Osvaldo Coluccino — Rispecchiato In Quarzo

Here’s a CD release bringing together three compositions from Italian modern classical composer Osvaldo Coluccino.  All of the pieces mix electronics with acoustic instruments- for an often volatile, darting, and at times moodily uneasy ride.

Osvaldo Coluccino is both a composer and a poet- his work dates back to the early 2000s. Taking in work for vocals, orchestral, chamber,  Electroacoustic, and acoustic objects. The compositions on offer here date from between the early 2020’s, with runtimes between fourteen and eighteen minutes.

The release opens up with “Rispecchiato In Quarzo”- which is for piano & electronics. The track moves from its grainy electro flowing start. Onto rapidly shifting blends of loosely low -to- high cascading keys,  and all manner of inside piano picks/ plucks/knocks. As the piece progresses, we get short moments of silence before we drop back into the jagged blend of inside/ outside piano playing and woozy low-key electronics.

Track two is “Dal Nero Immenso, Levita”- this is for contrabass clarinet & electronics. This is built around a selection of warbling bays, searing swells, bassy creeks,  skuttling almost glitching textures, and these weird just on the edge of whispering tones. The track is both atmospheric and tense, with an oddly alien feel to its attack, with the whole thing having a nicely unpredictable flow.

Finally, we have “Traspare Assente Albore” which is for bass flute and electronics. Here we move from haunting waverings, darting plucks, oscillating whines, warbling bays, etc- with later these weird sort guttural moans & his At points in this track, I’m getting a sort of deconstructed/abstract Native American vibe. Once again, the track is effective in its darting/ shift flow, with at points some quite effective sonic jumps.

As a release, this very much sits between taut modern classical music and moody electro-acoustics. With Coluccino often creating an uneasy-yet- rewarding counterbalance between mood & tension.