ULTRA UNITED: Ultra Audience

Released by: State Art

Release year: 2002

Format: CD

Tracklist:

1: Physical Initiation 01:15
2: Arise 05:27
3: The Quiet Riot 03:44
4: Incendiary Lover 06:26
5: From Consciousness to Nowhere 05:52
6: Scrape in the Sky 01:02
7: The Volunteer 09:42
8: Sunset 03:45
9: Snow Muzak 07:00

Total Length: 44:13 min

General Facts:

Ultra United is a project by Carlo Magno. I believe this is Ultra United's debut album, at least it is the first CD by this project that I have ever come across. An EP has earlier been released by Drone Records however.

Review:

Listening to Ultra Audience quickly nullified any preconception that the layout of the CD might have left me with. From looking at the packaging, I was expecting the typical Neo-Classical/Etherial with female vocals etc. Instead this turned out to be a rather obscure journey through harsh and bleak Dark Ambient soundscapes. Ultra Audience is brilliant, Carlo Magno has really succeded in inducing a lot of emotions into the music without letting it sound to overdone. The result is a very sophisticated formula of distant, yet ample Dark Ambient.

The Quiet Riot takes on a serene drone approach that is somewhat akin to that of raison d'être or Necrophorus. The next track Incendiary Lover however presents a more eclectic sound where reverbed drums loom under a dreamy flow of ethereal melodies. It is a really beautiful piece that go to me on first listen and it has not let go off me since then. In general, I found this album to be a very emotional one, mostly remaining quite calm but always centered around a very dark sound pallette. The way the noises have been compiled gives room for visualisation from the spectator's side. This is especially evident when this album is heard at the late hours. Many are the hours when I have been just sitting in the dark while letting my imagination flow away to the looming music of this CD. It may not be ultra revolutionary music but it feels so true and honest. The album was recorded live in the studio by Mr. Magno himself so this is not another overproduced, sterile sounding computer offspring we are talking about here.

Ultra Audience presents a very skillful craft of very substantial Ambient music enveloped by quality harsh noise. It will definitely be on my top ten list for the 2002. Do not miss this one.

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Five questions to Ultra United

ECTONAUT: Please introduce your project to the Ortus Obscurum readers.
For how long have you been doing this and for what reason?

CARLO MAGNO: One-Man-Project (ITA). It took me 4 years to finish this record. "Reason": Because Rock 'N'  Roll saves lives.

ECTONAUT: Tell us something about the tracks on the reviewed release. Did you work with specific methods when you composed them? Is there a concept behind this release or anything else interesting that you think we should know about this release?

CARLO MAGNO: All the tracks are recorded "live" (which means without using sequencers) in order to improve the emotional, not rational aspect of music. There are concepts completing each other. But it's too complicated to put down 4 years of work in just a few lines.

"Interesting": The range of sounds is extraordinary. There are unique emotional landscapes on this record.

ECTONAUT: How would you describe your music to completely new listeners? Do you feel that your project belongs to a certain genre? Are there any bands that you think you can relate to soundwise and conceptwise?

CARLO MAGNO: Emotional, moody, spacey, monumental, epic, etc., ... "Genre": It's a compendium of different genres. "Related Bands": There are no relations to other bands or projects, at least not to genre specific projects.

ECTONAUT: What is most important in music according to you? How do you define quality music and what are your musical influences?

CARLO MAGNO: "Most important": The emotional aspect. "Quality music" = Music with deep emotional impact. "Musical influences" (for this record): Bryan Ferry, The Beach Boys, Terence Trent D'Arby, Leonard Cohen, Depeche Mode (see Booklet).

ECTONAUT: What plans do you have for the future? Are there any new releases planned? Anything else you would like to add?

CARLO MAGNO: This is a new release. Now that I'm a member of the STATEART-Crew, everything seems to be possible.