Nicola Ratti "From the Desert Came Saltwater"

Label : Anticipate | Format : CD | Year : 2008

Dynamic and well balanced, this subtly haunting album maneuvers through full, layered sequences into spare moments of near silence and back again with ease. It isn't a loud-quiet dichotomy, but rather, skillfully placed areas of intimacy which offset the more overtly instrumental progressions. Nicola segues from droning strings and almost invisible vocals to subtly uplifting chords in a manner which makes the transition almost unnoticeable. This is just one example of how From the Desert Came Saltwater sneaks up on the listener. It captures a quality which allows it to disappear and then completely take hold without missing a breath.