Check out the new Wire Tapper CD, out with the November issue of the Wire magazine, in stores now: it features one track from the upcoming LP “BRAND” by Gary Smith / Silvia Kastel / Ninni Morgia, out mid-January on Ultramarine.
Full info here

The Ultramarine tape series has officially started and here’s our third one:

Ninni Morgia “Ladyboy Sonata” CS

Thirty minutes of guitar delirium from Italy’s finest avant guitarist. Morgia starts off in his own unique warped way, with a noise psych intro filled with fiery bendings and his signature wild distortion. Then the guitar gets modulated until it’s filtered and thinned out to a hammering, hypnotic cicada chant. It’s a Kafkian nightmare, and when the guitar is reduced to bits, it feels like it’s emitting its last cries of help, like Solmania’s face-cutting licks, or better, like a windy February night walk in NY. Morgia’s guitar work resembles the extended techniques applied to trumpet by Peter Evans and Axel Doerner, both in terms of dynamics and research, especially in richness, clarity and overtones, and also in a beyond-limits live performance (there are no overdubs on any of his recordings). Pro-dubbed imprinted black tapes with a foxxy Ninni on the cover. Edition of 100.

Also comes in a numbered limited edition of 9: same packaging but housed in stenciled ladyboy cardboard boxes by SK:

QUESTIONS

FREAKCORE (excerpt)

Review on Vital Weekly:

Following his duo record with Marcello Magliocchi, here is now a solo cassette by guitarist Ninni Morgia. Like on that LP, Morgia is an improviser, but with a rock(ist) attitude: his music is quite loud, due to the extensive use of sound effects (modulation, distortion), played with objects on the strings with a great sense of energy. Sometimes he takes back what he is doing and gets a bit more quiet, but even then his music remains a razor sharp thing with loud sounds. Quite wild, sometimes reminding me of some Japanese music, such as KK Null or Solmania on ‘Vomit Reflex’. It reminded me of the music of Lukas Simonis, solo and with his various impromptu duos. I can easily imagine a dueling guitar battle between these two. This is some powerful thirty minutes. (Frans de Waard)

Select destination:

Europe €6,00 USA & Other €9,00 Asia €12,00

[UM010] Silvia Kastel “LOVE TAPE” CS / DL

Silvia Kastel:   synth, voice, bass, beats, tenori-on, NatGeo artwork

A concept tape packed with unconditional love to whoever hears/buys/does whatever with it.

C30, white shells with watercolor labels by SK; each tape is unique.

Edition of 60; also comes in a numbered limited edition of 9  with different covers, each one featuring an instant picture of/by Silvia Kastel.

UMINE

SO WHITE

Download in WAV/mp3/FLAC

SOLD OUT, CHECK WITH DISTROS!

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[UM011] Marcello Magliocchi
“Music for Sounding Sculptures In Twenty-Three Movements” CS / DL

Twenty-three wonderful pieces recorded live in a tower in Tuscany, in which master percussionist Marcello Magliocchi plays sound sculptures byAndrea Dami, made of various metals including iron, brass, copper, steel, aluminium and featuring other elements like strings, stones and gongs.

Imagine a mix between Indonesian gamelan, Bertoia, Lucier, obscure recordings from Africa, Beaver Harris and Don Moye, all infused with Marcello’s unique approach to polyrhythm, dynamics and modulation, the result of over 40 years of personal studies. Each movement flows through the most disparate sounds: percussive, flute-like, thick drones, lap-steel, bells, cymbals… every sculpture becomes alive and is made resonate in all possible ways, through a fine work of tonal juxtapositions, rhythm interlocks, deep resonation and also using brushes, bows and sticks. The excellent clarity of the recording allows for a total acoustic enjoyment of the rich range of harmonics, pitches and clangs produced.
C60 type II chrome tapes, with photo artwork by Lidia Stranges and watercolor labels by Silvia Kastel; each tape is unique. Edition of 60.

“Magliocchi is a gifted player with a great sense of sound and timbre. Great music” Frans de Waard, Vital Weekly

MOVEMENT 11

MOVEMENT 20

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Click to see photos from the recording session

Select destination:

Europe €6,00USA & Other €9,00Asia €12,00

Excellent 9 / 10 review of “Sound Gates” by Ninni Morgia & Marcello Magliocchi on Foxy Digitalis:

This is an absolutely crucial slab of wax from Ultramarine records who have previously put out some astounding efforts from the likes of UK’s Chora and, loopy Deutschlanders, Kommissar Hjuler and Mama Baer. For this LP Italian guitarist Ninni Morgia has teamed up with fellow Italian percussionist Marcello Magliocchi. Both musicians have been active in the field of improvised music and experimentalism playing with the likes of Evan Parker and Daniel Carter. The LP is housed in a great photo which evokes the fluidity and lyricism of the pair’s approach to performance. This is most definitely a record fit for vinyl; where the active ritual of listening, flipping the wax and hearing every crackle (due to my overused and dusty turntable!) adds to the whole experience.

It is a tireless and difficult job to capture improvised music and create a feeling of endless possibility and live performance that such a method demands. Here all are achieved to vivacious affect. Both musicians assert themselves with strong voices without constricting one another; playing through varying speeds and volumes without arrogance or competition. There is a feeling of innate mutual understanding that can only come when two units are connected with both knowledge and a shared creative consciousness. Often the record remains as if teetered on a narrow ridge, searching in limited space, yet traversing expansive ground. Few clichés are used and the expansive approach is delivered with a minimal pallet through ingenious twists and turns. The quiet draws one in and the loud throws a bellow of sound that feels somewhat restrained in its aggression. It is the lack of juxtaposition and the oxymoronic expression that creates the jaw-dropping sound-scape. It must be something in the water, but a great point of reference would be Italy’s My Cat Is An Alien. The aforementioned duo have produced some of the greatest alien sounds and improvised dreamscapes I’ve heard and both Morgia and Magliocchi have most certainly matched this singular ability.

The record begins with a minimal and quiet world of rattling leaves, alien warbles and feral strings. Lunar plucks are warped and wrangled with chattering percussion that tremors and tumbles alike. At times it’s like disrupting a muted data-stream of caustic tones, yet its acoustic nature allows for organic warmth to glow trough. Guitar and cymbal play a horny dance in some fucked tryst that is joined by a grinding rhythm. Then the guitar erupts in a ferocious explosion of metallic quality. Bleating electronics sing an ode to the terminal as the percussion gongs with abrasive hands. There is a pastoral lunacy that evokes both Technicolor landscapes and barren remnants of sparsely populated wastelands. The second side continues many of the same themes, collapsing into a decayed and fractious explosion of guitar that absolutely rocks. The final section has similarities to Loren Connors most dramatic explorations. This is most definitely one of the best improvised records you’ll hear this year. Massive thumbs up!

9/10

Peter Taylor

http://www.foxydigitalis.com/foxyd/?p=16907

New vinyl available now:

Ninni Morgia & Marcello Magliocchi “Sound Gates“ LP / DL

Ninni Morgia plays live @ Imaginaria Film Festival on August 28th 2011

@ Complesso San Benedetto, Conversano, Italy

Click for info