Zinovia - The Gift of Affliction

I've spent the last few months under the spell of this debut album, released last year under Tympanik Audio. It has that rare distinction of being created by a musician who has a very high level understanding of harmony, performance and cutting edge electronic music production. For a debut record, it displays a polish and style that is right up there with others on this label.

The project's namesake, Zinovia Arvanitidi, is a classically trained composer who has had her work featured in film and theatre. She has been experimenting with the fusion of electronics with this style of cinematic music since 1999.

The first track 'The Blue Shade of Dawn Covered Your Skin' is a polished gem, and ambient wash of pure tranquility. It's a perfect introduction to the sonic depth of this album : with percussive basses, angelic pads and IDM styled beats all rising harmoniously together. A gently voiced piano punctuates the unfolding elegance throughout the track. This is my favourite moment of the album, and it's left an indelible mark on me over the last few months, an imprint that can calm me down within an instant of hearing the first few bars. Powerful stuff indeed.

The second piece 'Communicating Vessels' presents an interesting sound, but it doesn't quite resonate with me. The piano starts off just a little too discordant for my tastes, with a sort of a jazzy 'film noir' vibe that sounds to me to be just a little out of place on this album. There's more of the trademark percussive basses and glitched beats throughout the track, along with some interesting rising washes that make ample use of the stereo field to deliver some impressive panning effects.

'Entangled' is a brooding masterpiece, with understated piano and string scoring layered across a very sophisticated percussive bed. An accordion gives the whole work a uniquely European feel and highlights Zinovia's wide range of traditional musical influences. The piano work is really something to behold in this track - Zinovia Arvanitidi has been playing since the age of eight, and it shows.

There's a haunting symphonic melancholy that pervades the track 'Attached, Our Eyes Wide Open'. A brooding 'cello begins a slow and elegant counterpoint, before muted strings rise into the composition. It's slow and emotionally ensnaring, on par with the greatest cinematic mood-setters that I can bring to mind.

Tympanik Audio have carefully developed a reputation for releasing music that aspires to the greatness of melodic and technological mastery. With the release of this album, they seem have strengthened that commitment. It's a truly inspiring record. Feb 02 2014