The first thing one notices is the fabulist artwork of Flavio Parrino (1916-1994). The cover image implies a Victorian summer at the sea: families walking along a calm shore, encountering an inventor and a strange contraption, the man perhaps remarking to the woman about the wonder of it all.

This sense of discovery permeates the entire production, from the shifting visual deceptions of the video to the puzzle that accompanies the deluxe edition (hint: save the blue for last). It's an exquisite feeling to "earn" the final three pieces of The Sea Puzzle, needing to flip the completed work to find the download code. The music, performed by Enrico Coniglio and Matteo Uggeri with the contributions of nine others, is similarly intriguing.

The album itself is like a puzzle. Just as one tends to fill in the edges first, the opening lyric ("Open to the sea") dangles in the air until the closing track, where it finds consummation. But what lies between the edges of a day, of a life, of a suite? What colors, contraptions and communications decorate the interior? From sparkling static to siren moans to "stolen cello", the album fills in piece by piece, like the beach at high tide. Snatches of conversation drift from a distant telephone. Trumpet and trombone offer languid commentary. On "Up Over the Harbour Lights", Coniglio's piano reverberates like a buried memory of some other lost summer, love lost to the sands of time, sea glass swept from the hand, reclaimed by the surf. There's a bittersweet tone to this sea, a mingling of salt and tears. A keyboard issues a calliope sound on "I Am The Sea", and one feels the longing, the drift.

The digital EP is a sweet bonus, beginning with "Never Too Early for Christmas Decorations – Pt.2". ("Pt. 1" can be found on the 2017 Dronarivm New Year compilation Illuminations.) When one hears the chimes, one begins to think of Santa, but only because of the title. As the piece gently folds into the next, soothing female vocals return us to the sea once more. The softest parts of the song return us to the couple, arms draped around each other as they walk. The percussion imitates the waves as they crash, the struggles overcome in order to land on a blissful shore. This is where we want to spend the rest of our summer. Christmas can wait, but love can not. As the clacking of horses' hooves is joined by cello in the closing piece, one imagines a return to an ordinary life that no longer seems mundane, thanks to the rich experience of the shore.

https://acloserlisten.com/2017/08/05/enrico-coniglio-matteo-uggeri-open-to-the-sea/

Enrico Coniglio & Matteo Uggeri celebrate the majesty of unwieldly worlds with the spacious “Open To The Sea”. Utilizing avant-garde techniques alongside elements of folk, classical, and drone the way the songs pass makes them feel alive. Highly detailed the songs are fully immersive, with each song representing yet another chapter in a life. A poetic quality dominates the album, the way the sound ebbs and flows akin to waves. Such a loose design, the songs teem with incredible energy. Instrumentally rich, the duo lets a wide variety of emotional moods inform the sound.

Eerie breathy vocals introduce the title track “Open To The Sea”. With a dusty, ancient approach to the sound the way the song unfurls reveals vibrant layers. Post-rock elements float into the airy summery spirit of “Up Over The Harbours Lights”. Various pings come into play on the giddy textures of “I Am The Sea”. Hushed whispers sweep over the surreal scope of “Floating Metal Sheets”. Hard to pin down is the disoriented wave of “Dutch Street Theatre”. Quite serene is the no wave inflected jazz rock of “Now I’m Silent” whose noir-like style has considerable flair. Small rumbles emerge out of the experimental lullaby of “Allarme”. Ending the album off on a high note is the meditative “I Say I May Be Back”.

