Press release:

"In 2003 Maurizio Bianchi and Matteo Uggeri / Hue met through Afe Records; three years later Maurizio asked Matteo for a musical collaboration, which grew up quickly under the design of a long term project called "Between the Elements", a sort of music transposition of concepts that lies in the empty spaces between the natural elements, which are over-abused terms in the New Age music scene. Two albums were published in 2008: one about the concept of "clouds" ("Nefelodhis", by MB and the post-rock band Sparkle in Grey) and one about the concept of "desert" ("Erimos", by MB with Hue and Luca Bergero / Fhievel). One year later, the third chapter entitled "Kapnos" – Greek for "smoke" - is finally available. The industrial master contributes to back notes and concept, but keeps his hands far from the musical matter, leaving it to the expertise of ten of the most interesting experimental musicians of the Italian scene, united under the cryptic name of Meerkat. The Meerkat ensemble is formed by a group of musicians working in the field of experimental music, drones, microsounds and field recordings: Adriano Zanni / Punck, Matteo Uggeri / Hue, Luca Sigurtà, Luca Bergero / Fhievel, Davide Valecchi / Aal, Andrea Ferraris / Ics, Fabio Selvafiorita, Paolo Ippoliti (Logoplasm), Laura Lovreglio (Logoplasm) and Andrea Marutti / Amon / Never Known. The tracks on "Kapnos" present a surprising homogeneity in spite of the different attitudes of the artists, which mixed their experiences in each track creating new unforeseen connections, working in pairs or in threesome on each track. The Meerkat members also joint their efforts releasing the CD, which is in fact published by Afe (Andrea Marutti), Grey Sparkle (Matteo Uggeri), Nighthawks Tapes (Paolo Ippoliti) and Ctrl+Alt+Canc (Adriano Zanni). Under these premises, "Kapnos" represents an unique effort in the swarming Italian music scene of the '00s."

Reviews:

Following "Nefelodhis", an album between Maurizio Bianchi and Sparkle In Grey, and "Erimos", which was by Bianchi, Hue and Luca Bergero/Fhievel, there is now "Kapnos", for which Bianchi supplied no music, just the concept. Meerkat (they call it a cryptic word, so I won't spoil its meaning in Dutch) is a kind of Italian underground big band. Here we find Adriano Zanni (Punck), Matteo Uggeri (Hue), Luca Sigurtà, Luca Bergero (Fhievel), Davide Valecchi (Aal), Andrea Ferraris (Ics), Fabio Selvafiorita, Paolo Ippoliti (Logoplasm), Laura Lovreglio (Logoplasm) and Andrea Marutti (Amon, Never Known). If you have been paying attention in the last few years, you may recognize these names as Italy's finest in the fields of ambient, electronics, microsound, post guitar - well, anything but true noise. It's a bit unclear how the music was conceived - 'recorded all over Italy', it says on the cover - as the cover does also provide with some information but not as much to really know what went on. The music is excellent - a fine mixture of styles and interests from these guys. All the elements one would expect are there, the field recordings, drones, ambience, microscopic detailed sounds. Great stuff here.
Frans de Waard, Vital Weekly, March 2009

Meerkat is the name of a parallel project formed by some of the great artisans of current experimental electronic music (Luca Bergero, Matteo Uggeri, Luca Sigurtà, Andrea Ferraris, Andrea Marutti, Paolo Ippoliti, Laura Lovreglio, Fabio Selvafiorita, Adriano Zanni and Davide Valecchi). The concept of "Kapnos" is inspired by Maurizio Bianchi, Hue (Matteo Uggeri) and the greek researcher Spyros Abatielos. It's an allegorical term taken from the Greek terminology and means "smoke" something related to combustion, chemical reactions and living between air and fire. This concept resonates particularly well with the sound materials provided in this effort: the stylistic register destined for instrumental micromal-ambient sounds immediately conceal some mystical meaning conveyed through natural symbols. "Kapnos" features a vast array of field recordings, weird concrete noises, precarious improvisations, electronic treatments, trancey-inspired drone buzz and other absorbing loops. It can be understood as a musical hermetic allegory of the cosmos, a private contemplative experience about sounds and silence that precede our being (language) and which are consequently related to the harmony of the spheres. This is an atmospheric album in the most uncompromising sense of the term. Another dimension to micro-tonal spacious electronic music.
Philippe Blache, Prog Archives, April 2009

