Andrea Laino – electric guitar, gears, objects (part I and II) and echoplex digital pro (part II only.
Part I recorded by Andrea Laino in his studio (2009). Part II recorded live at “Wallride” in Riola (Genuary 2011) by Andrea Laino. Mixed and mastered by Diego Cofone at Dicofone’s studio (February 2012). Artwork by: Federico Guerri – Title: “Ampolla” © 2006. Graphics by: Sandro Crisafi. Produced by: Andrea Laino and Aut Records
Tracklist Part I. 1. Paesaggio I [4:02] 2. Paesaggio II [4:51] 3. Paesaggio III [5:03] 4. Lunatico [5:17] 5. Electro Piece [2:01] Part II. 6. Brainwashing [6:57] 7. The White Hall [5:11] 8. Tech Music (coda) [2:05] 9. From The Roof [2:54] 10. The Coprophage [2:54] 11. An espontàneo! (I am) [1:00] Total Time: [42:30]
Electrical Landscapes documents a solo research on electric guitar made by Andrea Laino for the project LAAND.
The first part is an improvised session focused on timbric exploration in which sounds are generated through some non-conventional techniques and a few objects. All the audio materials have been recorded using an analog delay, a nail file, other objects and devices. No overdubs were added during the recording, except for track n.4.
The second part is freely inspired by William S. Burroughs’ Naked Lunch. Some of the readings recorded by Burroughs himself have been used, in connection with the cut-up technique made so popular by this author. The sound poetry dimension inspired Laino’s work and his radical improvised approach to the composition.
Andrea Laino
Andrea Laino plays electric guitar since the age of 16. He grows up as a self-taught musician with a particular liking for hard rock and post-punk. In 2006 he graduates at DAMS (Department for Art, Music and Entertainment), Bologna University, with a thesis on Ethnomusicology.
He improves his musical skills studying jazz guitar and musical improvisation, taking part in lessons and workshops of some of the major contemporary musicians such as Fabrizio Puglisi, Ken Vandemark, Dave Douglas, Eugene Chadbourne, Phil Minton, Achille Succi, Roberto Cecchetto, Garrison Fewell, Walter Prati, Matteo Pennese, Massimo Falascone, Roberto Dani, Salvatore Sciarrino and Domenico Caliri.
In 2009 he published “Demetrio Stratos e il teatro della voce” for Auditorium Edizioni. Actually he compose music for theatre and go deepest in the study and practice of improvisation in contemporary music, blues and american folk music.
For guitar playing that is more adventurous than most
look into the works of Andrea Laino and his latest project as LAAND. Electrical Landscapes (Aut) has Laino playing the guitar as if he was an explorer discovering new land, as far as trying to find a primary source of energy, seeing if it’s safe and knowing that it is, proudly twirls wickedly in and out of it because he knows no one is there to see him. He also uses different items to play the guitar and also amplifies other things that aren’t meant to be amplified. Or at least that’s what I get from hearing it. All of it is improvisational and the deeper you get into hearing these Electrical Landscapes, the more I wanted to hear what he could come up with. I didn’t want the album to stop.
The first part features a three-part movement called “Paesaggio”, where sounds evolve and revolve around the guitar sounding like a guitar, to metallic objects playing the guitar strings, to where what you may be hearing is percussion, the strings playing themselves with metal hands, both, or none. Multitrack recording allows Laino to join himself with himself as himself, and that’s when things get eerie with “Lunatico”, as his guitar tones and sweeping feedback may shock the roots of your teeth, leading to the listener discovering cavities one didn’t know existed.
The second part, said to be a tribute to William S. Burroughs, has him bringing in the Echoplex Digital Pro for a bit of delayed action and reaction, helping to balance things a bit from what happened on the first part of the album. Hearing Burrough’s voice mixed in with Laino’s guitar work may be distant and world’s apart, but could have easily been recorded in the present day. At times, Burrough’s voice sounds like a distorted saxophone when run through effects, and he becomes the jazz musician he may not have intended in being.
While running under 43 minutes, Electrical Landscapes sounds greater than most great works that are close to twice its length. What Laino and LAAND plan on doing next, it is uncertain but I hope it will be as interesting as this brilliant piece of work. — This Is Book’s Music
CD version (incl. shipment cost world-wide)