Painting Petals On The Planet Ghost - Fallen Camellias [A Silent Place - 2008]Painting Petals on the planet ghost is the third release by this off shoot of My Cat is An Alien featuring Maurizio & Roberto Opalio and Ramona Ponzini who last joined them for the Black magic Disco project. But unlike the dense often hectic sonic waters of Black magic Disco this is deeply tranquil, beautiful and hypnotic. Based mainly around harmonic electric and acoustic guitar lush strums/picks and Ramona Ponzini haunting Japanese female vocals with lesser sonic contributions from wind chimes, spacey snthy textures, glockenspiel, etc. This really is a lot less spacey, improvised and textured based than My Cat is An Alien works, the tracks unfolding with rich and beautiful played melodies mainly coming from the guitar that’s played in the most traditional and conventional manner I’ve ever heard the brothers play. Each track drifts ghost like and tranquil into the next giving this wonderfully soothing yet slightly haunted vibe for the whole of the albums just over half an hour running time. It feels like it could be some product of a 70’s Japanese hippy communion, the air heavy with incense and hash, all the players eyes half closed on the edge of trance. It’s an album the will loosen and relax your body and mind with just the slightest tinge of melancholy hoovering through it. Really beautiful and lush playing from all the three involved but the passionate, emotional and straight guitar playing from Maurizio Opalio is the highlight here. A dreamy, lush and hypnotic album that will appeal beyond the My Cat is An Alien fan base. I doubt you’ll hear a more beautiful, tranquil and enchanted record this year- really you’ve just cant help but fall in it’s sonic warmth and lushness and drift off. Roger Batty
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