Terzo tassello della quadrilogia "Between the Elements" inziata con "Nefelodhis" (Maurizio Bianchi & Sparkle in Grey) ed "Erimos" (Bianchi, Hue e Fhievel), pubblicata contestualmente (BU#119). In "Kapnos" sette collaborazioni incrociate tra belle menti della sperimentazione elettronica nostrana, unificate sotto la ragione sociale di Meerkat che porge continuità e si legittima come progetto comune e non compilazione nel suo fluire compatto nelle sue complementari varietà, tra le attese ambientali di "One" (Ics/Hue), e "Two" (Logoplasm), il molleggiare cosmico di "Three" (Aal/Punck), la fissità dark ambient di "Five" (Fhievel/Luca Sigurtà), le ritrose rarefazioni di "Six" (Andrea Marutti/Hue). (7)
Paolo Bertoni, Blow Up, May 2009

Il decano della ricerca ambient-industrial Maurizio Bianchi funge da ispiratore al terzo capitolo di una quadrilogia dedicata agli spazi "tra gli elementi", avviata lo scorso anno coi CD "Nefelodhis" (MB con il gruppo Sparkle in Grey) ed "Erimos" (MB con Hue e Fhievel), mentre a coprodurre l'opera e spartire il lavoro nelle sette tracce sono alcune giovani leve della nostra scena sperimental-digitale: Ics, Hue, Logoplasm, Fabio Selvafiorita, Aal, Punck, Fhievel, Luca Sigurtà, Andrea Marutti, tutti impegnati sotto la sigla Meerkat a distillare affilati drones, glitch e microsuoni (come il crepitio del fuoco da cui il fumo, "kapnos" in greco, fotografato in copertina). Una sorta di "supergruppo" che si mantiene però entro le sobrie direttive dei precedenti capitoli della serie, forgiando in una suite coerente e unitaria movimenti che tendono verso un suono non consolatorio o vanamento criptico, bensì di spirituale e condivisa purezza. (7)
Vittore Baroni, Rumore, May 2009

Idealmente parte integrante di una quadrilogia sugli elementi, "Kapnos", che in lingua greca significa "fumo", è il terzo della serie e segue i CD "Nefelodhis", di Sparkle In Grey e Maurizio Bianchi, ed "Erimos", a nome MB, Hue e Fhievel. Meerkat è sostanzialmente un collettivo di musicisti formato da Adriano Zanni, Matteo Uggeri, Luca Sigurtà, Luca Bergero, Davide Valecchi, Andrea Ferraris, Fabio Selvafiorita, Paolo Ippoliti, Laura Lovreglio e Andrea Marutti (che oltre a rivestire il ruolo di musicista si occupa anche del mastering del disco). Maurizio Bianchi stavolta non è del giro, ma sue sono comunque le note di copertina, vero e proprio manifesto programmatico del contenuto del CD. I sette brani presenti in "Kapnos", concettualmente molto simili ed omogenei, sono sostanzialmente delle concise suite ambientali della lunghezza standardizzata di poco più di sei minuti, costruite su sovrapposizioni di drone, field recordings e manipolazioni elettroniche. A dispetto delle premesse devo dire che la fruizione del disco non si presenta affatto pesante, anzi, le melodie, benché lunghe, dilatate e minimali, sono spesso ben presenti. La scelta dei suoni da parte dei musicisti pare infatti prediligere frequenze calde e non invadenti, suoni granulari e rotondi, talvolta carichi di solennità, e raramente si sconfina verso qualcosa di più pesante, come nel caso di "Six", di Andrea Marutti e Hue, brano vicino per attitudine a certo dark ambient, forse il passaggio più inquietante e oscuro del progetto. Non avendo avuto modo di sentire "Nefelodhis" ed "Erimos", i capitoli precedenti della quadrilogia, non posso sbilanciarmi in confronti, anche se immagino che la sostanza sia la stessa, e neppure giudicare l'opera nel suo complesso, essendo stata pensata come una quadrilogia. Quello che posso dire è che di per sé "Kapnos" è un disco ambient particolarmente riuscito, capace di provocare un misto di sensazioni nella testa di chi ascolta, dalla narcosi, all'inquietudine, al rilassamento più completo. E se non per questi, per quali altri motivi si dovrebbe ascoltare ambient?
Danilo Corgnati, SodaPop, May 2009

