Mutant Sounds reborn - The Italian posts of Mutant Sounds vol. 15 (Minox/Monofonic Orchestra/Monuments)

Indice generale/General index

Minox - Lazare (1986). Minox's art is atmosphere and refinement, melody and instinct, strength and vigor in splendid balance, an avant-garde trend that seeks contact with various artistic genres, without the ideological pretence of defining itself as total art. It does not limit itself only to sound but also moves toward the visual and literary arts, dance and theatre, image and poetry. Minox are already well known on the international front thanks to important collaborations and productions linked to the 'Bruxelles Sound' and tied to the Central-European movement developed in the 80s by labels such as Crammed and Les Disques du Crepuscule. The band has also authored music for theatrical pieces and the first mise-en-scène in 1985 gave birth to the single Suite maniacal for the Artzine Free for Industrie Discografiche Lacerba. One year later, their first album Lazare, produced by Steven Brown of Tuxedomoon, was released to great critical and public acclaim throughout Europe. Serious events subsequently mark the group's activity (Raffaele Banci and Enrico Faggioli, two members of the first Minox line up died in '86) so Mirco Magnani and Marco Monfardini spend a long period of time away from the musical scene, dedicating themselves exclusively to sound experimentation and research, after recording an album which unfortunately never came to be released. They make their comeback in 1991, with a musical-theatrical production entitled "Minox play Lorca", a critical re-reading of the folk songs and the theatrical music of Federico Garcia Lorca.In 1994, Marco and Mirco found their independent label Suite inc. and break the label in with the CD single "Plaza", a release that pieces together the legacy left behind by their collaboration with the legendary Industrie Discografiche Lacerba. A year later they produce B movie show a concept album featuring 4Dkiller, Dubital and Minox which is something of a complex soundtrack to image-less B Movies. This occasion marks the debut of 4Dkiller, a project of electronic syntheses, the fruit of Minox's persistent dedication to sound research and experimentation. Under this guise, they come to remix several of Minox and Dubital's tracks. Over the next two years Minox produce and mix Dubital ep, Ignoranza & cultura, Lite and Technophonic Chamber Orchestra's 1998 release Beats and movements. During the summer of 1998 Minox releases their limited edition CD Single U turn featuring Lydia Lunch and making with her an interesting italian tour. During 2000 Minox went to the studio to work with their friends and collaborators from 1986 Steven Brown and Blaine L. Reininger of Tuxedomoon. A tour with Steven Brown in Italy followed, and on November 2001 has seen the light their new album Downworks featuring The Gentle People, Lydia Lunch, Nobukazu Takemura, Blaine L. Reininger and more.In 2003 Minox have direct the 4th volume of the thematic series Suitable Suitable #3 the downbeatniks and have produced the debut album of Enfantronique "Ecole 72" in 2004 they have produced Nemoretum sonata the second album of Technophonic Chamber Orchestra. Actually Minox are working on their new album, they've invited Jan Jelinek (aka Farben, Gramm - Scape, de) and Dictaphone (City Center Office, de) and are compiling "Suite inc. classics" featuring Murcof, Daedelus, Jan Jelinek, Nobukazu Takemura, etc.

Great atmospheric minimal synth MLP much in the mid 80s european vein of Tuxedomoon...not suprising though as this was produced by Mr Steven Brown.

Monofonic Orchestra - Friends' portraits (1981). Awesome mutated avant synth wave into quasi-R.I.O. of an exceedingly ZNR-like sort. What Monofonic Orchestra share with Hector Zazou and Joseph Racaille's ZNR (specifically their antically eccentric Barricade 3 album) is a propensity for wedding Satie-esque piano-led delicacy with with sudden surges of giddy, circus-y avant electropop. Just beautiful.

Monuments - Age (1984). Another crown jewel of the early 80s minimal synth scene. Scanner broken down so no pic sleeve scan