"Aix is the latest work from Italian artist Giuseppe Ielasi and the follow-up to 2007’s August (12k, 12k1044). WIth Aix we see Ielasi building his layered, atmospheric music around rhythmic grids. Most of the time these are quite irregular and the pulses are not neccessarily stable or clear. Where his previous work approached sound in a linear fashion Aix imposes a strong vertical development with the aforementioned grid and a production consisting of ons and offs, employing as much improvisation as Ielasi’s previous work, but in a different way.

Despite the self-imposed grid structure, Aix relies heavily on randomization. Not in the traditional sense of sound placement but instead of the spatialization of sounds, echoes, reverbs and the stereo image. As a result, Aix has an amazing sense and clarity of space as the small fragments of sound breathe and find their own place in the mix, thanks to Ielasi’s sublime skills as a mixer and engineer.

Ielasi relied heavily on numerous short samples and combining them in ways that fell into his groove; some found from others' recordings and many more recorded during the past year. We hear fragments of percussive (acoustic) objects, drums, piano, trumpet, guitar, and, of course, synthetic textures. Although there is a distinct rhythmic pulse to Aix, Ielasi manages to mold it into something wonderfully languid and warm... and strangely inviting."

-12k

"12k presents the latest solo work from Italian composer Giuseppe Ielasi. August is the 4th full-length cd from Ielasi following his critically acclaimed debut Plans (Sedimental, 2003) and the stunning Gesine and s/t (Häpna, 2005, 2006).

August takes a more linear approach to Ielasi’s composing with sounds stretched like like layers of gauze forming a thick, soft blanket. Utilizing piano, hammond organ, guitars, dobro, synthesizers and shortwave radio, Ielasi creates deep, warm drones and suspended, scratchy melodies with a hint of despair and melancholy that make this a very introspective album. His trademark guitar and live approach to instrumentation are in the forefront yet set behind an expertly processed veil of subtle electronics. The textures are unabashedly acoustic but buried and moody enough as to question their origin.

August is a haunting, but beautiful album that falls neatly between the starkness of Gesine and the scattering rhythmic complexity of s/t. LIke music for a farewell, an ending of ends, August is moody, static, slow and emotional."

-12k

"‘Stunt’ is the first in a series of three vinyl EP’s which represent an interesting stylistic
departure from Ielasi’s previous work. The series is focused on the use of one turntable and a large selection of vinyl records as sources for raw material, and pulses/rhythm as main organisational principle. The basic sound material, in the form of short segments and loops or longer and more complex improvisations, was collected over the course of three months, using techniques influenced more by “turntablism”, than traditional sampling or plunderphonics. The raw sequences have then been edited and assembled in 6 tracks (more to follow…), whose structures are probably closer to house music productions than to Ielasi’s more atmospheric and layered compositons from his earlier releases.
Stunt was mastered and cut by Rashad Becker at Dubplates & Mastering.
Full color cover photo by Italian artist Amedeo Martegani."

-Schoolmap