Get Lost

Italian composer Bruno Bavotas music has always been emotionally direct, but as hes gained greater recognition for his work, hes expanded his scope and taken more risks. While his early albums consisted of pristinely recorded neo-romantic pieces for piano and cello, later efforts have included more fleshed-out instrumentation and atmospheric production, while early 2019 release RE_CORDIS found Bavota revisiting earlier compositions, performing them live in single takes utilizing looping pedals and other effects. Get Lost is a fully produced studio album that expands on the techniques and concepts of RE_CORDIS. The ambiance of the recording environment is just as significant as the melodies, if not more so. The clacking keys and other incidental noises give the music a homemade feel, while the live electronic processing draws out the musics dreamier qualities. Fittingly, these loop-heavy compositions are more rhythmic, hypnotic, and minimalist than Bavotas older works. Darkest Light begins with an ominous yet delicate melody and gradually builds up layers of haunting textures, and Sneaking Behind the Falling Sky starts out simply and calmly before becoming saturated with dreamy, starry effects. The Day That You Forgot similarly attaches a bitter trail of distortion to a clicking prepared piano melody. San Junipero features drifting acoustic guitar and rich strings, eventually joined by rumbling drums which give it the feeling of a ship setting sail. Your Eyes is slower and less steady than the other pieces, making it seem more fragile. (Dis)connected is appropriately titled, as it starts out eerily with a distant layer of hiss and occasional reversed notes before snapping into focus at the end with another grand string arrangement. With Get Lost, Bavota looks beyond the conventions of neo-classical and ambient music, speaking from his soul while heightening awareness of his surroundings. ~ Paul Simpson