I haven't featured Voices From The Lake on ASIP that much, and I have no legitimate reason why really. I was luckily enough to see them play live last year, and individually Donato Dozzy and Neel's albums never leave my most-played pile - Dozzy's 'K' and Neel's Phobos two of my all-time favourites of recent years, and Dozzy's multitude of techno records and Acid Test collaborations are always first in line when I play vinyl out. Their infamous Voices From The Lake guise however, is a more irregular yet always welcoming spectacle.
After spending hours absorbed amongst VFTL's original self-titled album from 2012, seeing them play live in 2014, and stock-piling as many of their vinyl EP's as possible in-between, I've come to the conclusion that these two are one of the most accomplished duos to grace our ears. They can make a dance-floor shake, they can hypnotise crowds (story for another time) , and on the other end of the spectrum, they create some of the most beautiful ambient music you could wish for. And, yet despite having the talent and skills to unleash infamous tracks one after the other, VFTL currently exist in this 'live' space which ensures that a listen to one of their albums is an unexpected, slow-burning, magical experience, often with one extra caveat...
There's always the one moment or chord change which will hook you forever; that moment of melody amongst a forest of mysterious sound; the appearing light after 30-minutes of progressive, bubbling textures have wrapped you tight. In VFTL's first album, it was the majestic undercurrent of synth in S.T (creeping in at 1.35 minutes), like a ray of light. For their Live at MAXXI album, the duo restrained to the very last track Max, brought in Brando Lupi for guitar overdubs and unleashed...
Live at Maxxi is a signature performance with the listeners journey in-mind, and I guess this is what makes these two so special as VFTL. Their appearances together are rare, and their recordings together even more so. But instead of sitting down and jamming in a studio, Dozzy and Neel seem to be true entertainers that thrive as a live duo. They could undoubtedly churn-out studio album after album, but I like it the way it is now - a pure unfiltered live journey with a euphoric ending. This approach made that last track even more special, put the rest of the album into perspective and induced even more respect than I ever thought was possible for the superstar Italians.
Digital available at Bandcamp, with an LP arriving June 22nd.