Terzo volume di una quadrilogia sugli elementi naturali, "Kapnos" è sostanzialmente l'emanazione di un gruppo di musicisti che rappresenta al meglio la scena elettronica ed elettroacustica nazionale. In questo lavoro sono della partita Adriano Zanni, Matteo Uggeri, Luca Sigurtà, Luca Bergero, Davide Valecchi, Andrea Ferraris, Fabio Selvafiorita, Paolo Ippoliti, Laura Lovreglio e Andrea Marutti, mentre manca a questo giro Maurizio Bianchi, che pure era presente negli episodi precedenti, ma che qui firma comunque le note di copertina. Nelle parole del non musicista Milanese, molto della natura del disco: "..."Kapnos" adapts the primary condition of solid frequencies and liquid modulations, by improving details of ancient sonorities...". Ed è proprio sul cortocircuito tra suoni moderni e suggestioni antiche che si regge la musica di "Kapnos", costantemente sospesa in un limbo immacolato e a volte oscuro. Elettronica, passaggi ambientali, accenni di elettroacustica alla Ambiances Magnetiques convivono omogeneamente. Così si va dalle suggestioni isolazioniste della sesta traccia (a cura di Marutti e Hue) e della terza (di Aal e Punck), alle digressioni lustomordiane della quinta (di Fhievel e Luca Sigurtà), passando per i field recordings suggestivi della seconda (di Logoplasm). Il tutto senza scarti percettivi, come fosse un'opera unica. A me ha ricordato - per suggestioni e attitudine dei musicisti, più che per sonorità – alcuni lavori della scena elletronica italiana degli anni 70. La qualità dell'album è altalenante, e non potrebbe essere altrimenti, tuttavia vi sono perle di assoluta bellezza che rendono l'ascolto piacevole oltre che suggestivo.
Antonio Ciarletta, OndaRock, May 2009

Matteo Uggeri ha chiamato a raccolta alcuni dei musicisti più in vista del panorama elettronico sperimentale italiano. All'appello hanno risposto Andrea Marutti (Amon), Adriano Zanni (Punck), Luca Sigurtà (Harshcore), Luca Bergero (Fhievel), Davide Valecchi (Aal), Andrea Ferraris, Fabio Selvafiorita, Paolo Ippoliti e Laura Lovreglio (Logoplasm). Raggruppati in formazioni a due o a tre, i musicisti coinvolti nell'operazione hanno dato prova di saper dialogare senza problemi sul concetto di "fumo" seguendo le regole grammaticali scritte molti anni prima da Maurizio Bianchi, ispiratore insieme ad Uggeri dell'intero progetto. Immaginari post-industriali, folate di vento dark-ambient, field recordings e solipsismi isolazionisti si alternano in un flusso sonoro lungo quaranta minuti.
Roberto Mandolini, Rockerilla, June 2009

Dark ambient texture-works may be had from Meerkat, whose "Kapnos" is the third in a line of recent releases by the team of Maurizio Bianchi and Matteo Uggeri / Hue. One of them was about clouds, another was about a desert. Fans of Bianchi who prefer his altruistic and wispier side to the early cassette noise-releases of the 1980s may or may not be interested in investigating this release, although Bianchi himself doesn't actually appear on it; Meerkat are in fact ten Italians who claim they like to operate under a "cryptic name", and to prove it they provide three pages of biographies and a detailed discography by way of a press release. On "Kapnos", they play in various duo and trio pairings, and the results are very polished combinations of field recordings with highly treated electronic music, creating slow-moving but strangely immersive environments.
Ed Pinsent, The Sound Projector, June 2009

This is the third installment in a group of concept albums by Matteo Uggeri of Sparkle In Grey (and several other projects) and Maurizio Bianchi. Evidently, the concept ("kapnos" is the Greek word for "smoke"”) was formed by these two, but much of the musical heavy lifting was done by a collaboration by the "Meerkat Ensemble". According to the website "the Meerkat ensemble is formed by a group of musicians working in the field of experimental music, drones, microsounds and field recordings: Adriano Zanni / Punck, Matteo Uggeri / Hue, Luca Sigurtà, Luca Bergero / Fhievel, Davide Valecchi / Aal, Andrea Ferraris / Ics, Fabio Selvafiorita, Paolo Ippoliti (Logoplasm), Laura Lovreglio (Logoplasm) and Andrea Marutti / Amon / Never Known." Thus, we have an Italian supergroup of experimental musicians all under one banner. Of the ten, I was only previously familiar with Matteo Uggeri, Andrea Marutti, and Andrea Ferraris of Ur. With all of these artists working on the same thing, you would think that the result would be quite disjointed, especially since there are different artists working on each track. However, it is actually surprisingly coherent. Part of this likely comes from the sound of crackling fire that weaves its way through most of the tracks, keeping a sense of continuity. The tracks blend into each other, making it difficult to tell when one ends and the next begins. As for the music itself, it is subdued dark ambient that has just a touch of noisy elements that keep it engaging. Voices fade in and out, while synth drones lull you into a peaceful state. This gives way to a bit of dissonance, yet never really becomes troubling. This is really accessible experimental music – something that just about anyone could enjoy. It doesn't demand a lot from the listener, but it is a very enjoyable listen. This album weighs in at 40:47.
Eskaton, Chain D.L.K., June 2009

