Thomas Ciufo * Isostatic – Ambientblog
THOMAS CIUFO – THE RISING MOON
A 17th-century Japanese haiku by Mizuta Masahide is the introduction to this album:
My house burned down
Now I can better see
The rising moon
A remarkable (and enviable) way to keep looking for the positive aspect of something disastrous, like a burnt-down house!
On The Rising Moon, Thomas Ciufo invites us to a “contemplative sonic exploration of the forces of loss and beauty, darkness and light”. In the manner of his late mentor Pauline Oliveros, he “invites deep listening and introspection, embracing the paradox that by accepting impermanence, we may find unexpected clarity, gratitude, and grace.”
After years of collaborative work, Ciufo returned to solo studio practice – partly inspired by the stillness, isolation, and disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. He combines modern synthesis, modular gear, and processed acoustic instruments and voices with (‘half-working’) old tape machines that he rebuilt himself.
“The album is offered with compassion to everyone facing challenges, suffering and personal loss while navigating our chaotic and rapidly changing world.”
The Rising Moon is released on Neuma Records and is available on CD as well as a digital download.
ISOSTATIC – REEL LANDSCAPES
While working on this album, Sean ‘Isostatic’ Costello noticed that he not only liked the tape saturation (each track started with a live take to tape), but also the entire workflow from working with tape.
“There’s an inherent unpredictability, especially when working with loop tapes, that often results in happy accidents and beautifully imperfect sonic moments”.
The nine tracks on Reel Landscapes sound far from ‘unpredictable’: it is an immersive warm bath with “a touch of nostalgia – each composition radiates a soothing sense of tranquility and optimism”.
It’s the analog process of creation, working with tape and reel-to-reel loops, accepting the ‘happy accidents’ (dixit Bob Ross) as ‘hidden intentions’ (as Brian Eno saind) that results in this warm and natural sound: “a meditation on the beauty of impermanence”.
Reel Landscapes is a digital-only release.
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