Giovanni Venosta – Olympic Signals LP
One of the great lost documents of the Italian avant-garde, Giovanni Venosta’s debut album Olympic Signals is a remarkably diverse work of Italian minimalism grounded in Venosta’s sweet and dreamy piano, but expanded with synthesizers, tape loops, woodwinds, and more. Reissued in 2017 and not many copies left in the US!
Venosta‘s first album released in 1984 at the age of 23 is a committed subversive parody of minimalism which makes this record an unique and original work. Recorded in the living room with a 4 track Tascam, this album reveals a profound need of expression by this young pianist who felt clutched by the sound of Terry Riley, Michael Nyman, Brian Eno, Steve Reich, Penguin Cafe Orchestra and Dollar Brand. The contribution of Roberto Musci results in more esoteric and mystical side of the record and marks the beginning of a long and fruitful collaboration in which the arrangements of Venosta blends perfectly with electronics and various ethnic and acoustic sounds treated by Musci. 47 Minutes of inspired italian minimalism sound.