Acheloo - CDr Albums and Downloads
Carlo Luzi is an Italian guitarist born in Rome in 1962. Computer programmer, lover of ambient, experimental and electronic music, he started to play electronic music in 1980 and founded the group "Terra della Sera" with Paolo de Gregori (Kaj Norrljus), producing several projects released on LP in Germany, but which were not widely available. |
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| Sirens by Acheloo |
| CD £ / $15.69 |
| (*dollar rate may vary) |
"Sirens" is an ambient electronic music album of genuine passion. Beautifully produced and cosmic on an epic scale, the music washes over the listener as if floating in a sea of tranquility and calm. However, this is not your usual ambient fare. It is a superb and quite unique mixture of electronics and guitar with wonderful nuances of sound. The music weaves between soundscapes of beauty, calm, cosmic spaces and dark emptiness that crosses between the mysterious visions of early Tangerine Dream and the cosmic landscapes of 'Dreamtime Return' by Steve Roach.
The seven tracks on Sirens all have an 'edge' that is so often missing in this genre of music, and that edge is supplied by the colour and variation of Carlo's superb guitar or reed percussion. The listener is left floating serenely; a female voice in the distance, guitar textures imbuing the music with a mixture of dark and light, colour and shade, beauty and melancholy. The musical journey drifts and sways effortlessly, but never loses sight of its purpose. Sirens is a masterpiece of ambient electronic music.
Album Download available now here - CDr release November 2008
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| Ishtar by Acheloo |
| CD £ / $15.69 |
| (*dollar rate may vary) |
This is a wonderfully dark, but at the same time beautiful album of ambient electronica. From the opening moments of "Earths Mistress" with its menacing John Carpenter style sequence, the listener is hooked. Strangely ethereal and cosmic, this is music for dark nights with the lights dimmed; haunting and hauntingly beautiful, yet somehow menacing without ever being unsettling. Carlo Luzi's superb musical soundscapes walk the thin line between the creative genius of new music and genuinely superb creative atmospheric music without ever allowing the listeners attention to wonder. Indeed, it's the ability of the composer to keep the listener transfixed that is the true testament to the music's brilliance.
"The Fate of Everything" and "Nimbus of Stars" are both excursions into atmospheric electronica, recalling early Tangerine Dream, while "Ishtar" parts one and two gently caress the senses with sounds and exquisite nuances that drift effortlessly by in classic ambient electronica style. Just like the superb "Sirens" album, Carlo's excellent guitar and percussion add a dimension to the music that lifts it way above similar music of the genre. An absolute gem!
Album Download available now here - CDr release November 2008Acheloo - Carlo Luzi
Acheloo has a unique approach to ambient music, combining electronics and guitar to stunning effect. Beautifully produced and with a deep emotional content, the music washes over the listener like gentle waves while bathing in a sea of tranquility. To quote independent reviews; "The music is a wonderful example of cosmic, ambient music in the tradition of, say, Dreamtime by Steve Roach. Beautiful drifting soundscapes that weave between beauty, warm cosmic spaces and a sense of emptiness and danger that also call to mind the early visions of Tangerine Dream".
Acheloo's music is a welcome addition to the AD Music catalogue, showcasing not only Acheloo's unique and extraordinary ambient electronic music, but AD Music's ongoing commitment to showcasing exciting and emotive new music.
Acheloo - Album Reviews
Istar reviewed by Sonicimmersions
On "Ishtar" Carlo Luzi deepens his search for the essence and the core of sounds in a more minimalist style.
On the concept of the album, Carlo explained the dualist aspect continues as well: the goddess and terrifying demon, the expression of
the life cycle, the seasons of Earth, the Great Mother and the Queen of the Underworld, the one who sent the dreams and
omens, the revelation and understanding of things that are hidden.
The elegant flowing textural content of "Ishtar" at times comes close to the soft dwelling soundscapes which marked Steve Roach's landmark recording "Dreamtime Return", especially when one listens to the 12-minute opening track "I am the Earth's Mistress". The electronic sounds are nicely
complemented by sounds of the sea and spacy guitar, giving the music a dreamy atmosphere. This is music moving in the slow lane, taking its time to
venture into deeper sound worlds. On the second and third track, the gliding sound of electric guitar is more prominent, but remains pleasant.
The album ends with "Ishtar Gate", split in two parts of 7 and 11 minutes. On these two great pieces, nicely layered velvet textures return, slowly
cascading and shimmering in its dreamy content while some nice guitar surfaces here and there. These pieces make me rank this album even higher than "Sirens".
All in all, these gentle, soft glowing and well rendered soundwaves are recommended for fans of ambient electronic music.