There are a lot of acts that look to the past for inspiration, especially those who want to mimic the synth-pop of the Eighties and earlier with a bit of ironic detachment. Alessandro Cortini, touring member of Nine Inch Nails, is after something else. His new album, Volume Massimo, out on Mute today, manages to sound like the score from some lost film, or the sort of thing that could soundtrack your dreams of a bright-but-unsettled future. The music here, largely instrumental, is full of sleek surfaces, fuzzy electronic effects, and, perhaps surprisingly, a lot of warmth.
"Let Go" buzzes with a hint of menace, while "Amaro Amore" has a vibe that recalls old Cabaret Voltaire efforts, or even moments from Non releases. Alessandro Cortini lets these pieces expand without hurrying anything, and the overall effect is that of an experimental performance in a museum, or something. "La Storia" is as unsettling as some of the best early numbers from Fad Gadget, while "Momenti" has ominous undercurrents that are undercut by the smooth keyboard-lines Cortini layers on top of the tune. Elsewhere, "Sabbia" made me think of Throbbing Gristle, while "Batticuore" rattles until a melody kicks in that sounds a whole lot like a late-Eighties Depeche Mode hook. I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed Volume Massimo, and my enjoyment is likely due to how Alessandro Cortini seems to understand better than many how to look to the past for inspiration, when making futurist music.
Volume Massimo is out on Mute.
More details on Alessandro Cortini are on his official Facebook page.
[Photo: Emilie Elizabeth]