Di Evantile’s second album, “Inertia” demonstrates his interest in electronic music and perhaps a “The chemical brosers” and “Depeche mode” influence can be felt, but the overall feel of the whole album is Di Evantile. It is clear that he understands the workings of electronic music, and that the base of the electronic music is the sound effects. However, he does not ignore the melodic component of the music. Di Evantile has progressively moved toward an identity as an electronic music artist.
In this remarkable album, as with all Di Evantile’s music, the subtle insistence on melody helps to better measure the scope and distance of the sonic exploration. The results are expansive, evocative compositions which take the listener on other worldly journeys, while retaining an understated imprint of the familiar.
Di Evantile’s early creative explorations were tempered by the pop music he heard growing up during the 1980s, ranging from heavy metal to dance. Beneath the dream-like sounds he constructs, that decade’s trace can still be detected. And despite the predominance of sound guiding most electronic artist, Di Evantile also brings a subtle, but pervasive melodic consciousness to his music.
Although “Inertia” is different than Di Evantile’s first release, “Rhetorical Digression,” it definitely retains some of the flavor that was felt in that release while standing on its own merits.
The album contains some relaxing compositions ambient type such as “Violet Whisper,” “Mind” and “Decompressed.” The “Element of Happiness” is excepting, which is brighter and charming, more of a ballad type. The title track, “Inertia,” has the most powerful and remarkable melody. Of course there are some of the experiments with electronic sounds with “Intension,” “Digital Fusion” and “Glassy Cracker.”
“Inertia” will bring forth the thought that while Di Evantile aspires toward the achievements of down tempo masters like Jean Michael Jarre, he can, in his own right, be thought of as a superhero of sound. Di Evantile elaborated his thoughts on the music by saying that, “Making the world better, more harmonic, is the most important objective for now.”
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Di Evantile - Inertia
Sunday, December 9th, 2007
My immediate response to ‘Inertia’ was, “Oh no, digital pitter-patter, this is going to be boring; all the sampled midi stuff is not really music anyway.” Then, right about the time I decided to put aside my often stuffy, somewhat elitist attitudes regarding the conventions of musical expression – you know, acoustical instruments, the sound of human fingers across metal or nylon strings, the nuances and timbres present in the fiber of skin covered drums, the natural decay of volume following a cymbal crash or the subtle overtones the ear discerns lofting from the metal alloys – I began to get drawn into a kind of haunting pull from this composer’s expression.
As I listened, I realized I was responding from a primal place. This composer has found an effective basis of form and expression that corresponds with human emotion. I do find that interesting considering the aural medium is digitally constructed. Di Evantile has a good grasp of the tools available to him and, as any good craftsman will, orchestrates the “voices” into a good marriage. I especially like his use of the glass bottle sound on the first track, ‘Inertia.’
As the fairly well studied percussionist I am, I figured I’d grow weary of the rhythmic ostinato and four-bar phrasing present in most all of the tracks. Things are kept interesting, however by subtly offering differing voices to color the texture. I think one call be lulled into a sense of over simplicity regarding the form, but I think that’s exactly why it works so well. There is breathing room in the phrasing allowing one to accept and really hear why the next change makes sense. This is especially true for the track, ‘Glassy Cracker’ and ‘Element of Happiness.’ There is certainly a sense of overall form to the CD as a whole and one could make a case for that, though that may or may not have been the intention. With the first four tracks in the key of A minor and the journey to the final track, ‘Decompressed’, a sort of hymnal sign off, I did have a sense of connection between the pieces; a kind of walk through someone’s dream.
If you are looking for mood music, meditative background with a lover and a glass of wine or a companion to exercise or road travel, you should get this CD. Even if you’re a bit of a stuffy elitist like me, you owe it to yourself to hear and appreciate what Di Evantile is doing with his tools of the trade.
Beatrice Clarke - www.guaranteedreviews.com (19 Dec 2007)
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