Oymoz

Antonio Albanello is the musical mastermind behind the cryptically named project, Θymoz. Over the last thirty years, his works have been unveiled to the public in waves of creativity, ever oscillating between pop and experimental.

Since the 1980s, Albanello has initiated and produced numerous pop and rock projects (The Men, Albanello). He was a member of the mythical group Dnjepr and has developed concepts for sound installations and theatre music. At the present time, he regularly performs in a live electronic setting under the name ozmoZ. Exploring and experimenting with different electronic realms, over the years he has increasingly created songs that seek to unite electronic and organic soundscapes In his project Θymoz, Albanello brings together his long-time musical companion Marco Maria, drummer Manuel Pasquinelli, pianist Maja Nydegger and sound engineer Chris Diggelmann to form a unique collaboration of artists.The development of Breed was a gradual process involving multiple phases. Its evolution began in Albanello’s recording studio, but then disruptive construction noise sent the project on a one-and-a-half-year odyssey. Working in a mobile recording studio, the ideas were matured and crafted together in the area surrounding Bern, by the North Sea and in Berlin. Each stage of the journey gave rise to new material and increasingly refined soundshaping. Many traditional elements were cast overboard; conventional song structures became visibly corroded. During the recording sessions in the Church of the Holy Spirit (Heiliggeistkirche) in Bern, the elements of Breed were blended together to createa cohesive whole, skilfully weaving the majesty of the baroque organ, grand piano, percussion and vast space into the fabric of the electronic stories. It is this bold experimental approach which gives the album its distinct atmosphere. The ten stories it recounts are told through very few words. On this intimate sounding album, the voice is held back and the lyrics are kept relatively short, often taking the form of lyrical and metaphorical interjections. They convey up a sense of transience, conjuring up feelings of loss, sleepless states and cracks. Breed does not strive for perfection. The elaborate soundscapes, subtle polyrhythms and organic craftsmanship intentionally reveal fault lines. A certain impudence emerges in the use of the stylistic devices. At the same time, the power of inherent beauty pointedly breaks through the melancholic veil in the form of melodies, rhythms and different musical planes.