Italian artist Stefano Palmonari crafts a cinematic, orchestral-led invigoration across his new album, The Inscrutable Judgment of the Aenigmatic Observer. The release excels with a range of soundscapes and emotions, taking particular inspiration from the soundtracks of Tim Burton films; Palmonari aims to “capture their gothic and whimsical essence,” here, and he certainly succeeds. The listening experience here is deeply memorable from Palmonari, who composed, arranged, and produced every track within. “The album is the result of months of introspective work and creative exploration, shaped by my long-standing passion for orchestral and cinematic music,” he says.
“Prelude to the Baleful Fate” opens the album with cinematic intrigue. Gusty wind, crackling thunder, and church-bell chiming concoct a chilly scene — furthered by prancing organs that complement the dark intrigue. Heartfelt strings and a wordless backing choir infuse later on, with masterful entrancement; the album thoroughly captivates from the get-go here. Another fantastic track in “The Irrevocable Verdict” arrives next. Eerie piano clanging finds reflection in quivering strings, then moving into a more deeply layered orchestral swell. Stomping percussion and a sense of vigor inject at mid-point, as the track dazzles in its gripping range between orchestral elegance and contagious ardor.
Another highlight comes in the album’s title track, where a rhythmic tick-tock effect melds with bells and a climactic orchestra-led grandeur. A brightly exuberant character takes hold past the first-minute mark, then quickly shifting into darker ruminations as rumbling percussion enters. Palmonari excels across both lush engrossment and feverish emotion, and the title track is certainly emphatic of the latter tonal range across its second half. Meanwhile, the haunting first half of “Escaping Won’t Be Easy” brings listeners back to the initially chilly soundscape, which feels nocturnal and foreboding. The Inscrutable Judgment of the Aenigmatic Observer marks a thorough success from Stefano Palmonari.
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“The Irrevocable Verdict” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup.
