The Rising Moon
Neuma, 2025
9/10
The composer, improviser, and sound technologist, Thomas Ciufo, pulls from ambient and electroacoustic ideas for these 10 sonically engaging tracks.
The title track leads with a warm and rich landscape that allows for the waves of synth to unfold with mystery, and “Still Arriving” follows with a chilling, cinematic appeal via the meticulous layering and atmosphere.
The middle spot belongs to “Out Of Silence”, where a bit of a haunting aspect enters the exploration, while “Light And Shadows”, the album’s best, carries traces of sci-fi nods in its moody and dreamy presence.
“The Quiet Sun” and “Loss And Acceptance (Still Listening)” exit the listen. The former radiates introspectiveness thanks to the strategic analog delivery that uses vocals like an instrument, and the latter emits a nearly spiritual component to its 8+ minutes of captivating song craft.
Ciufo blends analog, digital, acoustic and experimental noisemakers for a really introspective, sometimes tense and other times enlightening journey that wraps you in immediately.
Travels well with: Shannon Wettstein- Con Grazia- A Century Of Italian Piano Music; Professor Girlfriend- My Mother In Love: The Summer Sessions