Review Summary: Electronic minimalist Fernando Corona produces a subtle listen of highly atmospheric, powerfully emotive construction that proves less is more.
Sometimes a minimalist approach can wield a grand outcome.
Such is the case for Mexican born Murcof, the recording alias of Fernando Corona, and his atmospheric electronica release
Remembranza. Through the usage of sampling, glitchy percussion, and traditionally orchestrated strings Corona accentuates this to its full extent. Much of the record is a timeless journey, drawing periods of near silence out among arythmic space with dark, ambient piano accompaniments in considerably low and dissonant registers. In this regard, the absence of extensive elaboration exudes the sense of pensive tension and feels almost like a symbolic representation of contemplation itself, seemingly leading one's wandering thoughts along with each subtle swelling. Deeply relaxing and silently intense, the seamlessness of the listen can easily captivate the attention and navigate the mind without commanding it to do so.
Mind you, the entire record is not simply an hour of aural dissonance that rarely grows past pianissimo, though I have had someone overhear and ask me if I was listening to "scary music" once. I had begin to respond with "No, it's um..." but quickly realized that without complete, unrestricted immersion it is not likely that the full dynamic wonder of this record would be something to easily summarize.
Just when the ear has permitted itself to rest languidly on the cloud-like somber textures, Corona will pry the mind's eye open by introducing an unobtrusive melody or stabilization of rhythm. The string orchestration is the primary instrumentation of choice in this method, which revive the senses and complement the oftentimes dreary passages of stillness. The album opener
Recuerdos transpires the first few minutes with what could set the listener into a trance like state before sporadic glitches become a coherent rythym and the droning piano plucks away minimal accompaniment that slowly evolves into recognizable melody.
The loveliest and easily the more memorable of the tracks arrives in
Rostro with a solemn piano motive that moves forward almost freely through a rythmic sample that could be easily mistaken for a heart beat, complete with ambient bits and pops. Strings soon drift in placidly and create a mournfully blissful countermelody, which is made further emotive by the occasionally temporary and eventually ultimate fading of the meter.
In contrast its successor,
Reflejo wastes no time establishing its structural presence, entering in with a more prominent percussive base and simplistic melodies that echo within strings that modestly haunt the majority of the track. The liveliest portions, however, arise in the last remaining tracks with a simplistic but meandering series of glitch and beat samples breathing life into
Rios and a periodic ostinato of sweetly serene string settings drifting up from the murky depths of
Camino.
With such a vast sea of variations in music today, it is easy to become allured with much of what is complex or extravagant. Though minimalism is certainly not something newly conceived, it is a tool that has stood the test of time and made its mark on many separate musical eras. Thankfully, there are composers like Fernando Corona and albums like
Remembranza that can remind us that sometimes the subtle and simple can prove to be painfully beautiful when executed correctly. Despite the periodic absence of activity, which could cause some to lose interest quickly, this is a collection that can and should be enjoyed by everyone. However, with the proper mental devotion applied, it proves to promote an introspective, thought-provoking experience that will require you multiple listens.
Recommended Tracks:
Recuerdos
Rostro
Camino
