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| sps26119 - to be released on March 27th, 2026 DOROTHY MOSKOWITZ & UNITED STATES OF ALCHEMY SONGS OF COMPASSION CD in folding envelope containing a 28-page 15x15cm booklet |
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| "Songs of Compassion" is a project by United States of Alchemy, bringing together Dorothy Moskowitz, Francesco Paolo Paladino and Luca Chino Ferrari in a musical landscape that moves between psychedelic balladry, chamber music and delicate electronic soundscapes. The album explores the shades of night and the subtle vibrations of an almost intangible emotional dimension, where music seems to arise from inner listening rather than from conventional compositional structures. At the heart of this expressive universe stands the voice of Dorothy Moskowitz, a historic figure of American psychedelia, who reveals here an extraordinary interpretative maturity. Her vocal presence moves across multiple registers: meditative, dramatic and visionary. Within her performance one may hear distant echoes of major twentieth-century voices - from the emotional depth of Nina Simone to the austere aura of Nico, and even the dramatic tonalities of Scott Walker - while still maintaining a distinctive and unmistakable identity. The sonic architecture of the album is shaped by Francesco Paolo Paladino, responsible for arrangements and creative mixing. His work does not merely accompany the voice but builds a layered acoustic environment where piano, synthesizers and electronic textures interact with acoustic instruments such as oboe, clarinet, flute, violin, trombone and percussion. The result is a refined sonic fabric capable of evoking nocturnal and contemplative atmospheres. The poetic dimension of the project is carried by the lyrics of Luca Chino Ferrari, whose texts oscillate between existential tension and sudden visionary openings. The narrative path unfolds gently, almost on tiptoe, yet leaves a powerful emotional resonance in the listener. Among the album’s highlights is "Charlottesville", a composition by Joseph Byrd, founding member of the avant-garde group U.S.A., reinterpreted here through Moskowitz’s imaginative sensibility and Paladino’s rich sonic palette. Another remarkable contribution comes from guitarist Gary Lucas, whose appearance in the track "People" adds a luminous and expressive layer to the musical texture. The album closes with "Flying Lullabye", a composition by Paladino that unfolds like a suspended lullaby, offering a contemplative epilogue that reflects the intimate nature of the entire work. Taken as a whole, "Songs of Compassion" deliberately moves beyond the conventions of the traditional song format. Instead, it inhabits a rare borderland where music, poetry and sonic research converge into a singular artistic expression. It is a work that asks for attentive listening, yet rewards the listener with an immersive emotional experience - a journey through inner landscapes where fragility and beauty coexist in delicate balance. The result lies at the intersection of electroacoustic improvisation, sonic rituality, and timbral landscape. Contini’s trombone and ritual instruments - including the Tibetan dungchen, conch shells, jaw harps, thunder tube and recorders - generate a field of resonances that is expanded and transformed by the electronic percussion, keyboards, and sound treatments of Paladino. Gong, piano and flutes performed by Sinigaglia introduce a dimension of suspension and harmonic depth. The album unfolds as an acoustic ecosystem in which instrumental gesture and architectural space become part of the same compositional process. A decisive role was played by the acoustics of Palazzo Farnese in Piacenza, where part of the recordings took place. The halls of the palace, with their remarkable natural reverberation, transformed sound into an almost physical material: oscillations and echoes contributed to creating a sonic dimension that goes beyond simple musical execution, approaching an immersive and almost ritual experience. order |
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