“Open To The Sea” goes for something truly beautiful, a vibrant colorful album that draws the listener in and displays the uncanny knack for pacing of Enrico Coniglio & Matteo Uggeri.

http://www.beachsloth.com/enrico-coniglio-matteo-uggeri-open-to-the-sea.html

Andrea Piran, Chain DLK

This collaboration between Enrico Coniglio and Matteo Uggeri conducted by e-mail as stated in the liner notes of this release is the result of two complementary forces behind the development of the track. One is the construction of soundscapes based on field recording and samples whose structure is delineated by the beats, the other is the development of melody using acoustic instruments mostly guitar, piano and trumpet. The result is neither abstruse as some experimental music neither trivial as certain pop music.
When "Open To The Sea" starts, there's a sort of displacement happening as, while someone could expect an experimental release, the structure of the track is rooted in the song structure even if in a really oblique way. "Jessaias de reduire mes medicaments" is a delicate sound watercolor introduced by a radio voice. Introduced by some guitar chords, "Up Over The Harbours Lights" is developed upon a piano melody with a beat giving an element of easy listening to an overall structure of evocative romanticism. The voice of Violeta Paivankakkara in "I Am The Sea" marks the start of the first proper song of this album developed with remarkable refinement while "Floating Metal Sheets" is a return of more unstructured form. The soundscape of "Dutch Street Theatre" is an accompaniment for the voice of John Guilor. After a quiet introduction "Now I'm Silent" evolves in a divertissement for guitar and trumpet. "Allarme" is based on the precarious equilibrium between the concrète background and the acoustic foreground. "I Say I May Be Back" closes this release with a proper lied constructed around the voice of Francesca Amato.
Almost impressive in some sonic details (the field recording requires headphones to be fully appreciated in their relationship with the other sound elements), this release in his balance between traditional forms and experimental aims is perhaps one of the album of the year. Excellent.

http://www.chaindlk.com/reviews/?id=10024

Philippe Blache, Igloo Mag

Matteo Uggeri is one busy man and extremely prolific sound artist, no matter if it is under his own name, in collaboration, under the moniker of Barnacles or with his chamber experimental rock ensemble Sparkle in Grey. This new collaborative work features the presence of Enrico Coniglio for a beautifully creative, dreamily evocative and inspiring album welcomed by the Moscow based label Dronarivm (responsible of many soundtracky droning modern classical music artifacts from Anne Chris Bakker, Dag Rosenqvist, Celer et al). Enrico Coniglio is one guitarist and sound sculptor who has published a handful of colorful minimal ambient releases for Silentes and Psychonavigation. The alliance between the two creative minds is really harmonious and all soundscapes are beautifully designed, spontaneous and immediately catchy. The enigmatic, retro-ish and dada-esque drawing (from Flavio Parrino) used for the visual artwork perfectly illustrates the electronic onirism / poetical weirdness of the music.

The musical ambience introduces the listener in an enchanting world of acoustic sounds punctuated by discreet electronic scintillations and free-form improvs. Detached piano chords interact with minimal jazzy atmospheric touches, ethereal vocals, narratives, punchy electro grooves, sonic aleatoric experimentation and bizarre guitar tricks. The music navigates with pleasure between effective, cinematic then emotional ambient minimalism (with a sense of decay and melancholy) and complex instrumental orchestrations (thanks to the presence of numerous guest artists). This hybrid of styles is somewhere between Jean Cohen Solal, Loren Connors, The Kilimanjaro darkjazz ensemble, Lech Jankowski and Sparkle in Grey.

One original, introspective, fairy-like and curious album that will ravish fans of challenging, unconventional, post-classical and experimental music.

http://igloomag.com/reviews/enrico-coniglio-matteo-uggeri-open-to-the-sea-dronarivm

Aile-Norton Lanti Viruce, IRM

N’y allons pas par quatre chemins. Open To The Sea est l’un des disques essentiels de ce cru 2017 en matière d’ambient hédoniste. Le mérite en revient évidemment à ses deux auteurs, Enrico Coniglio et Matteo Uggeri, mais également à l’incontournable label Dronarivm pour avoir rendu cette collaboration accessible aux initiés.

Clairement, Open To The Sea n’est pas assez consensuel pour s’attirer les faveurs du grand public. Certes, de manière quasi-permanente apparaît un piano dont les accords espacés et évanescents contribuent à ce rythme lent qui ne rend l’ensemble que plus mystique. Mais il n’y a pas de chaloupe dans les enchaînements, pas plus que d’apparition d’arrangements de cordes qui n’auraient d’autre objectif que de décrocher des larmes fantaisistes chez l’auditeur.

