Giaçinté – Whispers Amidst [Visions of Hiira, 2023-04-15]
In charge of the present EP, Giaçinté is no stranger to me, as he is my partner in life and music. This improbable lucky situation gives my review an exceptional personal touch, but also allows me to enrich my content with more of the creative process that Giaçinté and I regularly discuss.
Firstly, it is worth mentioning that the young label Visions of Hiira not only produces deep techno, but tries to understand its intra- and inter-personal impact as a driving force to create and diffuse the sound more efficiently.
In our hour-long discussions, Giaçinté and I often touch upon the level by which music is an intrinsic part of our lifestyle, how art influences us, not only as individuals but deeper within the connections we make and the decisions we take. These conversations and all their colourful trajectories inform the sharing of some insight into this recent musical creation.
The conscious decision by the artist to delve into the project liberated from restrictions of ongoing trends, or from the mindset of what may predictably please, was the first consideration to get a better understanding of what the label aims for.
“Susurrus” dramatically opens the EP with a cinematic entrance, giving a glimpse of the intricate layering of sounds and influences that encompass Giaçinté’s process. The light chattering, which sometimes bubbles to the surface, is swirled into engulfing drones and panning basslines, setting an ominous tone to a surely driving, dance-floor-worthy track.
Having the opportunity of watching the project unfold “behind the scenes” supports the idea that such a creation isn’t only actively being worked upon within the studio. It’s an open reservoir constantly being pooled into, regularly replenished off everyday encounters. Heavily filled with field recordings extracted from the most uncanny occasions, “Spring Whisperer” is an example of how even when encountering a musical block, keeping open ears and a curious mind will likely lead to inspiring, driving sonic encounter to help push the production to an unexpected direction.
The ominous tone, pulled through to “Murmur” with experimentation in breaks, rhythmic off-beats and a grasping revolving bassline, makes this track the strongest in terms of hypnotising capacity.
Then, a sign of appeal towards the unusual and abstract “Reverie” is a show of the artist’s inclination towards bringing distortion and vocal elements front and centre, as another fabric within the layers of sounds to be experimented with.
Careful design and eclectic genre influence shine through the four tracks. Technical mastery is admittedly a constant challenge when committed to pushing boundaries and challenging the sonic self, yet Giaçinté fulfilled it, showing improvement compared to his past releases.
On a more personal level, hearing the tracks, and their dark – sometimes menacing – moods kept me curious, considering the light-hearted, upbeat character of Giaçinté.
It shows how this labour of love and dedication is also a crucial part of personal expression and human experience, in displaying all the colours of a being which may not necessarily be easily divulged otherwise.
This release is a solid piece of encouragement to support both the label and the contributing artists to delve ever deeper into an unhindered exploration of the potential of sound, as an innate force within us, while continuing to experience life as a beautiful library full of sonic possibilities.
WRITING BY: TINA CAMILLERI | 22 MAY 2023