Meerkat is a loose confederation of young Italian experimental musicians and sound artists. On "Kapnos", the third release in a proposed quadrilogy, the group, which has ten members (give or take), never play as a single unit. Instead each of the album's seven pieces features a different subset of the larger ensemble. In spite of this, the pieces are very much cut from the same cloth, with each composed of similar basic ingredients: field recordings, guitar drones, the occasional synthesizer, and lots of subtle electronics. The title "Kapnos" is the Greek word for smoke and, appropriately, the music drifts and swirls in kind. It's a lovely, meditative record, but with enough rough elements (mostly courtesy of some glorious location recordings) to give it a bit of an edge and keep things interesting. Very nice indeed.
Susanna Bolle, Rare Frequency, June 2009

Meerkat, ein Zusammenschluss junger italienischer Experimentalkünstler, der eine Tetralogie bzw. Quadrilogie mit dem Titel "Between the Elements" veröffentlicht, wovon mit "Kapnos" der dritte Teil über Afe Records, Grey Sparkle, Nighthawks Tapes and Ctrl+Alt+Canc das Licht der Welt erblickte, offenbart eine Klangkunst, welche eine futuristische Melange aus den Stilen Drone, Feldaufnahmen und Noise transportiert, die garantiert unterschiedlichste Meinungen (darüber) produziert, aber Geräuschfetischisten ein Highlight bietet. Zum besseren Einblick in das Projekt Meerkat, hier die Auflistung aller daran beteiligter Akteure: Matteo Uggeri (Hue), Luca Bergero (Fhievel), Andrea Ferraris (Ics), Andrea Marutti (Afe Records, Amon, Never Known), Adriano Zanni (Punck), Fabio Selvafiorita, Laura Lovreglio and Paolo Ippoliti (Logoplasm), Luga Sigurtà and Davide Valecchi (Aal). Mit Meerkat (Erdmännchen) suchten sich die Italiener einen sehr passenden wie originellen Namen aus, da sie ebenfalls in zahlreicher Mannschaftsstärke auftreten. Inhaltlich greift die "Heerschar" auf dem Schwesteralbum von "Pagetos" den Begriff "Kapnos" auf, der im Griechischen Rauch bedeutet, welcher verschiedenste toxische Partikel in Umlauf bringt, welche zum Tod führen können. Musikalisch präsentieren die Protagonisten 7 Tondokumente auf "Kapnos", die eine meditative Mischung aus Gitarrendrones, Feldaufnahmen/ Percussion & leichtem Noise offenbaren, welche in keiner Sekunde aufwühlt, sondern wie Rauch umgibt. Voller Leichtigkeit transportieren die Klanglandschaften die Thematik des Werkes, wodurch die geneigte Rezipientenschaft während des kompletten Hördurchgangs das Gefühl beschleicht, als würde sie in aufsteigenden Dämpfen bzw. Gasen stehen – Wahnsinn. Die zur Akzentuierung verwendeten Sprachsamples & Geräusche wie Percussion verleihen den einzelnen unbetitelten Tracks ihre persönlichen Noten, welche den Wiedererkennungswert der Publikation enorm steigern. Wer künstlerische Eigenständigkeit wünscht, sollte die Dame und Herren aus Italien antesten, welche sich gerade durch die Vermengung von Drones mit Feldaufnahmen von vielen anderen Interpreten absetzen. "Kapnos" dürfte für Freunde extravaganter Töne mit Stringenz wie Strukturen ein einziger Anspieltipp sein, weshalb eine explizite Nennung entfällt. Nachtrag: Meerkat ist eine Initiative von Maurizio Bianchi und Matteo Uggeri (Hue), welche sie 2006 ins Leben riefen, die sich zu einem richtigen Ensemble entwickelte und aufgrund der hohen Dichte von guten wie bekannten Musikern (im Untergrund) für Aufsehen sorgt. Meerkat legen mit "Kapnos" ein Opus auf, welches durch inhaltliche wie musikalische Geschlossenheit besticht und vornehmlich Individuen anspricht, die sich für meditative Drones mit experimentellem Charakter interessieren – meine absolute Empfehlung!
Raphael Feldmann, Kultur Terrorismus, July 2009