De la même manière, les apparitions vocales féminines, à l’instar de celle qui voit Violeta Paivankakkara émerger contre vents et marées - ou plutôt contre trompette et batterie - sur I Am The Sea, ne jouent pas la carte de la sensualité. Le charme opère pourtant, mais il touche l’auditeur comme le font ces esprits discrets qui ne sont pas tout à fait conscients de leur inestimable valeur et qui ont alors tendance à se dévaloriser.

Open To The Sea est-il le disque de deux génies qui s’ignorent ? De deux artistes qui manquent de confiance en eux ? Ou tout simplement de personnes humbles ? La vérité contient probablement un soupçon de chacune de ces hypothèses. Toujours est-il que les Italiens ont accouché de ce disque suite à un long échange de mails qui leur a permis de définir la couleur de cet enregistrement.

Celle-ci est assurément claire. Parfois même transparente à défaut d’être anecdotique. Légères, les nappes analogiques et synthétiques se superposent et flottent dans l’air, défiant le temps qu’elles suspendent sans rougir. Membre de la formation de post-rock électronique Sparkle In Grey ou en duo avec Icci au sein du projet Der Einzige, le batteur-trompettiste Matteo Uggeri épouse le savoir-faire électronique d’Enrico Coniglio pour ce qui constitue leur première collaboration.

Open To The Sea s’ouvre surtout sur le cœur de l’auditeur. Elle ne le frappe pas, mais le caresse. Elle se dirige en tout cas directement vers lui en multipliant les approches, allant du jazz-ambient industriel sur un Floating Metal Sheets dominé par trompettes et trombone au minimalisme tourmenté par les violons de Dutch Street Theatre en passant par les drones néoclassiques hantés par des field recordings vocaux du brillant Jessaias De Reduire Mes Medicaments dont l’orthographe du titre constitue finalement la seule approximation de cet enregistrement essentiel.

http://www.indierockmag.com/article29362.html

M Music

A través del imprescindible sello Dronarivm me llega este "Open To The Sea" de los italianos Enrico Coniglio y Matteo Uggeri publicado en una edición absolutamente deliciosa el pasado 7 de Julio. Sobre todo la edición especial con puzzle y la descarga digital del EP "The Sea Puzzle". Una presentación fantástica, como todas las de este sello...

El disco surge de la colaboración vía e-mail de lo dos artistas italianos. Las melodías minimalistas al piano, órgano y guitarra de Coniglio se unen a las trompetas y percusión de Uggeri. Y el resultado es un minimalismo mágico, con aires electrónicos sutiles, brillantes. Composiciones íntimas, aderezadas con delicadas voces entre las que se encuentra la del actor británico John Guilor, que enriquecen los matices y hacen casi infinitos los colores musicales del disco.

"Open To The Sea" es un trabajo delicioso, extraordinariamente presentado. Y la colaboración de los italianos Enrico Coniglio y Matteo Uggeri no podía ser más inspirada. Un trabajo sensacional.

http://www.mmusic.es/2017/07/enrico-coniglio-and-matteo-uggeri-open.html

Michele Palozzo, Ondarock

Pur conoscendo la curiosità musicale e la profonda sensibilità di Enrico Coniglio e Matteo Uggeri, io stesso mi sono stupito di ciò che hanno voluto realizzare in questo nuovo progetto per l’etichetta Dronarivm. Entrambi grosso modo afferenti all’ambito sperimentale e alla sound art – l’uno più specificamente nel field recording, l’altro in vari progetti di matrice dark – con il loro primo album in collaborazione decidono di assecondare un’ispirazione più melodica, pur senza rinunciare alla cura del dettaglio e muovendosi liberamente tra le stanze della loro immaginazione.

