Dino Pacifici
Hallowed Ground
 
Canadian-born Dino Pacifici is not someone I had heard of before listening to this CD. On first listen, it is clear that he is well-versed in ambient and tribal sounds explored previously by contemporaries such as Steve Roach, Robert Rich, and A Produce. A range of styles is explored over six tracks, starting with two very long sound collages. The 23-minute opener, 'Solace,' begins with very interesting noises, like pots and pans being clanked in a distant cave. Slow washes of sound come in over the top of this, rising and falling like breathing. The effect is similar to the way Larry Kucharz uses alternating sound and silence, although I like the end result quite a bit better than Kucharz. This is a soft, delicate, very reflective piece.

Somehow, though it is fairly minimal and ambient, 'Solace' sounds much warmer and more musical than many others who have followed a similar musical path. Next up is 'Timeshift,' which sounds exactly like what I would expect if Steve Roach, during his tribal days of recent years, teamed up with A Produce. Long, clear bell tones sound very much like the opening notes to A Produce's 'Inscape & Landscape' CD. Tribal percussion dominates the first half of the track, then fades, allowing a variety of dark soundscapes to take centre stage for the remainder, which I like especially well. The bell beckons throughout this piece, and may drive some to distraction, but I found the effect rather hypnotic.

Following the two lengthy tracks are four relatively short pieces, beginning with the title track. Eerie voices and sounds start things off, then it goes tribal again. Though Pacifici seems to be influenced by some of the major tribal-ambient artists such as Roach and Rich, he nicely manages to find a niche of his own. The music is fresh and vibrant. There is actually a sequence that develops midway through the title piece, a very interesting and surprisingly well-placed diversion from the tribal and ambient textures. In an even more surprising turn, 'Warp' adds intelligent dance/techno sounds more reminiscent of Spyra than Steve Roach. 'The Ice Fields of Neptune' is perfectly titled, as tinkling electronics lightly play over space music, and I can imagine myself on Neptune's surface.

The musical range here is amazing, and yet it all blends and works very well. This has been growing on me fast. Only the closing track, 'Cave Dweller,' didn't do too much for me, striking me as an odd blend of tribal and pop, but I don't rule out this one growing on me, too. A striking album from an artist to keep an eye on. (PD)

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