By Kevin Scott
Kicking off with a synth beat intro you’d be forgiven for thinking Cine Privê was going to be a cut of pure synth-pop. This feeling vanishes in seconds when Domenico Lancellotti’s smooth Portuguese vocal kicks in and a bossa nova drumbeat gets busy in the background.
This opener has the sort of rhythm you’d expect from a man based in Brazillian (on this occasion with Italian heritage). Behind this and the tracks that fill the album there is a consistent sound that carries elements of folk and Latin percussion, along with a heavy focus on electronics, with embellishments to every track that heap on layers of sound, creating a mesmerising effect. Domenico is a multi-instrumentalist and that’s evident throughout with soundscapes created using a wide variety of guitars, keyboards – and that all powerful percussion.
The melodies are consistently upbeat – giving the tracks a strength that allows Domenico to experiment without detraction. As the album progresses more of a jazz influence comes along and when combined with the Portuguese-language vocals, the effect can be beguiling.
‘Receita’ is the most commercially acceptable track on the album where female vocals wrangle with Domenico’s as wah-wah guitar, brushed cymbals and bongos dash in and out of the track. The chorus could slot into a million quirky adverts (think convertible cars and summer fashion) – and don’t be surprised if it does.
There are areas where the experimentation goes too far – ‘Pedra e Areia’ begins with something approaching Parisian busking and ends up with a grinding that sounds as though Domenico has captured the essence of a London building site in full sway.
One minor fault in a 10 track album says more than the fault itself though. This is glorious stuff, relaxing and offering a slice of world music that has found plenty of influence in electronica and folk music. Spring’s coming, apparently, so if you’re planning on spending some time in the back garden with a beer, this could be your soundtrack.