“Open To The Sea” è un percorso narrativo disseminato di elementi astratti e familiari al tempo stesso: a fianco delle note dominanti di chitarra e pianoforte, reminiscenti del post-rock acustico dei Rachel’s e del folk da cameretta dei Padang Food Tigers, compaiono man mano brevi estratti strumentali e sample di voci recitanti ricontestualizzate, come oggetti sonori recuperati da una soffitta e rimessi a nuovo. Le atmosfere essenziali e la preminenza di suoni “tangibili” simulano un’esperienza simile alla dormiveglia, una realtà appena alterata dove anche le suggestioni verbali sono soltanto frammenti perduti nel tempo e attinti per caso dalla memoria subcosciente.

Se gran parte delle tessiture si dipana per mano dei due autori, molti altri contributi (diretti o “catturati”) provengono da amici artisti italiani e internazionali quali Giulio Aldinucci, Francesca Stella Riva (Satan Is My Brother), Fabio Ricci (vonneumann), Franz Krostopovic (con Uggeri negli Sparkle In Grey) e Violeta Päivänkakkara; una varietà di timbri e di stili che conferisce all’opera un carattere corale, benché il merito della sapiente giustapposizione vada riconosciuto ai firmatari e, in seconda battuta, alla comprovata qualità del mastering di James Plotkin.

Ancor più che un album – nell’accezione nostalgica di collettore d’immagini – quello di Coniglio e Uggeri diviene uno spazio d’ascolto in cui abitare confortevolmente, uno state of mind delicato come le geometrie elementari del dipinto in copertina di Flavio Parrino, una sorta di Luigi Serafini non ancora avvezzo alle strampalerie dell’indecifrabile Codex.

http://www.ondarock.it/recensioni/2017-conigliouggeri-opentothesea.htm

Raffaello Russo, Music Won't Save You - *disco della settimana dal 10 al 16 luglio 2017

Chi segue le ormai durature attività creative di Enrico Coniglio e di Matteo Uggeri ne conosce l’approccio al comune campo del soundscaping ambientale, tanto che vederli lavorare a un progetto artistico condiviso potrebbe indurre a immaginare quest’ultimo collocato proprio in quell’orizzonte espressivo. Vi è tuttavia un altro significativo denominatore proprio delle personalità di entrambi gli artisti, ovvero l’eterogeneità dei contesti nei quali si sono trovati a operare nel corso degli anni, che abbracciano folk ed elettronica, melodie e dissonanze, paesaggi elettro-acustici e tenebrosi abissi dronici.

Sulla base di tali premesse, il loro dialogo a distanza che ha portato alla realizzazione di “Open To The Sea” non poteva che essere estremamente articolato e, appunto, aperto a una vasta varietà di spunti sonori, stilistici e persino concettuali. Le nove tracce del lavoro rappresentano infatti una significativa ridefinizione delle coordinate espressive di un paesaggismo ambientale e “culturale”, applicato non alla manipolazione dei suoni concreti bensì alla costruzione di un microcosmo auditivo nel quale trova pieno diritto di cittadinanza una prevalente strumentazione cameristica in miniatura, nonché la melodia, incarnata anche dall’elemento vocale.

Non che lungo l’intero corso di “Open To The Sea” manchino samples e field recordings, ma il cuore della collaborazione tra i due artisti italiani è, da un lato, essenzialmente acustico e, dall’altro, inteso a definire ancora una volta uno spazio, in senso fisico e figurato, il secondo dei quali perfettamente rispondente all’ampiezza dell’immagine dell’orizzonte marino suggerita dal titolo.
Tutto ciò è declinato in una sequenza mutevole dal punto di vista compositivo, nella quale si alternano senza alcuno iato le incantate armonie vocali di Lau Nau e di Francesca Amati (Comaneci) sulla title track d’apertura e sulla conclusiva “I Say I May Be Back”, vibrazioni e loop di avvolgente narcolessia (“Jessaias de reduire mes medicaments”, “Allarme”), beccheggi e pulsazioni di latente inquietudine (“I Am The Sea”, “Now I’m Silent”).

