n o v a
utopica musa - BC-007

Gothic, Italian style.

Italy's Nova specializes in lucid, crystal clear gothic, dark romantic timbres sprinkled with synths sculpted from the dust of melancholy. As with label-mate Ataraxia (another Italian gem), Nova's music is accentuated by pristine female vocals, in Nova's case, those of Chiara Ferrari, whose crisp delivery of the Italian lyrics (thankfully translated in the booklet), brandishes strength and polished sorrow. "Un'idea Libera" wraps sleep is near, dreamy vocals, around a sparse background of forlorn synths and distant drums. The pensive "Parole Di Niente" is driven by nervous, tapping percussive textures, and sporadic swashes of guitar that splinter into shards of piercing gray glass. "Cerchi Vuoti" skulks from the shadows, pulsing bass and chiming guitars leading Chiari's strong, though subtly restrained (they are never extraneously displayed), vocals through the calm, sonically scattered landscape. The pacing throughout is moderate, Nova's sonic exploration one of finely chiseled tones, pulling aside curtains and spider-webs that only lead to empty space, and only partially filling the emptiness.

-JC Smith