The two members of Agents Of Time, Andrea Di Ceglie and Luigi Tutolo, used the time during the epidemic to work on Universo, an album that was largely inspired by their ‘personal universo,’ a manifestation of the world that Di Ceglie and Tutolo created both inside and outside of their studio.
This explains the sparkle and brightness of Universo, which is full of personality, vigor, and experimentation as the duo pushes the boundaries of their music. Get ready to be pleasantly surprised if you go into Universo expecting simply another album of melodic techno; there’s a lot more going on here, and it’s all equally engaging.
Expectations are immediately astounded by the two-step pop of ‘Fallin‘, sung with gentle clarity by guest Audrey Janssens, a dream of a song that harkens back to the glory days of the early ’00s UK garage. This comes after a typically poetic opening gesture – the swirling, synaesthetic, self-titled intro track.
The soft minor-key piano of ‘Liquid Fantasy‘ spirals into a breathtakingly melancholic techno-pop epic, with Vicky Who?‘s vocals rich with yearning. ‘Interstellar Cowboy‘ is a self-assured, lithe, disco-fied stride. Janssens makes another appearance on Poison’s electro-swirl; ‘Dream Vision‘ revisits their hit ‘The Mirage‘, which is dramatic and gentle with sweeping strings; and ‘Part Of Life‘ enters the scene with a schaffel-stomp.
The more dancefloor-oriented songs, like ‘Ciao‘, stand out even more against this rich variety because they are more determined, streamlined, and detailed, with chugging, Moroder-esque bass and strobe-lit synths that blast melodies into the heavens. Its noises are so tactile you want to reach out and touch them, and its music is so seductive you can’t get it out of your head. Universo has a rich texture, but it still breathes. A masterpiece of Agents Of Time, Universo is a passionately beautiful album, with a daring spirit. It masterfully balances pop melody with elegant, velvety techno.
Image Credits: (Press Kit)