I'm slightly confused as to the "what" of this CD. The "who" is plainly marked - I'm not going to list them here as there're ten of the blighters - and consist of several who have passed through Wonderful Wooden Reasons before alongside several who haven't. Where my confusion lies is that the insert gives details on each individual track and all are duo pieces with the exception of one trio. So, it's not a "group" as such so I'm going to think of them as a "collective". The more I listen the more apt this word becomes as there is a real feeling of communality here. No one track or pairing stands out above the rest. There is no unnecessary showboating or "Look at me!" declarations. Which equally, dependant on mood, could be construed as lack of ambition and a surrender to uniformity but today I don't feel that. Each piece flows so seamlessly into the next that it is almost impossible to track the changes. For the most part "Kapnos" consists of slow burn ambient drone pieces given extra depth through the addition of field recordings (lots of recordings of fire). There are a couple of tracks made entirely from played sounds which serve to add further scope to the album. The end result is a very earthy form of darkly psychedelic ambience that whilst being maybe a little homogeneous is certainly a rewarding listen.
Ian Holloway, Wonderful Wooden Reasons, July 2009

It's been almost a full century since the Italian Futurist (and painter/composer) Luigi Russolo wrote his manifesto, The Art of Noises, and yet his notion of creating music from non-pitched sound still inspires controversy. Russolo seems prescient in predicting much of the future of electronic music, particularly the freedom created by tape and later digital manipulation. Despite the trend in the avant-garde, however, the palate of the masses still finds it difficult to appreciate the art of noise. Edgar Varèse famously stated that any "organized sound" constitutes dismantling the distinction between noise and music. Partially inspired by these earlier formulations, during the post-war years, the French radio-engineer Pierre Schaeffer conducted the earliest tape manipulations and coined the term musique concrète to describe his results, a composition made entirely out of non-musical recordings. Later producers, particularly in jazz and electronic music, took these notions seriously, and these Italians represent some of the most sophisticated practitioners of the concept today. The antics of Meerkat still have the power to startle. The third disc in the "Between the Element" quadrilogy envisioned by Italian sound artists Matteo Uggeri (Hue, Sparkle in Grey), and Maurizio Bianchi (MB), "Kapnos" brings together ten of the leading Italian artists working in electronic sound design today. Hue may already be a familiar name, having contributed to the past two volumes in the series, as well as Luca Bergero (Fhievel), who contributed to the first volume. The other artists bring a variety of skills to the mixing-table, coming from various projects with different focuses. An Italian super-group (in the most niche way imaginable) making bizarre musique concrète (or should it be musica concreta?) may not sound like much, but to enthusiasts, "Kapnos" is a treat. These artists mold noise into a form of raw beauty. It's not musical, at least not in the conventional sense, but is an art of noise, an ambient music in the most literal sense. On "Kapnos", certain elements or motifs are repeated throughout, granting a cohesion despite the fact that virtually no track on the album shares members with any other. Sometimes, expected samples are identified; crackling fire, a flame raging, but mostly it is in the process of creation that the spirit of "Kapnos" is realized. One artist may create a landscape of guitar and electronics, the material so to speak, while the collaborator will treat them, modulating and affecting, weaving in field recordings, until it is set ablaze, the result being the smoke, difficult to grasp and quickly vanishing. The tracks of "Kapnos" present a surprising homogeneity in spite of the different attitudes of the artists, creating new unforeseen connections, working in pairs or in threesome per each track. They are without title, simply numbered "One" through "Seven", which limits our ability to provide interpretation. I suspect this was done to increase the ephemeral quality, refusing to allow meaning to be grasped. One's instinct is to try to identify the source of the sound they perceive. Schaeffer addressed this very urge in his essay "Acousmatics," arguing that sound has become disembodied in the age of recorded music. One needn't separate the subjective and objective, our perception and the source, but instead we should just relate to the sound as it is being experienced. Meerkat sometimes use pitched sound and often use white noise or unpitched sound. Rather than organize their compositions traditionally, by meter, rhythm, melody and so on, they use ambient techniques, creating layers, controlling durations and resonance, and mapping out a less familiar architecture. It is futile to sit and listen, trying to imagine how these sounds were created, but rather inhale the frequencies and discover a new atmosphere without preconceptions of their creation. "Between the Elements" implies a hybridization. A cloud is a mix of air and water, a desert a mix of earth and fire, and smoke of fire and air. Whereas "Nefelodhis" swirled and "Erimos" took pleasure in its bareness, "Kapnos" simply resists. Neither of the prior releases in the series embodied their concept in a predictable realization, and neither does this latest installment. Clichés and literal-minded mimesis would be too easily dismissed, so rather the compositions themselves seem as insubstantial and temporary as smoke, falling in between the solid closedness of earth and the destructive openness of fire. Its sister album "Pagetos" (or morning frost) will be out next year, completing the project. "Kapnos" is ethereal, opaque yet also purifying and I look forward to experiencing the mirror version next year.
Joseph Sannicadro, The Silent Ballet, July 2009

