Italian native Marco Santucci de Magistris, aka INUIT, takes a deep dive on his debut release IIAALI on the always amazing Aural Canyon Records. IIAALI is one of those albums that allows you to close out the world and lock in with something deeper and something bigger than you. Through the use of synthesizers, de Magistris takes drones and electronic textures to a transcendent space. Meditative sounds open up to psychedelic textures, giving us the foundation for something truly moving. IIAALI is a door to open and step into.
Stepping into de Magistris’ music world we’re greeted by the mind-expanding “Geometry”. It’s a heady world of new age enlightenment and ambient textures that swoop and sway. Earthbound textures mingle with deep space madness, allowing us to step into this musical sensory deprivation tank de Magistris has constructed for us. “Goodbye Sun” builds on the true spirit of Komische and heavy synth, bringing to mind Rudiger Lorenz and JD Emmanuel. There’s elements of mid-70s synth scores here, as well as the powerful Tangerine Dream. There’s a darkness that lies just under the surface as well, allowing room for one to wander in their own head. “IJIQQAT” is a sound collage of noise; distant birds and wind swirl into a nondescript sound as synth and piano make their presence known. It’s a song that seems to emulate a waking dream.
Elsewhere, “Brother Sun” works its way thru decades of electronic music, with 70s Berlin being a prominent starting point. Minimal noise opens up into grand, cavernous peaks. “Stellarium” is reminiscent of early Sinoia Caves and Popol Vuh with its drone and underlying melody. That darkness makes its presence known once again here. “Sea of Glass” calms us down with waves hitting the shoreline as synthesizer slowly builds. Echoes of Giallo scores haunt this song, with a constant hum of a single synth, what sounds like an echoing harmonica, and wobbly theremin-like noise trying to come to the surface.
Marco Santucci de Magistris’ debut album as INUIT is a stunning piece of heavy synth and psychedelic new age. IIAALI walks a fine line between meditative and confrontational. It works as a background score to deep conversation or as a bridge to deeper understanding of the world we see and the world we don’t see. A spiritual score to opening your mind, and closing off the negative space.
7.9 out of 10
IIAALI is available now via Aural Canyon Records. Buy it here.
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