A review of Alessandro Cortini's "Forse 1"

Forse 1 is the aural tour of a huge, lost planet; one replete with mountains and oceans and caverns, each with their own sonic resonance. While nothing here has what would traditionally be referred to as a climax, neither does the sky nor the sea. The creator, Alessandro Cortini, is best known for his work as a multi-instrumentalist with Nine Inch Nails and How to destroy angels as well as the sole member of the electronic project SONOIO. Forse 1 is the first in a series of three album which Cortini composed and created using only the Buchla Music Easel.

The album opens with "Basta", a massive crystal cathedral which slowly fills with solemn light, so bright that it blinds. While the evolution here is subtle, there's beauty in its depths, a reward for the patient and perceptive listener. One can almost hear breathing in the empty spaces...
From the blinding light, we are plunged, blinking, into the cool gloom of "Carta", as expansive as it is subterranean, deep but wide. Even though it's currently the height of summer, one can't help but feel a chill while listening to this.
The journey continues, making stops at the cold, glowing nightscape of "Festa", the dark, restless, troubled shores of "Gira", where something is using that darkness as a shield, hiding just out of view, and at "Resta", which sounds the most like a reference to one of Cortini's SONOIO tracks.
The two tracks that stand out the furthest are "Nebbia" (galactic in scope and regal in tone, a light in the frozen darkness, much like Cortini's music in general) and "Gloria" (the warmest and most nostalgic piece here. Like reliving a memory as it dissolves around you, until you're left standing in the staticy echo of a beautiful day, a shadow with color, tint and hue).
The album ends when, while exploring the lunar plains of "Sera", the moon in question becomes sentient then either eats you or explodes.
Or both.

Cortini's inherent warmth is present throughout the album, quite an accomplishment given the tools with which he has to work.
The BME has that unique the-future-envisioned-by-the-past vibe to it, conveying, at the same time, a sound both dated and futuristic, add that specific sound to Cortini's uncanny ability for taking something buzzing, cold and lifeless, like the BME, and making it sound comforting, optimistic and nostalgic, and you have something strange and wonderful; something big and sweeping and alien and pointy...like being embraced by a robot.
Forse 1 is more than just Alessandro Cortini expertly wielding the Buchla Music Easel, it's him giving it a heartbeat and a soul.