Componente saliente del lavoro resta comunque quella acustica, incarnata da austere aperture d’archi e tromba, cadenzate note pianistiche e gentili pizzicate di corde di chitarra e banjo, che nello spettro espressivo del duo introducono contemplativi sentori folk. Il tutto è comunque quasi sempre incorniciato da minuti detriti elettronici e interpolato da samples concreti, rumori e spoken word, intimamente saldati nella definizione di uno spazio sonoro nel quale naturale e umano si fondono in un’osmosi che ne proietta la rappresentazione a un livello empatico sorprendente, ma non certo per chi conosce l’attitudine e la sensibilità di due artisti protagonisti di simile incontro, straordinariamente riuscito.

https://musicwontsaveyou.com/2017/07/10/enrico-coniglio-matteo-uggeri-open-to-the-sea/

Dmitry Vasiliev

А вот и совсем недавний опыт сотрудничества Энрико Конильо с Маттео Уджери, изданный в 2017 году на CD "Open to the sea" российским лэйблом Dronarivm, что не может не радовать. Для обоих артистов это довольно смелый эксперимент, новое направление в стиле, вызвавшем немало свежих мыслей и любопытных эмоций. Энрико с удовольствием воспользовался шансом снова вернуться к игре на акустических инструментах вроде гитары и фортепиано, а также к сочинению мелодий, которые затем были украшены поющими голосами. Маттео занимался больше конструированием композиций и микшированием - ведь он всегда знает, где добавить долю экспериментальности, чтобы изящно нарушить правила. В итоге альбом оказался востребован именно потому, что не претендует на принадлежность к какому-либо музыкальному жанру. Он очень яркий и живой, заметно это даже по дизайну обложки, ну и музыкантам настолько понравилось работать вместе, что они решили продолжить и сейчас записывают новые песни с другими вокалистами.

Peppe Trotta, So What

Sognante e denso di prospettive come un pallone aerostatico che sta per spiccare il volo, dolcemente malinconico e privo di limiti come l’irraggiungibile orizzonte che delimita il mare senza mai riuscire ad ingabbiarlo. È riassunto perfettamente nella sua immagine di copertina, un dipinto di Flavio Parrino, l’essenza del caleidoscopico paese delle meraviglie disegnato da Enrico Coniglio e Matteo Uggeri in “Open the sea”.

È un luogo in cui ogni cosa può accadere con somma naturalezza, rendendo possibile l’incastro di racconti eterogenei uniti da una costante dimensione melodica definita da fragili stille pianistiche e minimali cadenze chitarristiche combinate a incostanti pulsazioni e preziose incursioni di fiati e archi, capaci di dilatare ulteriormente uno spettro espressivo già ampio. Ci si ritrova così a navigare attraverso tracciati cullanti dai quali emergono evanescenti le voci di Lau Nau (“Open to the sea”), Violeta Paivankakkara (“I am the sea”) e Francesca Amato (“I say I may be back”), che catturano come l’irresistibile canto delle sirene o ad abbandonarsi al fluire di frammenti che sembrano giungere dal passato, rievocato da polverose modulazioni e voci distanti (“Jessaias de reduire mes medicaments”) o da silenti combinazioni elettroacustiche che accolgono il contributo dei ceselli sintetici di Giulio Aldinucci e le sghembe apparizioni dei fiati di Francesca Stella Riva e Fabio Ricci (“Floating metal sheets”).

“Open to the sea” è un disco che fin dalle prime note ha la capacità di spiazzare chi conosce e segue il lavoro di Coniglio e Uggeri, lontano dai paesaggi sonori abitualmente frequentati. Ma il disorientamento dura soltanto un attimo, il tempo necessario a ricordarci quanto in fondo i due hanno sempre dimostrato di essere costantemente alla ricerca di tracciati inesplorati.

