The Wire (April 2007)
23-03-2007
Christa Pfangen are a duo comprising Andrea Belfi and Mattia Coletti, members of a new music scene in Italy quietly delving beyond post-rock into Improv and electroacoustics.
They take as theri moniker Nico’s original name, though the singer is hardly a touchstone for what hapens here – perhaps it’s some oscure comment on rock artifice and pretende.
“See Me” is typical of Belfi and Coletti’s working method. In this intricate exchange of percussion, acoustic guitar and various devices, it’s as if the two musicians are not so much ‘conversing’ with each other, but rather ignoring one another completely – and yet, the effect, thought incongruous, is pleasantly striking. “Today” is hardly tonal, yet it’s made up of glimmering strands of what might once have constituted some sort of melodic whole. On this and “I’m Leaving” they break into vocalising, but it’s not unlike the way Glenn Gould occasionally starts humming over his performances of Bach – a ‘hum’ that arises from their sheer absorption in performance.”Playing Apart” is all drones and enigmatic whispers, while “Showing you how a softer beat would work as well” coaxes you deeper into theri lair of thinking.
Titles like “Tiding Up, Gettino Out” and “Simply, Just An Object” have an unassuming quality that becomes Christa Pfangen as they shuffle, with ant-like industry, ttrought their busy arramgements and spontaneous weavings. There is a wonderfully 'soft' quality to their work. Despite its stark juxtapositions and disharmony, it's free from any of the conflict, strife, ego or ruthlessly insatiable desire that regular rock is prone to reflecting and transmitting onto the world.
David Stubbs
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Andrea Belfi
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