Somewhat bizarre take on IDM / electronica / dance music from Zerogroove on Whatweare (DISS032). This is Giuseppe Fantini who recorded the whole thing with guitars, bass, synth, tapes and drum machine, adding his peculiar vocal interjections which deliver such messages as ‘We Are All Guilty’ and ‘Many Chances For Us’. Relative newcomer he, this is his second release after Everyday on Kaczynski Editions (from 2023). The intention seems to be asking, in exasperated tones, “what have we become?!” as a jaundiced eye is cast around the state of the world today; meanwhile the cover image of woman in a strange mask costume is given added poignancy by the photos of dressmaker’s tools within – tape measure, scissors, and thread. Perhaps Zerogroove takes a similar kind of “Doctor Frankenstein” approach to his music making. The fractured approach took a bit of getting used to, but if the track ‘Shame’ is indicative of his intention, it’s a weird blend of primitive rockabilly guitar licks (soaked in reverb) with nasal Americanised singing on top of a pared-down disco beat. Kind of like Alan Vega without any actual personality; Zerogroove’s incoherent lyrics indicate a mind unable to make any sense of the world, sending clipped telegrams based on what he sees on his social media feed. Pretty good!
Daimon are the unofficial “house band” of this Italian label, featuring label owner Nicola Quirconi and my favourite haunted occultist, Simon Balestrazzi. They’re joined as usual by Paolo Monti on Ellipse (DISS029), seemingly a survey of work they’ve been concocting in their alchemical lair since 2020. Been hearing Daimon records for a number of years now and usually found them acceptable if not especially exciting, but today’s set of six cuts seems to be “landing” in unexpected places and may stir a bone or two in anyone’s macabre graveyard. ‘Cat’ and ‘Ellipse’ have a lively sparkle, perhaps due to use of drum machine – an instrument which is allowed to go fairly bonkers on ‘Gama’, along with an equally unhinged sequencer. Also good are the many synth textures and sparing use of the eerie ghost voices; perhaps Daimon are starting to downplay their esoteric leanings in favour of other experimental pathways. ‘The Pillow’ is too excessive on today’s spin, but ‘Dismember’ brings just the right amount of menace to the thick drones, vying with Goblin as a soundtrack to any given Dario Argento gore-suspense movie.
Both sent from Dissipatio label in Italy 7 July 2025.