For his fourth album on Diynamic, Stimming celebrates the great outdoors – specifically the Italian Alps, where he recorded the album in a remote hut. His use of field recordings from the experience informs the tracks here and gives them a lovely natural quality, such as the cowbells blowing through the title track. There are some very subtle textures at work here, and also hints of different cultures – the hint of Latin in the guitar riff of ‘Prepare’ for instance, or the weirdly compelling ‘Symphorine’, which seems to go further afield. Meanwhile an unexpected choral interlude breaks up ’22 Degree Halo’ before sharper synth sounds appear. The field recordings Stimming uses crackle with interference at times, adding to the overall ambience of ‘Alpe Lusia’ – which is a thing of understated but meticulously crafted beauty.
5 out of 5
Reviewed by Ben Hogwood