Non resta che mettersi comodi e cominciare a sognare ad occhi rigorosamente spalancati.

https://sowhatmusica.wordpress.com/2017/07/11/enrico-coniglio-matteo-uggeri-open-to-the-sea/

De Subjectivisten, Jan Willem

De twee Italiaanse componisten Enrico Coniglio en Matteo Uggeri bundelen nu eens hun krachten op Open To The Sea, uitgebracht op het fijne drone label Dronarivm. Coniglio maakt al sinds 2002 albums onder zijn eigen naam, veelal vol neoklassiek, ambient en experimentele muziek. Hierbij haalt hij zijn inspiratie dikwijls uit landschappen. Maar hij laat ook van zich horen als/in Aqua Dorsa , Herion, Lemures en My Home, Sinking. Ook Matteo Uggeri kom ik al jaren in verschillende projecten tegen, zoals Der Einzige, Meerkat, Norm, Sparkle In Grey, Hue, Normality / Edge en Barnacles en in samenwerking met onder andere Bob Corn, My Dear Killer, Controlled Bleeding, Deison, Marizo Abate, Tex La Homa, De Fabriek, Ether, If Bwana en Telepherique. Ook hij heeft een hang naar de meer experimentele muziek en de natuur met veldopnames en al. Dat alles komt hier nu fraai samen.

Coniglio (piano, gitaar, banjo, orgel, synthesizers, sampler, tapes, vinyl) em Uggeri (trompet, drums, radio, veldopnames, samples, elektronica, beats) produceren hier 9 fraaie klanklandschappen, die ze op sfeervolle wijze laten inkleuren door gasten, uit onder meer Satan Is My Brother en Vonneumann, op zang, spoken word, elektronica, viool, cello, trompet, trombone en cimbalen. Onder hen ook zangeres Lau Nau, die hen richting His Name Is Alive duwt. Voor de rest brengen ze een heerlijk caleidoscopische en vooral breekbare mix van ambient, drones, neoklassiek, subtiele experimenten en veldopnames, die liefhebbers van Olan Mill, Múm, Jacaszek, Nils Petter Molvær, The Boats en Birds Of Passage wel aan zullen spreken. Een majestueus pareltje! Mocht je na dit alles nog het idee hebben dat de verveling toeslaat, dan is er ook nog een versie beschikbaar met puzzel. Al lijkt het mij sterk dat er iets extras nodig is bij zoveel moois.

https://sowhatmusica.wordpress.com/2017/07/11/enrico-coniglio-matteo-uggeri-open-to-the-sea/

Drifting, Almost Falling

Dronarivm return to the musically fertile country of Italy for their latest release. Although the release is credited to Enrico Coniglio and Matteo Uggeri there are a decent amount of collaborators on this release such as vocals/lyrics coming from Francesca Amato’s (aka Comaneci), Lau Nau, Violeta Päivänkakkara and British actor John Guilor.  Extra brass from Fabio Ricci (Vonneumann), electronics from Guilio Aldinucci and Stella Riva (Satan Is My Brother) and mastering by James Plotkin rounds out the collaborators.

The label describes the collaboration as s result of fruitful email conversations and describes the collaboration as “Sweet and minimal melodies on piano, organ and guitar of Enrico meet the efforts of trumpet and drums of Matteo whose electronics treatment and delicate beats provide the solid ground to a music that seems a perfect match of the two artists sensibility.  “Open to the Sea” explores a variety of merging organic sounds where the calm and intimately of the album is disrupted by incursions of gentle noises and sometimes curious juxtapositions.”  

Coniglio describes himself as a Guitarist, environmental sound recordist and sound artist with an interest in the landscape aesthetics. He has previously appeared on labels such as Fluid Audio, Crónica Electronica, Taalem, Glacial Movements as well as co-running the digital label Galaverna. 

Matteo Uggeri is a frequent collaborator with releases with artists such as Andrea Ferraris, Maurizio Abate and Christiano Deison on labels such as Hibernate, Time Released Sound and Scissor Tail to name a few.

