Esma - Energomash

  by Maarten Schiethart

published: 2 / 9 / 2013

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Review

'Energomash' is the follow-up to 'The Lost Atoms' and reportedly, only Esma's 25th album. Contrary to the title, 'Energomash' cherishes the quietness and tranquility of music. Eugenio Squarcia, from Ferrara, Italy and known as Esma to his agent, is a gifted contemporary composer, who incorporates urban field recordings from airport and subway platforms as calming audio effects on his melodic minimalism. The arresting intermezzo 'TESSERACT #2' however sets the tone for this contemplative sequence of introspection and expression. On 'Energomash', his hesitant tiptoe-ing on piano keys leads to a startling few moments; such as, for example 'Lost Gardens of Heligan', which is assisted by harp sounds from heaven. Standing at the crossroads of minimal ballet and commuter feet shuffling, Esma finds an ultimate serenity in these long, sometimes hefty, yet forever always determined, err, percussion pieces which use piano keys. His 'Vaudeville Instructions' hammer down the very essence of 'Energomash'. It is freeform keyboard music performed as if lives depend on it, and both concise and elaborated chaos. Eugenio Squarcia's obstinate piano play eventually calms down. The Second Movement, as it were, starts with 'Prefab Pixel City', which leads into the dreamscape composition of 'Die Hexagon' - with sounds of angst and suspense aplenty. 'The Age of Anxiety' has the hallmarks of a grand finale. Combining semi-philharmonic and minimalistic themes, whilst performed single-handeldly, Esma has raised the bar. And jumped it.

Track Listing:-

1 Adagio K599
2 Nor'easter Wind
3 TESSERACT #02 0
4 GAMA, performed by Klod 0
5 Lost Gardens of Heligan 0
6 Sparkaling
7 Njugle
8 Sur la Dune du Pilhar
9 Roanoke (Cynthia After Raleigh)
10 Vaudeville Instructions for a Quiet Life, feat. Margaret Lee
11 Quantum Entanglement
12 Prefab Pixel City
13 Die Hexagon, feat. Klod
14 The Age of Anxiety, feat. Fred Cané

Band Links:-

https://esma.bandcamp.com/
https://twitter.com/studioesma
https://www.facebook.com/eugenelucienm
https://www.youtube.com/user/studioesm
http://www.studioesma.com/home.html

Label Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/lacantina.it/