ALLUSTE: Dark Energy (2015)

“Dark Energy allies wonderfully both poles of the Berlin School with thin lines of sequenced beats and harmonies in deep cosmic moods”

1 Quintessence 8:56 2 Universe Expansion 7:33 3 Endless Mystery II 12:46 4 Vacuum Energy 10:02 5 Dark Energy 18:55 6 Fly Among the Stars Edgar 8:52 7 Dark Matter 11:31 8 Scalar Fields 8:15 Alluste Music

(DDL 86:54) (V.F.) (New Berlin School)

Ah ... what a long way Piero Monachello has come since Constellation in 2008. Strongly stationed in the New Berlin School model, with sequences a la Software as harmonious than very rhythmic, Alluste breathes into his music since his very good Boards of Stringana an approach which mixes marvelously both poles of the Berliner model. DARK ENERGY is already his 11th album. An album which exceeds the usual limits of time with more than 80 minutes of an EM spread over 8 tracks, among which one is a tribute to the late Edgar Froese, which testifies not only of the maturity in the compositions of the Italian synthesist but also of this boldness which little by little is grafted in his writing since this very solid Boards of Stringana released in 2013.

Quintessence brings us in cosmic territories with oblong synth breezes which exploit the slow atmospheres in gestation in this a little bit uncertain intro shapes in the ashes of Silver Scale from Tangerine Dream. An intro which will push moreover most of the 8 ones of the last opus of Alluste towards their rhythms which redefine constantly in long structures in continual movement. Banks of electronic mist encircle a movement of sequences which makes its keys waddle in a spherical ballet where elements dance with their shadows in mists which use perfume of orchestral fineries. These keys forge a gravitational ambient rhythm which swirls indefatigably in the influence of morphic gases. The movement livens up a little after the mark of 3rd minute with bass sequences which make kicks by sharp oscillations of which the comings and goings animate a heavy and motionless rhythm from where escape shadows, and their shadows, with more crystal clear tones and others nuanced by ringings of bell in a convoluted rodeo which stagnates in a stationary tumult decorated by lines with fluty aromas. Quintessence is the faithful reflection of what is going to follow with a Piero Monachello who masters to perfection the art to make dance his sequences, their crumbs and their shadows, in structures where the rhythms are often synonymic of hypnosis. The tracks are divided by rather similar phases with slow intros, some soft rhythms, deep morphic phases and rough rhythms which eventually exploded in degrees of variable violence always smothered by a thick cloud of lines and mists filled by cosmic fragrances. It's the case of Vacuum Energy, the long title-track which crosses cosmic passages a la Jean-Michel Jarre and which bursts with sequences dancing a spasmodic ballet in a jerky phase of rhythm and the most boiling Scalar Fields which is coated by some very beautiful Arabian foggy embraces.

Universe Expansion also respects these archetypes with a dense ambiospherical intro where breathes an enormous sonic rattle snake. Little by little the track extricates itself from this hibernation with heavy sequences which skip in a dense morphic wrap. The approach is always ambient when a fluid movement of sequences harmonizes its keys into a soft and very harmonious rhythmic movement where sequences cavort lazily without ever threatening the peace of mind of the stellar atmospheres. Endless Mystery II proposes a beautiful small morphic and cosmic ballad with sequences which wave into a bank of mist flavored by tones of flutes and voices. That makes very Software, especially with another line of sequences which swirls like some gracious and ethereal dances of the flying fairies. The track dives slowly into a stellar space where hums a seraphic choir before being reborn with a more fluid and a livelier movement with two lines of keys which intertwine two patterns of rhythms whose disparities are carriers of auditory charms. Fly Among the Stars Edgar is a beautiful quiet piece of music with a pattern of sequences which skips in the reverberations of some heavy pulsations. A synth reveals some unsuspected charms in the approach of Alluste with beautiful fluty melodies which sing in ambiences very near Edgar Froese's territories. It's a good electronic track where Piero Monachello shows beautiful capacities to use a synthesizer, the big absentee of his albums where the sequences forge as much the rhythms as the melodies. Like in the universes of Software and New Berlin School. Nevertheless, the solos here are simply delicious with some great sonic acrobatics. This is one of the great tracks in Alluste's repertoire. Dark Matter doesn't has short cuts. It's the most direct track of DARK ENERGY. Here, no ambiospherical intro but rather a structure of ambient rhythm which skips and undulates rather sharply of its sequences to the opposite tones in the rippling lines of a huge electronic banc of fog. Like the other structures, set apart Fly Among the Stars Edgar, Dark Matter sinks into an atmospherical phase before being reborn this time in the almost identical shape of its introduction.

Alluste is more and more confident and proposes a less and less accessible EM. A more creative EM where the filets of sequenced rhythms crisscross their peaceful variable cadences in beautiful effects of stereophony and of cosmic atmospheres papered with beautiful effects and arrangements. DARK ENERGY marks a step forward in the style of Alluste who little by little makes an enviable place among the most recognized artists of his art.

Sylvain Lupari (June 13th, 2015) *****

SynthSequences.com

Available at Alluste Bandcamp