Не просто группа, а целое объединение деятелей итальянского пост-индустриального андеграунда, "Meerkat" представляет свой третий альбом, предпоследнюю часть анонсированной квадрологии "Between the Elements". Под этим названием собрались участники групп "Grey Sparkle", "Sparkle in Grey", "Amon/Never Known", "Punck", "Hue", "Logoplasm", они же в массе своей владельцы тех лейблов, которые приняли участие в издании этого релиза – а объединил их всех Matteo Uggeri, молодой и активный композитор, задумавший эту серию. На предыдущих двух дисках активную роль сыграл Maurizio Bianchi, в данном случае ограничившийся лишь небольшим комментарием на обложке. Слово "Kapnos" с греческого переводится как "дым", дым порождается огнем, огонь, в свою очередь, является источником звуков для этого альбома. Здесь постоянно что-то горит, трещит и плавится, пробуждая генетическую память о кострах в ночи, возле которых грелись наши предки. Мир современный противопоставлен этим архаичным воспоминаниям множеством различных звуков окружающего мира – полевые записи пестрят голосами людей и пением птиц, уличными сигналами и порывами ветра, раздувающего огонь (четвертый эпизод альбома). И, разумеется, все участники проекта привнесли в запись что-то свое – протяжные дроновые медитации (шестая часть, украшенная типичными приемами Андреа Марутти), абстрактные перемещения (эпизод три), электроакустические эксперименты, трансформации гитарного саунда, наплывы шумов и сюрреализм дымовых пейзажей, поднимающихся над горящим костром. Удивительно одно – как столько людей, имеющих свой особенный взгляд на создание музыки, записали такой ровный и целостный альбом. Здесь нет "перекосов", никто не тянет одеяло на себя, все сбалансировано и ровно. Один из альбомов, способных дать впечатление о музыкальной сцене целой страны – все характерные приемы, которые в ходу у итальянских исполнителей эмбиента и индастриала, представлены здесь в полной мере и в полную силу.
Sergey Oreshkin, Radiodrone, August 2009

A collective project involving several of the principal Italian operators in the area of post-dark-ambient-cum-natural-elements, a bandwagon that in this particular country has meant shelter for practically anybody who wakes up one morning thinking "If Vidna Obmana, Lustmord, Köner, Roach... put your additional hundred names here... can become famous with something like this, why not me?". The participants in "Kapnos" (Greek for "smoke") are Luca Bergero, Andrea Ferraris, Paolo Ippoliti, Laura Lovreglio, Andrea Marutti, Fabio Selvafiorita, Luca Sigurtà, Matteo Uggeri, Davide Valecchi and Adriano Zanni. I'll gladly do without the semi-cryptic monikers, also a commonplace of sorts in this macrocosm: perhaps there's a law preventing individuals from releasing droning material and signing it with their real name. To end with the list of negatives, the field recordings - although generally well realized and expertly positioned in the mix - mostly belong to the worn-out sphere. Is there someone, somewhere, who has NOT taped a rainstorm or sheer gurgling water yet? (*) Is it still necessary to camouflage chatting people (among them, ironically, a Roman-accented fellow who talks of Glenn Branca: not bad for a potentially meditative piece) amidst cavernous rumbles and sublunary humming? It all smells so "Pink Floyd circa 1973", not making much sense today. Having said that, at least three tracks in this disc are very good, helping to place it in the upper half of the regional average. And the winners are... "One", "Six" and "Seven" (with "Five" almost at the same level). Honourable mention to Andrea Ferraris' guitar and electronics, the latter supposedly at the core of the profoundly beautiful resonance heard throughout "Seven". In a nutshell, this reviewer loves the quality of the drones significantly more than the environmental banality. And since I'm a nice guy, comments about MB's "explanatory" sleeve notes will be spared. (*) STOP PRESS: In this last CD, the answer is a "half-yes". There's indeed water, but no rainstorms: I mistook the deep breathing of wind over fire for distant thunders (sorry, Fabio, and thanks to Matteo for the heads-up). I'll keep the rant for a next meteorological turbulence, which will surely come sooner than later...
Massimo Ricci, Temporary Fault, August 2009

