Quintesence

The five-track EP Quintesence is Brazilian composer Ricardo Donoso's soundtrack to a 2015 installation by British artist Florence To that took place in a surround sound dome (Satosphere) located at the Society for Arts and Technology in Montreal. Donoso's intense electro-acoustic score incorporates strings, piano, and vocals, but these elements are often electronically processed beyond recognition into amorphous, sometimes heavy clusters of sound. The pieces are suspensefully paced, building up ethereal washes before suddenly switching to sharp, deadly attacks. "Metaphase" seems to inject a bit of grime/dubstep bass wreckage, coming very close to the sonic destruction of experimental post-club producers like Rabit and M.E.S.H. Closing track "Telophase" builds up to a violent crash before ending with ethereal pianos and creepy hushed voices. The EP is a brief but compelling showcase for Donoso's stunning sound design skills. ~ Paul Simpson|

The five-track EP Quintesence is Brazilian composer Ricardo Donosos soundtrack to a 2015 installation by British artist Florence To that took place in a surround sound dome (Satosphere) located at the Society for Arts and Technology in Montreal. Donosos intense electro-acoustic score incorporates strings, piano, and vocals, but these elements are often electronically processed beyond recognition into amorphous, sometimes heavy clusters of sound. The pieces are suspensefully paced, building up ethereal washes before suddenly switching to sharp, deadly attacks. Metaphase seems to inject a bit of grime/dubstep bass wreckage, coming very close to the sonic destruction of experimental post-club producers like Rabit and M.E.S.H. Closing track Telophase builds up to a violent crash before ending with ethereal pianos and creepy hushed voices. The EP is a brief but compelling showcase for Donosos stunning sound design skills. ~ Paul Simpson