Tullia Benedicta — Anteros (October 2nd, 2015)

 ^{Tullia Benedicta — Anteros (October 2nd, 2015)} Birth name: Tullia Benedicta D’Aquino Canestraro
Born: 5 April 1990
Genre: Experimental / Electronic
Location: Ravenna, Italy ~ London, UK
Album release: October 2nd, 2015
Record Label: Second Language Music
Duration:     39:24
Tracks:
1. Intro     1:48
2. Beats Or Silence     4:50
3. Signs     6:31
4. Blind     3:25
5. Devotion     4:53
6. Edge Of Life     5:48
7. Rain     5:12
8. Beats Or Silence (Piano Magic Warehouse Mix) Remix: Jerome Tcherneyan  6:56
℗ 2015 Tullia Benedicta under exclusive license to Second Language MusicCredits:
•   Artwork — Jeff Teader, Tullia Benedicta
•   Executive Producer — Glen Johnson
•   Guitar — Franck Alba
•   Make–up — Paula Delgado
•   Mastered by — Antony Ryan
•   Photography — Josh Hight
•   Voice — Laura Cylon (tracks: 4), Simone Presta (tracks: 3)
•   Written by, Co–producer, Mixed by — Jerome Tcherneyan (tracks: 4, 8)
•   Written by, Performer — Tullia Benedicta
Review
By Adrian
•≡≡•   Although never a label to discourage the collaborative tangling of its artists and their shared musical influences, the Italian–born and now London–based Tullia Benedicta is perhaps the first younger artist to be openly inspired by the work of Second Language’s co–founder Glen Johnson and his work leading Piano Magic.
•≡≡•   Previously a member of Italian post–rock outfit Grace, Benedicta may certainly know her way around the sprawling Piano Magic canon yet despite the fact that this debut solo album bears the hallmarks of immersively listening to the likes Low Birth Weight, Son De Mar and Writers Without Homes, as well as including supportive input from Johnson and his bandmates Jerome Tcherneyan and Franck Alba, the darkly alluring Anteros is far more than a mutual mentor–mentee appreciation affair. Framed by a blend of organic and processed musical arrangements, Benedicta’s vision here is a tacit tussle between intimacy and detachment. After the brief opening collage of found sounds, eerie ambient layering and plangent keyboards that makes up the self–descriptive cinematic “Intro”, the album properly begins with the mesmeric centrepiece “Beats Or Silence”, a shadowy languid mix of watery beats and Benedicta’s vocals recalling some of This Mortal Coil’s guest singers. In its wake, the programmed backdrops shift into more glitchy and shimmery patterns for the sensual “Signs” before bleeding into the subterranean beats, ethereal washes and spoken–word prowling of the disconcerting yet engrossing “Blind”. For “Devotion”, ‘80–meets–‘90s electronica and piano lines snap and pulse around Benedicta’s commanding tones to imagine prime–time Depeche Mode with a female replacement for Dave Gahan. On the ensuing “Edge Of Life”, Tricky’s Maxinquaye is cross–fertilised with Dead Can Dance to conjure a dank film–noire score, whilst the piano–led “Rain” recalls the haunted atmospherics of Nick Cave’s “A Box For Black Paul”. Proceedings conclude with an extended remixed reprise of “Beats Or Silence” by Tcherneyan, which deepens, extends and complements the original version’s captivating reach.
•≡≡•   Anteros is certainly not an easy listen but neither is it hard to be drawn in by its magnetic attraction, which grows stronger with each listen. A stark, promising and enigma–encoding new beginning in short. •≡≡•   http://www.adequacy.net/BIO/ABOUT
•≡≡•   Tullia Benedicta D’Aquino Canestraro (born 5 April 1990) is an Italian singer–songwriter and producer, originally from Ravenna, now based in London.
•≡≡•   In 2012, whilst studying digital design, Tullia formed the post–rock/shoe–gaze band, Grace, one of whose primary influences was the cult Anglo–French London band, Piano Magic. It was following Piano Magic’s concert in Ravenna in 2012, that Tullia first met frontman Glen Johnson and after the dissolution of Grace in 2013, she moved to London, quickly contacting Glen for his thoughts on her new solo music. After less than a year in the metropolis, her debut album, ‘Anteros’ was born and now sees the light of day on Johnson’s own Second Language Music label.
•≡≡•   Initial recordings were made by Tullia in her North London home with a microphone, MIDI controller and laptop. The album, never shying of sexual, fetish and BDSM themes (see Filippo Maria’s gorgeous shibari–based video for ‘Devotion’) includes snatches of corrupted, heavily processed private telephone recordings and even porn videos.
•≡≡•   ‘Anteros’ was co–produced by Jerome Tcherneyan of Piano Magic at his Ark Of Noise studio in Hackney Wick, London and features guitar from Frank Alba, also of the band. The album concludes with a “warehouse” remix of Beats Or Silence by Tcherneyan.
•≡≡•   The album title, ‘Anteros’, evokes the greek god of requited love, literally “love returned” or “counter–love” and also the avenger of unrequited love. Additionally, ‘Anteros’ is the subject of the Shaftesbury Memorial in Piccadilly Circus, London, — something Tullia was particular drawn to and deeply inspired by.
•≡≡•   Tullia’s musical influences include Bjork, James Blake, Owen Pallett, Pan Sonic, NIN, Einsturzende Neubauten and classical and avant–garde music including Ravel, Arvo Part and Philip Glass.
•≡≡•   ‘Anteros’ comes in an 8 panel concertina sleeve designed by Tullia Benedicta, featuring photography by Josh Hight. Lay–out by Jeff Teader.
Website: http://www.tulliabenedicta.com/
Label: http://www.secondlanguagemusic.com/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/tullia-benedicta
Bandcamp: http://tulliabenedicta.bandcamp.com/releases
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tulliabenedicta_____________________________________________________________

Tullia Benedicta — Anteros (October 2nd, 2015)

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