...Bianchi si fa da parte per il terzo capitolo che vede Hue e Fhievel confluire in un collettivo chiamato Meerkat. In realtà più che di un collettivo si tratta di un "mercato" al cui interno sono possibili vari assembramenti e interscambi. Il titolo ("Kapnos" vuol dire fumo) rappresenta ancora una stazione bastarda, quella che dal fuoco convoglia all'aria e, visto l'argomento "scottante", la divisione in più tracce per un risultato complessivo più secco e corporeo appare pienamente azzeccata. Atmosfere più nervose e claustrofobiche, quindi, ottenute da alcune realtà ormai consolidate quali Logoplasm ("Two") e il duo Fhievel / Sigurtà ("Five") o comunque non proprio di primo pelo quali i tandem Marutti - Hue ("Six") e Aal - Punck ("Three"). Ma, nonostante i singoli pezzi portino impresso il dna dei loro autori, l'impressione finale è comunque quella del progetto collettivo, unico e indivisibile (e molto più coerente di questi miei disordinati appunti). Non si tratta quindi di un "assembramento" caotico, ma di un mercato nel quale non v'è disequilibrio in geometrie e colori, come se fosse disegnato da un unico pittore o progettato da un unico architetto. Segno che tutti i protagonisti avevano ben chiare le finalità del progetto, vi hanno aderito e lo hanno sviluppato in miracolosa sintonia. E, infine, va anche detto che questo piccolo "mercato" pare essere oggi il più accreditato erede di quella grande fiera che fu "Superfici Sonore". Attendiamo adesso il quarto ed ultimo episodio della serie (che dovrebbe intitolarsi "Pagetos") con l'auspicio che i protagonisti possano concludere quest'avventura senza nessuna caduta di tono.
Etero Genio, Sound and Silence, September 2009

La tetralogia "tra gli elementi" avviata lo scorso anno con l'opera ispirata alle nuvole, "Nefelodhis" (cfr. Fuori dal Mucchio di Giugno 2008), trova oggi il suo terzo complemento in "Kapnos", un album dedicato al fumo quale prodigioso effetto della combustione. Forza motrice di questo progetto a lungo termine sono Matteo Uggeri (già anima degli Sparkle In Grey) e Maurizio Bianchi, profeta italiano del suono industriale; quest'ultimo tuttavia non prende parte fattivamente all'assemblaggio del nuovo CD, lasciando campo libero ad una squadra di dieci agguerriti ricercatori sonori, riuniti sotto il nome di Meerkat. Nei circa quaranta minuti di pura sperimentazione, l'ensemble mette a frutto le intuizioni e le differenti strategie operative di ciascun membro, in un equilibrio espressivo di grande efficacia. Suoni, campionamenti e registrazioni ambientali s'intrecciano cauti e soavi in un percorso senza soluzione di continuità che - proprio come il fumo – si presenta a tratti inebriante e impalpabile, a volte soffocante, altre ancora irritante o addirittura nocivo. Per ovvi motivi l'opera non è consigliata a un pubblico poco avvezzo alla sperimentazione estrema; peraltro neppure i fautori delle manifestazioni più aggressive ed esasperate della ricerca rumorista troverebbero in queste tracce piena soddisfazione.
Fabio Massimo Arati, Il Mucchio Selvaggio, September 2009

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, Filth Forge, November 2009

What would you get if you combined ten of Italy's most influential electronic musicians and put them under the care of Maurizio Bianchi? Well you would get Meerkat. This is their third release in the "Between the Elements" quadrilogy. The first two being "Nefelodhis" (Clouds) and "Erimos" (desert). Songs are composed in groups of two or three, melding the ensemble together. And just who is in there? We have Adriano Zanni, Matteo Uggeri, Luca Sigurta, Luca Bergero, Davide Valecchi, Andrea Ferraris, Fabio Selvafiorita, Paolo Ippoliti, Laura Lovreglio and Andrea Marruti. Built on the theme of smoke (Kapnos), the tunes within mix solid frequencies with liquid sounds. With a flock of people involved the thought would be that the music they create would be incohesive and scattered. Not so with Meerkat, the basic theme mentioned above is held through-out the CD. Keeping that in mind, all the tracks included have recordings of fire (crackling, smoldering, etc...) within each song giving continuity to the CD. Starting with "One", the recordings of fire disappear into a whirlpool of sounds. Pitches are elevated, tones swirl and rush. The crackling and popping of fire in interspersed with static and ambient sounds of water. "Two" has a droning ambient of wind and fire burning. Recordings of conversations overlap giving it a confused sound. "Three" has a psychedelic keyboard played delicately, lending itself to illustrate the sight of smoke wafting gently into the air. A simple piece, yes, but the imagery it imparts is magical and mysterious. "Four" features a bass line droning along with the above mentioned field recordings, this flows directly into "Five", the pitches gradually get louder giving us the feeling we are standing still as humanity speeds by us. In "Six" sounds scrape and move around us. The sound of fire is heard faintly underneath the scraping effects, presenting us with a truly eerie setting. "Seven" has a subtle gentle hum, ambient in its presentation. Pitches drone into a chiming rhythm. Static and guitars break the calm, but never divert the serene atmosphere. As a total concept, the sounds and aura's created stay true to the theme. With this much talent it would be hard not to. Each track is competently played, the compounds and effects of the subject (smoke), are heard in a subtle way. While the subject could have been heavy handed, here it is dealt with in a mystical and almost spiritual inclination. The members keep their continuity in the theme and each other without sacrificing any musical integrity.
Viktorya, Heathen Harvest, January 2010

