Thursday 11 June 2015

Shizune - Le Voyageur Imprudent LP


Tracklist:

1. Aestheticism
2. Notes Of Decay
3. Un Telefono Che Non Squilla
4. Sputnik! Nostalgia
5. Vesper
6. Immortel Et Imperissable
7. Senza Luce
8. Orienteering In Aokigahara 青木ヶ原 
9. Difficile Da Capire, Impossibile Da Spiegare
10. Instructions For Inertia

I thought I'd take some time to re-listen to the latest LP from everyone's favourite multi-lingual Italians, Shizune. Le Voyageur Imprudent was released in March via Dog Knights Productions and Driftwood Records. It follows their 2014 4-way split EP with Infro, Tall Ships Set Sail and Things Fall Apart. The record was released on three different vinyl colour-ways. There was a Yellow/Black mix (that's now sold out), there's as solid Yellow pressing and a transparent Red pressing, which are both still available. In terms of live shows this year, they've already shared domestic stages with the likes of Storm {o}, Caravels and Regarde, as well as many others.

Shizune are similar to Ojne in their more violent approach to screamo. Aestheticism contains a lot of up-tempo blasts and jangly guitars, which alongside the vocals are delivered with real passion and emotion. The intro riff to Notes Of Decay takes you a bit by surprise, as it’s so melodic. It’s a theme of Shizune’s music that isn’t apparent straight away. There’s a lot of punk rhythms and texture hidden within their music. You think that Un Telefono Che Non Squilla is going in a straightforward rock direction initially, but it’s not long before Shizune ushers away any such notions. They sound even more powerful when screaming in their mother-tongue and the instrumentation in the background is completely in tune with the vocals. Sometimes, screamo can sound a bit misplaced but not on this occasion. The the songs on Le Voyageur… seem to flash by with the majority being under three-minutes. Sputnik! Nostalgia swirls and flows, building in volume as it goes. At times there are flashes  of previous split buddies Infro on Vesper. During the verses the instrumentation in tempered slightly and when left alone, the simple song-structures that make this song so listenable becomes apparent. The second half of the Le Voyageur is full of urgency and brief spurts of emo-violence. Immortel Et Imperissable is surprisingly engaging baring in mind it’s short running time, with plenty going on. Senza Luce contains yet distills a lot of what gave this record’s opening song it’s impact. That blistering pace that begs your attention. Orienteering In Aokigahara is a beautifully crafted instrumental track, which would be perfect on any Japanese nature documentary. Penultimate song Difficile Da Capire, Impossibile Da Spiegare is over before it’s started and is played with blistering accuracy. Instructions For Inertia is more considered as it builds, before exploding into one final burst of Shizune’s infectious screamo. You don’t harbour any feelings of relief as Le Voyageur… comes to close, instead you feel empowered and almost cleansed by the music contained within it. No song outstays it’s welcome and Shizune prove why Italy’s screamo scene is so unique and strong, even if bands are relatively small in number.

It's available as a digital stream and as a name-your-price-download from Shizune's bandcamp page below:-



Vinyl copies can be purchased from the below labels (depending on where you are in the world) -

Dog Knights Productions - http://dogknightsproductions.bigcartel.com
Driftwood Records - http://www.driftwoodrecords.limitedrun.com

Shizune Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/weareshizune
Dog Knights Productions Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/dogknights
Driftwood Records Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/DriftwoodRecords

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