Alto//Piano cover

Alto//Piano

Released

A bit like Tom Zé or a differently freaked Sebadoh? Everest Magma is a force in the Italian underground, ten years into a streak of thrilling records. Alto//Piano has a Harry Smith vibe, like he sang his heart out while making a bespoke gnostic cowbell mobile to ward off distemper. Then, Magma turns around to bang on a set of thin weathervanes suspended in tanks of olive oil while reciting hymns to his own private god, a guitar covered in wax and contact mics that cures blindness. The feel of the homemade is strong here, as is a relish for the process of making and editing sounds. There are not always vocals but everything sings.

Sasha Frere-Jones

Recommended by

Suggestions
Phallus Dei cover

Phallus Dei

Amon Düül II
No. 5 cover

No. 5

Christina Vantzou
Floral Shoppe cover

Floral Shoppe

Macintosh Plus
Geogaddi cover

Geogaddi

Boards of Canada
Virgins cover

Virgins

Tim Hecker
Lack cover

Lack

Pan Daijing
Expecting cover

Expecting

Shane Parish, Tashi Dorji
Schaum cover

Schaum

Masayoshi Fujita, Jan Jelinek
Smoke Point cover

Smoke Point

Smoke Point