Carlos Cipa - The Monarch and the Viceroy

  by Andy Cassidy

published: 15 / 8 / 2012

---

Review

‘The Monarch and the Viceroy ‘is the debut album from 22 year old Carlos Cipa. The twelve tracks of the album showcase the Munich-based musician’s technically superb playing and his gift for composition. Opening track ‘Perfect Circles’ made me think immediately of ‘Koln Concert’-era Keith Jarrett: the lightness of Cipa’s touch shows strong jazz influences while the whimsical trill of his right hand simply sparkles. Second track ‘The Whole Truth’ shows Cipa’s debt to Erik Satie – there are flashes of Satie’s ‘Gymnopedies’ hidden in the quieter passages of the piece. That is not to say that the piece is derivative – its originality and the sheer quality of Cipa’s playing build upon any influences, transforming them into something at once familiar and novel. Title track ‘The Monarch and the Viceroy’ begins in a vein similar to Claude Debussy’s Children’s Corner before moving into a beautifully hand-spun dreamscape of dark romance reminiscent of Michael Nyman. For me, the highlight of the album is the gorgeous ‘Nocturne’. A simple arrangement with sparse left hand allows the melody to soar. Again, like the title track, the piece hints at a dark romance, a slight suggestion of menace and foreboding. Throughout the album, Cipa’s playing is restrained and haunting, nowhere more so than on ‘Cold Night’. There is a sense of longing to the piece which is simply beautiful. This is an album which works both on a track-by-track basis and as a complete piece. Quite simply, it is stunning. Carlos Cipa’s abundant talent is evident in every keystroke, as is his passion for his art. ‘The Monarch and the Viceroy’ is an album to be listened to, to fall in love to, and to fall in love with.

Track Listing:-

1 Perfect Circles
2 The Whole Truth
3 The Monarch and the Viceroy
4 Human Stain
5 Morning Love
6 In Place of Anger
7 Nocturne
8 Cold Night
9 Lost and Delirious
10 Lie with Me
11 Wide and Moving
12 The Dream

Band Links:-

http://www.carloscipa.com/
https://www.facebook.com/carloscipa
https://twitter.com/CarlosCipa
http://carloscipa.bandcamp.com/
http://denovali.com/carloscipa/
http://www.last.fm/de/music/Carlos+Cip

Label Links:-

http://denovali.com
https://www.facebook.com/denovalirecor
https://twitter.com/denovali
https://www.youtube.com/user/denovalir