Released in limited quantities in 1987, Elicoide is a beautiful example of minimalism in the tradition of Philip Glass, Steve Reich, John Cage, or Daniel Lentz, but with synths. It was recorded live in a single take by Nanni, contrabassist Paolo Grandi, Leonardo Croatto, and Marcela Pérez Silva.
The album is built around evolving repeating notes from a series of synths: SCI’s Prophet 5 & Sixtrak, Yamaha DX7 & TX7, and Roland JX8P. Nanni’s intention was to create a trance-like effect from the repetition and slow, subtle shift in changes with the notes themselves. Thus, the pieces immerse the active listener in an environment where tonalities and beats change on a seemingly microscopic level, but still progress the compositions themselves.
Nanni eventually gave up playing music in the 1990s and concentrated on his studies, which included biology and sociobiology. Recently, Elicoide has been repressed on Affordable Inner Space in 2017. Copies of which have since sold out.
You can stream Elicoide on Bandcamp here.
Desert Planet 