Natasha Giordano self-describes herself as an artist “who investigates sounds as inner places.” Listening to her Soundtracking The Void debut Mono No Aware I would say that’s a pretty accurate description of the sonic world she creates. The three tracks on this stunning EP evoke quiet moments inside one’s own head. Lying in bed with the quiet quilt of darkness surrounding you, you can hear a symphony of noise coming from within. Your pulse pounding, echoes of the day lingering in your skull, the push of air coming up from the vent, and the white noise of thought swirling in your mind. That’s the vibe of Natasha Giordano’s music world; reflective, eerie musical ghosts haunting your disguise of rest.
Mono No Aware is a mixture of ghostly strings, the organic click-clack of propulsive rhythm, and subtle electronics swirling together to create a visceral music experience. “Learning Impermanence” opens on singing strings that lead into a mournful melody line. It’s a mixture of Mica Levi and Godspeed You! Black Emperor before a simple percussive line enters the fray. There’s a mysterious quality here with a whispered line looped in to the mix. “Float On Flowers” is exquisite melancholy, swirled together with sonic delight. Ambient textures color in the edges as synths build a humid feeling of slow disintegration. “Love+Rage” is the last song, and it relishes its atmosphere building. It has a very cinematic quality, mixing Lynchian elements with darker Cronenberg noir. Mournful strings are accompanied by an almost trip hop beat. It’s like Zoe Keating collaborating with Massive Attack in some galactic void.
Natasha Giordano takes elements of chamber music, film scores, and dark electronica and makes something quite unique, and at times very sensual. Mono No Aware is a quiet, reflective, and at times seductive work of modern musical art.
7.8 out of 10
Complex Distractions 