each listening experience unique and meditative. For long-time fans, this vinyl reissue is a welcome revival of a work that remains a cornerstone of ambient and electronic music. Moltitudine in labirinto stands as both a historical document and a timeless exploration of ambient's expressive potential, an artful encounter of melodic finesse and electronic depth that feels as relevant and poignant today as it did upon its original release.

Review: This EP weaves a labyrinth of sound, where the absence of clear genre boundaries is the only constant. The opener leads with ambient pulses, before shifting into the hypnotic, bass-heavy swells of 'Infrasound Loop,' as if crossing into a parallel dimension. As it unravels, 'Submerged Reactions' builds a wave of evolving textures, quietly oscillating between glitchy abstractions and weighty drones. Throughout, the artists' mastery of subtle, complex layers remains apparent, each track a gradual immersion into its own sonic world. On clear vinyl, it's an intricate, immersive listen-complex yet fluid, intricate yet accessible, making it easy to lose yourself in the flow.

Review: Rod Modell's latest album comes in a couple of different vinyl versions and it is so good we suggest you get both. As the title suggests, Northern Michigan Snowstorms captures the serene beauty of stormy winter nights in the countryside. With eight tracks featuring soft pads, blurry loops, and recordings of snowfall, this work transports listeners into the heart of a winter wonderland full of peaceful solitude. It's a world of stillness, far-gazing pads and snow-covered branches that warm you to your core.

Review: In today's unstable world, Rod Modell might just be among a pantheon of key sonic solacers. We'd venture to say music such as his is critical for calming the restlessly tense collective nervous system of which we are made up, especially in light of such troubling recent events in the Western world. Here - after a pensive LP collection of atmospheric ambient works themed after deep listening to the transitory sound of European bus stations - comes a welcome grasping of a frosty Midwestern fantasy. Silentes Italy continue to stun, welcoming Modell with another glassy but still earthy ambient LP: beside the blacktop road lies a sheltered, but still toughened, bothy or cabin, offering the hidden opportunity to gaze out onto a secret, river forest bluff. Distant will o' wisps may be witnessed, as on the subtle crackles of 'Snowstorm In Epoufette' or the more draped-over sleets of 'Snowstorm In Brevort'. Sometimes, especially if you live in the US, you just need to take a step back; though no storm can ever be fully withdrawn from.

Review: Rod Modell's Music For Bus Stations, released by Silentes in Italy, is a masterful exploration of ambient and dub techno that immerses listeners in a transcendent soundscape. Known for his Detroit roots and innovative use of old-school recording techniques like tape loops and echo devices, Modell crafts a sonic experience that seamlessly integrates with modern architecture. The album serves as a generative backdrop, enhancing the atmosphere of bus stations with its ethereal and progressive sounds. Designed to complement rather than clash with architectural elements, the composition creates a constantly evolving, organic sound tapestry. By utilising polyrhythmic elements and shifting sonic phenomena, Modell's work induces a state of calm and reflection. Inspired by avant-garde bus station designs, such as those by Domitianus Arquitectura and Bluck & Morgen, Music For Bus Stations transforms everyday spaces into immersive sound environments. The result is a living, unpredictable auditory experience that elevates the mundane to the sublime, perfectly capturing the essence of ambient exploration. Act fast if you want a copy, Rod Modell fans are die-hards!

Review: This collaborative album from Rob Modell (Deepchord) and Taka Noda (Mystica Tribe) presents a brand new and compelling East-West dialogue in the mode of noir ambient dub. It also provides ample opportunity for these two greats of the genre to take a break from the monikers and operate under their own names - reflecting this one's specialness. If the album cover is anything to go by, this is could almost certainly be described as the equivalent of the film Chungking Express condensed into musical form, but musically, Glow World is just that - a glowing world - hauntingly pitting rain patters, chord releases and consonant yet conflicted pads into great overhead swarms of sound.

Review: Silentes has so far supplied little information about the artist known as Scapular, or for that matter his debut album on their 13 sub-label, which is called Devotional. Here's what we know: it was recorded in Mexico City in late 2019 and early 2020 by a hitherto unknown producer who goes by the name of J. Sanchez. Musically, it's a pleasingly opaque and subtly-varied affair built around gaseous ambient electronics, chopped and processed samples (think field recordings, spoken word snippets, and heavenly choirs), crunchy electronic rhythms, hazy dub techno textures, and unsurprisingly spacey grooves. It's hard to get a handle on, but that's part of the fun. Most importantly, the debutant artist has delivered a set that surprises and delights at every turn.