[2005] Zu & Mats Gustafsson - How To Raise An Ox

If there was any doubt that Mats Gustafsson had the required talent to work alongside a jazz band with math-rock leanings (and therefore, constricted to a measure) while retaining the freedom of his intense sax delivery, How To Raise An Ox single-handedly dissipates them all. This incredible collaboration shows the best of Zu in terms of math-rock and free improvisation while leaving enough space for Gustafsson's short and energetic sax outbursts, complimenting without overshadowing the Italian collective.




Buy it directly from Atavistic Worldwide here.

[2011] Torture Corpse/Architeuthis Rex - Ignorance/Daemon

Architeuthis Rex returns this year in a split with the paranoid, trance-inducing, dark ambient project known as Torture Corpse. 4 songs, three full songs on side A belonging to Torture Corpse and a longer one on side B, belonging to Architeuthis Rex, both following a tribal, psychedelic sound evoking wilderness and ashen, forbidden territories. Released under the niche label Stunned Records, dedicated mostly to noise, drone and dark ambient artists with abstract leanings.



Currently out of stock at Stunned Records.

[2011] Larsen & Z'EV - In V.Tro

Half recorded during live sessions and another half recorded in studio, this collaboration was commissioned as a "soundtrack for micro-cinematic images on the study of cells", as a tribute to Giuseppe Levi, who researched and exploited the great potential of the in vitro technique, which gives name to this album. Aside from the interesting backstory, Larsen proves again that they shine in collaborative projects. Z'EV delivers his usual experimental approach to percussion to the mix, giving it a strong abstract feel while Larsen controls the mood of the album with its minimalist guitar and synth pair. Somewhat similar to their Nurse With Wound collaboration, Larsen sticks to their minimalistic post-rock side bordering in drone while Z'EV takes care of the bizarre background.

Download it here: [V0][FLAC]

Buy it directly from Important Records here.

[2010] Architeuthis Rex - Dark As The Sea

Sunken civilizations, inhabited by fearsome creatures and forgotten, devout cultures subdued by eons of tectonic and oceanic chaos. Architeuthis Rex (the monicker used by the italian artist Antonio Galluci) does it best to manifest all these obscure dreamworlds evoked by the immensity of the sea, in which bizarre entities come back to life.




Buy it directly from Utech Records here (scroll down).

[2001] Luigi Archetti & Bo Wiget - Low Tide Digitals

This guitar/cello duo from Italy and Switzerland respectively is one of the few non-norwegian artists releasing material via Rune Grammofon, focusing on a series of three albums (so far) ranging from ambient to jazz, with a very minimalist approach to their music. This is their first one released back in 2001, very minimal and low key, setting the roots for their next releases.




Buy it directly from Rune Grammofon here.

[2010] Egida Aurea - La Mia Piccola Guerra

Italian urban tales, manifested through powerful folk songs with neofolk undertones. This is Egida Aurea's first LP, follow-up of their first release, Storia Di Una Rondine EP. Quickly becoming one of my big favorite albums of this year, the songs on this album have a traditional italian vibe spiced up with heavy synth usage and mournful female vocals, whose softer side is often contrasted with a heavy dose of percussion and guitar-driven melodies, without losing a single bit of italian folk.

Download it here: [V2]


Buy it directly from HR!SPQR here.

[2010] Larsen & Nurse With Wound - Erroneous: A Selection Of Errors

Now this is a very weird Nurse With Wound collab, and while that might sound strange considering it's Stapleton the one I'm talking about here after all, this is, for the most part, a post-rock release, thanks to Larsen (post-rock band from Italy, which has a long career and some other collabs floating around). It starts out the same way one would expect of a NWW release, a noisy intro followed by an electronic krautrock sound reminiscent of Amon Düül at times, focusing a lot on Fritz Muller's vocals, then it switches to an ambient track, courtesy of both Larsen and Nurse With Wound and which sounds similar to Salt Marie Celeste at some points. Then a somewhat dark post-rock section breaks out and that's where the strangeness begins: the whole album shifts mood and seamlessly turns into a peaceful, uplifting post-rock album. Post-rock fans might find this interesting, though it probably won't be up to the expectations of a regular Nurse With Wound fan, seeing as it doesn't have the same amount of manipulation one would assume from a collab of this nature. Still is a great release and I believe it deserves special attention.

Download it here: [V0]

Buy it directly from Important Records here.

[2009] Fides Inversa - Hanc Aciem Sola Retundit Virtus (The Algolagnia Divine)

The italian black metal underground, often unappreciated, has some hidden gems left undiscovered for a long time, and this is the case with Fides Inversa. Firmly rooted in the somewhat recent Orthodox Black Metal scene, this band composed a fast, warlike interpretation of that vision, which shouldn't come as a surprise seeing as a lot of the bands within the scene have a predisposition to cherish and tribute their Roman heritage through music. Four long tracks, and a single message: subversion of the name of God through the enlightenment of the Word. For fans of Deathspell Omega and Watain.

Download it here: [V0]

Buy it directly from Osmose Productions here.