Reviewed by Nathan Ford
Paolo Spaccamonti is a new name to me, but with collaborations with Ben Chasny and Damo Suzuki to his name, he clearly has some pedigree, and his third solo album "Rumors" is a very interesting listen indeed.
An instrumental album that broadly straddles post-rock, experimental and psychedelia without sounding like it really subscribes to the conventions of any of these genres, "Rumors" is one of the most diverse and effective instrumental albums that I've heard in a long time, a skulking malevolent presence with moments of surprising beauty and humanity.
The opening / title track is one of the more immediate moments here, with a simple piano part (reminiscent of Mogwai's "Les Revenants") underpinning a memorable, creepy bass line. "Bonnie & Bonnie" is similarly carried by its bassline, although this is warmer, maintaining a playful sense of mystery before being swallowed whole by a crescendo of guitars which segue straight into "Croci / Flamme"s semi-industrial maelstrom.
There are moments of quiet contemplation here too, with the mournful strings on "Io ti Aspetto" being particularly lovely. It's a perfectly paced and sequenced album, allowing the mood to ebb and flow at just the right times to maintain and release suspense. I often find that instrumental albums get a little repetitive, but there's a lot going on under the surface here which keeps me coming back for more, and I'm still uncovering new layers on each listen.
Not one for listeners who are looking for an immediate fix then, but if you're looking for something with a little more substance that you can really spend some time with, this is outstanding.
Vinyl and CD available here, or stream here:
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