Meerkat is an Italian collective of ten experimental sound artists. After creating two albums which dealt with the concepts 'clouds' and 'desert', they continue the series with "Kapnos", the greek word for 'smoke'. The album consists of seven ambient pieces most of which clock in well over six minutes and even then the tracks blend into each other seamlessly. Despite the fact that such a large variety of artists worked on the album there is a really amazing flow, probably because of the frequent use of field recordings and drones. While listening to the tracks my mind gently wanders off to the early days of electronic music. Found sounds recorded on quarter inch tape, meticulously edited and processed forming a soundscape that refers to both the familiar and the abstract. The recordings have a beautiful clarity and sonic detail which helps to suck the listener into an alternate world of late night campfires with crispy flames and developing smoke. A recording of kitchen sounds and a gas stove sets the first track in motion. Soon more synthetic ambiences join in to create a dreamy atmosphere combined with boiling fluids. All of the sounds are mixed really well with an amazing feel for stereo positioning and depth. The ebb and flow of the soundscapes work quite well and before I realize it I'm already halfway through the album. A great variety of sounds enter and leave without abandoning the mood and tone the opening track introduced. With "Kapnos", Meerkat have produced a really high quality ambient album that keeps growing on repeated listens.
Tijs Ham, Connexion Bizarre, March 2010

Unter dem Banner Meerkat haben sich mit Adriano Zanni/Punck, Matteo Uggeri/Hue, Luca Sigurtà (Harshcore), Luca Bergero/Fhievel, Davide Valecchi/Aal, Andrea Ferraris, Fabio Selvafiorita, Paolo Ippoliti (Logoplasm), Laura Lovreglio (Logoplasm) und Andrea Marutti/Amon zehn der umtriebigsten Köpfe der italienischen Drone-Microsound-Experimentalmusik-Szene zusammengefunden. Aus Field Recordings und synthetisch generierten Sounds baut das Kollektiv flirrende Ambienzen auf, die sich bereits nach kurzer Zeit dermaßen in die Geräuschkulisse des Alltags einebenen, dass sie nicht mehr als Externität wahrgenommen werden. Mehr Atmo-Kollage als Drone. Brutal minimalistisch, aber derart arrangiert, dass es über die Gesamtdauer von 40 Minuten spannend bleibt.
Konstantin Hanke, Creative Eclipse, March 2010

"Kapnos" (Greek for "Smoke") is an experimental/ambient compilation. This disc is the fourth part in a series called "Between the Elements" which sees Italian sound/ambient artists tattle music that's themed around different elements/environments - other volumes in the series include "Cloud" and "Desert". The list of artists involved with the project is pretty long and includes the following: Luca Bergero, Andrea Ferraris, Paolo Ippoliti, Laura Lovreglio, Andrea Marutti, Fabio Selvafiorita, Luca Sigurtà, Matteo Uggeri, Davide Valecchi and Adriano Zanni. Each of the seven tracks is composed by at least two artists, using various means of sound manipulation and production. The entire work could be easily filed under ambient, but a closer examination would reveal, of course, the vast differences between each track. Microsounds, field recordings and drones are just a part of the many approaches that appear here, and like smoke, these artists produce elusive music that's almost incorporeal, rejecting definition and labels. Smoke can happen and occur in many different ways, and this album sees the artists attempting to emulate this in sonic form. Low flames and the sparkling sounds of ignitions are blending with ethereal layers of music that make the transition between the tracks so smooth that the entire album seems like one long fuming track. Some parts of the album, like track "One" and track "Three", sound more disturbing and even haunting; "One" holds sound developments that can be mistaken to some sort of an eerie choir, while "Three" develops high pitched whistling drones that are almost nerve breaking. Other parts of "Kapnos", like track "Five", are gentler, letting the listener admire their composition and overall beauty. Besides being a remarkable compilation of sound artists from Italy, "Kapnos" is an interesting and rewarding experience. Not only is this one of the few themed compilation albums that really stays loyal to its given subject, but also the entire album works really well as a whole, even though different artists are composing it. Highly recommended.
Oren Ben-Yosef, Musique Machine, September 2010