Zero Centigrade — Unknown Distances

Zero Centigrade is the Italian duo of Tonio Taiuti and Vincenzo DeLuce.  The duo creates an interesting mix of electro acoustic experimental noise.  Unknown Distances is their latest release.  What sparks interest are the methods and instruments used.  Tonio plays acoustic guitar and Vincenzo plays the trumpet, various field recordings and sound effects are added too.  Through the playing of these traditional instruments they are able to make them sound so alien yet familiar also.

Trying to describe Zero Centigrade is a task in itself.  While the tones played on the trumpet have a definite jazz sound to them they also are quite deconstructed and minimal.  From the guitar we have a primitive blues influence, yet the experimental sounds that are also created on the instrument give a very abstract sometimes metallic feel.

Abstract jazz blues may be a good name for it.  On “Into The Storm” we are faced with a detuned guitar played against a haphazard bass notes.  The effect is one of extreme queasiness.  Likewise on “Snake’s Tail” a snowball of grating, saw-like sounds combined with the above mentioned guitar and trumpet and lightly pepper with various scratches, hums and squeaks gives the impression of a transmission from beyond.  “Dry River” brings about the most melody we will find here and is a nice respite from the dissonant chords and jarring sounds.

There are a few songs that just fragments and don’t really add anything special to the project as a whole.  Really with 15 songs here, taking a few away honestly wouldn’t have hurt the project, but we’ll acquiesce to Zero Centigrades final vision.  The emotional side of the cd is compelling.  A nice mix of confusion, creepiness, pensiveness and chaos is created.  At times it does feel a bit like a study in tone and timing but as a whole it is one of the more fascinating experimental music you will hear.