ancient bubbles

elsewhere review

My Home, Sinking – Let It Fall

(2020 Editions)

4AD is 41 years old this year and celebrates 4 decades of survival. Ivo Watts-Russel, 4AD’s visionary founder, sold the label in the late 90’s and Vaughan Oliver who was responsible for the label’s visual identity during the Watts-Russel years sadly died at the end of 2019. 4AD as we knew it and Oliver’s graphic design studio 23 Envelope/V23 are fondly remembered. For many the 4AD of the twentieth century holds a very special place in their personal history of discovering music and design, but of course there are survivors, listen to the recent work of The Breeders for example or look at Chris Bigg’s current work (Bigg became and integral designer at V23 from the mid 80’s onwards).

In steps 2020 Editions, a new label founded in 2020 and curated by Stefano Guzzetti. After previous solo-release collaborations Guzzetti enlisted Chris Bigg to become 2020 Editions head designer, all of the labels first three releases are designed by him with a very honouring approach reminding of some of 4AD late 80’s early 90’s designs. Musically Guzzetti’s background is more modern classical and mostly instrumental and 2020 Editions first two releases concentrated on cello (Gianluca Pischedda – Alone) and acoustic guitar and piano (Enrico Coniglio & Stefano Guzzetti – Lost & Found). The third release, again from Venetian Enrico Coniglio but under his My Home, Sinking moniker, opens the label’s palette considerably and is also an inward progression for the My Home, Sinking project. On previous My Home, Sinking albums Coniglio collaborated with many invited artists (for example Fovea Hex’s Laura Sheeran to name just one of many) resulting sometimes in conflicting styles, where the artistic intention seemed to overbear the atmosphere.

Let It Fall features Lindsay Anderson (of L’Altra) as the only vocalist on two of the tracks that form a kind of dual center on the album. The music has a much lighter feel than Coniglio’s previous works and it feels like the supporting orchestra and collaborating musicians act as a natural extension complementing Coniglio’s ideas throughout. Ambient electronics and acoustic modern classical elements merge with a delicate pop sensibility, in particular during A Silver Lining and Among The Ash, the two vocal tracks. Anderson’s delivery occasionally reminds of perfect mellow pop moments, like 4AD highlights from His Name Is Alive or Insides, which are followed by Labradford-esque guitar styles on the final track It Will Fall.

On Let It Fall My Home, Sinking achieves an all encompassing amalgamation of all these different styles that combine to a very harmonious and hopeful journey. Combined with quirky electronic and acoustic effects and unexpected twists around every corner, it avoids feeling staid. Instead it manages to feel completely removed from time and place, albeit with a tendency to somewhere between now and yesterday when things felt a little more free. Combined with the super slick packaging designed by Chris Bigg, produced to the highest standard, on CD this album makes perfect sense in a post 4AD universe (your humble writer is still waiting for the physical CD in the mail, but is judging from the label’s two previous releases). Let’s hope that 2020 Editions will have more gems like this in store for us in the future, only three releases in and off to a good start.

(Jenus)