“Open to the Sea” starts off with Francesca Amato’s sweet sounding double track voice reciting the title. Ambient tones and granular glitches start the track which is no hurry floating at a gentle pace. Lau Nau’s haunting vocals float over the soundscape which is building in intensity ever so slightly before violin cuts through and field recordings of possibly a market place enter that are crisp enough to make you think they are there in the room with you. I would file this under electroacoustic sound art than as ambient per se.

“Jessaias de reduire mes medicaments” begins with Scanner-like recording of a phone conversation/ interview which is joined by melodic ambient tones and musical saw like drones which are peppered by glitchy electronics that are pulsing and phasing. This short track combines the experimental elements alongside the more the melodic electronica and fuses them together well.

“Up Over The Harbours Lights” Coniglio’s guitar opens the track in a blues like style alongside ambient drones that coincide with the final strum of the guitar before piano, industrial sounds, field recordings and samples enter the sound mix. The track shows the musicians soundtrack-esque construction to create a sound palate of dissimilar origins to work together.

“I Am The Sea” features Violeta Päivänkakkara on vocals and lyrics and starts with her ethereal vocals before melancholy minimal piano, guitars, synths, distant percussion, bells, electronics and trumpet fuses together to form a track that is so many genres mixed into one. The haunting trumpet that cuts through mixed with Päivänkakkara’s vocals, alongside piano and electronic and traditional percussion works so well as it covers post rock, electronica, Electroacoustic and soundtrack works so easily.

“Floating Metal Sheets” this experimental sounding track sees assistance from fellow Italian and Dronarivm artist Guilio Aldinucci. This track starts with acoustic guitars and some sort of background percussive noise source that I can’t get my head around. Some crackling electronics start and flutter with drones lightly covering them as a rolling noise pans left and right. Trombone joins the track with an effect similar to a car slamming on its breaks, before changing to slow mournful blowing over the acoustic guitars while electronics scatter about.

“Dutch Street Theatre” features UK voice over artist and actor John Guilor who has worked on Dr Who. Guilor’s narration is laid over piano, drones and violin and field recordings of people talking. I am not sure where the narration comes from and whether it is related to the theme of this album, but it doesn’t personally work for me.

“Now I’m Silent” starts with an electronic heart beat sound paired with darting drones, piano and percussive noise with electronic whistling, before venturing into jazz territory with wailing trumpet and electric guitar, disjointed gunshot drums. It’s a track of two quite separate halves that work well separately, but take time to get used to the differences.

“Allarme” begins with a broken piano like opening, before alarm sounds pan in and out and glitch electronics, cymbals and piano are gently caressed. Field recordings, possibly of radio or loud-speaker transmissions traverse the piece that is being slightly held together by piano while non traditional percussion rattles and rolls with brass instruments and intermittent sounds. Again Coniglio and Uggerri manage to fit a lot of source material in a piece that while at times seems like a juxtaposition, but also compliments one another.

“I Say I May Be Back” sees radio samples and static overload piano with a hint of paning banjo, guitars and percussion that has a nautical feel with Francesca Amato’s vocals that bring the album full circle with the recurring title line. The instruments one by one break down leaving Amato’s voice to finish out the album much like she started it.

“Open to the Sea” is not a straight forward album to get a handle on. There are so many constituent parts that make it up and it covers Ambient/Drone/Post Rock/Experimental/Electroacoustic genres, sometimes in the same track. The thing it has going for it is it’s unpredictability and it’s depth is that it’s not a release that can be easily glossed over. Most of the tracks work extremely well and the depth that James Plotkin has gotten in the master allows for that richness and shows why he is one of the most popular masterers around. There is a special version of the release limited to 50 copies which comes with a jigsaw and bonus digital ep.

https://driftingalmostfalling.wordpress.com/2017/07/15/enrico-coniglio-matteo-uggeri-open-to-the-sea/