Zero Centigrade: Umber CDr (Observatoire, 2012) + Selce CDr (Nothing Out There, 2012)
September 7, 2013 at 7:17 pm | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment
Zero Centigrade: Umber
Two albums of electro-acoustic improv from an Italian duo. Usually very minimal, kind of a detuned Jandek feel, with spare guitar pluckings, stray trumpet lines, and brief bursts of feedback. There’s also some blues slide guitar on tracks such as the aptly named “Broken Slide” and “A Strange Season #1”. “City Of Motors” is the most immediately striking track on
Umber, starting with a stuttering buzz, then flatly but frantically wailing in one direction for its duration. “Blood And Dust” seems to get a little more caustic, with a bit more anxious electrified drone creeping in.
Zero Centigrade: Selce
is shorter, only containing 5 tracks instead of the 12 on Umber, although these 5 tracks stretch past 36 minutes total. It’s hard to really say if there’s much of a difference; this one’s not necessarily more minimal, but maybe a bit less caustic. “Dogmouth” gets a slight bit doomy for a few moments, with some loudly strummed bass chords, but otherwise it’s as minimal and slow-moving as usual.
The Answer Is In The Beat 
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