Carlo Cossu: violin and delay Salvatore Passaro: midi wind controller, delay, synth and sampler recorded at mopstudio between august 1999 and may 2000
Review
It would be too easy to cite Terry Riley for the use ofays or for cycles that repeat with minimal variations. Still it would be convenient to cite Eno&Fripp for the openness and airiness of the sounds or for the “ambient” dilations of these musics. But what if “Earth” by the duo M.O.P. a.k.a. Carlo Cossu on Violin and Delay and Salvatore Passaro on Midi Wind Controller, delay synth and sampler, was just a grand proposal? A music of great enveloping atmospheres and mostly improvised? True, it is easy to play with references in these cases. As I listen, the poignant melancholies of Harold Budd and Vidna Obmana come to mind, but why don’t I simply let myself be carried away by the simple beauty, the subdued lyricism of these sounds? Why do I have to think about anything else? Why don’t I enter (leaving all thoughts out there), into this enchanted forest of luminescent sound architectures? Great debut indeed. (7/8) (Gino dal soler)
April 2001 issue 35 of “Blow Up” magazine
Gino dal soler
Italian duo M.O.P. (Museum of Presence), which in the debut self producted Earth (MOP Music, www.mopmusic.org) collects a number of calm improvisations for violin treated with delay (Carlo Cossu) and more synth equipment Midi (Salvatore Passaro): sounds majestic and impressive that follow cyclical as lapping of waves, incidentally contiguous with many scores ambiental-reiterative Eno, Riley, Nyman, etc., but actually focused in inspired looking for a primary flow, a “unitas absoluta” with music as an experience alive, not mediated by structures or cultural historiography.
May 2001 issue 112 pag. 90 “Rumore” magazine
Vittore Baroni
MUSEUM OF PRESENCE Earth Museum of Presence is the collective name of an Italian duo (comprised of Carlo Cossu and Salvatore Passaro) that is dedicated to research on sound and their electronic “treatment”. Music is organized for bands sound “spontaneous” (based on the interaction between the Cossu’s violin and Passaro’s synth), which re-emerge cyclically, with major or minor changes. No echoes minimalist (especially in the use of delays and treatments that recall Riley or Fripp / Eno); beautiful and engaging atmosphere (where sometimes crop up memories of the best Budd and Lentz); very interesting is the apparent cohesion of the duo, which provides a record like this, basically “improvisation”, a unified system very high, perhaps also due to the sounds never free of violence. A nice debut album.
