[reviews] afe121cd
meerkat: kapnos

Meerkat is a sort of super-project involving several Italian underground sound-manipulators, such as Andrea Marutti (Amon / Never Known), Matteo Uggeri (Hue), Paolo Ippoliti (Logoplasm), and many more.

Different crossed collaborations gave birth to the seven untitled tracks of "Kapnos", which is also the third chapter of the "Between the Elements" quadrilogy (previously started with team-up releases by veteran M.B., Sparkle in Grey and Hue).

Essentially, the music of this enigmatic CD puts together electro-acoustic ectoplasms with field recordings and drones, generating ethereal waves of sounds. The first three tracks are captivating and atmospheric, with tapes, treated guitar and electronics moving along natural sounds like the crackling of fire, whereas the following become more and more impalpable, minimal and distant, losing the listener's attention and involvement.

Despite the large amount of names involved, Meerkat doesn't seem to offer anything particularly new or exciting. "Kapnos" collects intimistic and eerie ambient music assembled with impeccable technical ability, but we definitely would like such skilled sound-alchemists as the ones here at work to make our ears pulse in amazement, if not bleed in pain and pleasure.

[Simon V]