Italian avant-garde duo DC duo dive head first into the alleys marked experimental and free jazz for their new album Mnemosine, with three improvised tracks that are dense to get into at first, but having an open mind combined with quite a bit of endurance pays in spades. Andrea Dicò (drums) and Francesco Carbone (guitar) are sonic explorers, always trying to find new ways to surprise themselves. Spontaneity is key, even when they seem to get stuck on a motif, there is always a little deviation creeping in that will lead them to the next part of a composition.
There previous album Take the Long Way Home was basically one track, but now they tell three different stories without using words. All tracks are inspired by the treasure trove that is Greek mythology. Mnemosine is the titanness of thought, intellect and memory. Lete is named after the personifaction of oblivion - it also the river of forgetfulness that the deceased are supposed to drink from before they entered Hades. Asfodelo is named after the plant that were used on graves, but whose roots also were used as medicine against snake bites.
So people who have zero knowledge of this kind of stuff have zero change to make sense of this release? No, rest assured, the tracks can be enjoyed as such. However, being familiar with the outer limits of post-rock and improvised modernism is essential. Having liked a few Can albums, especially the live ones, does help.
DC:
Andrea Dicò: drums, objects
Francesco Carbone: electric guitars, effects
Mnemosine is released via Setola di Maiale Tracks:
- Mnemosine
- Lete
- Asfodelo
» dcandreadicfrancescocarbone.bandcamp.com
HCTF review of Take the Long Way Home