With in tow a ensemble of eight elements and the faithful contribution of Ziemowit Klimek, the Polish composer Hania Rani focuses attention on the magic of performance live. In “Nostalgia”, place and space become fundamental elements of an original artistic perspective, intoxicated with neoclassicism, ambient, minimalism, electronics and fleeting pop harmonies.
For those who have already had the pleasure of intercepting the Polish artist's last two albums (“Ghosts” and “On Giacometti”), the intense and cultured staging of the compositions will not be a surprise: nine songs that enhance the ambitious heterogeneity of Rani, skilled in extrapolating neo-futurist soundscapes from modern technology (“Komeda”) and at ease in the difficult dialogue between song structure and classical music (“Dancing With Ghosts”, revived with co-author Patrick Watson) .
Hania even indulges in forays into dream-pop with the complicity of Duncan Bellamy of the Portico Quartet (“Don't Break My Heart”), a song with remarkable similarities to the poignant beauty of “Venice Bitch” by Lana Del Rey.
Having already extensively described the peculiarities of Hania Rani's music in the past, and since the album is largely composed of songs taken from the latest project “Ghosts”, what should be underlined is the relevant quality of the live versions, decidedly above average , as well as rich in interesting nuances that add further charm to the compositions.
Recorded in Witold Lutosławski's Concert Studio at the Polish Radio headquarters in Warsaw, with the sole exception of “Nostalgia”, recorded at the Roundhouse in London, Hania Rani's live album is a precious confirmation of her talent.
10/19/2024
Antonio Santini for SANREMO.FM
