As winter is now hitting England with all its cold, glacial silence, Mimes of Wine’s new release Memories for the Unseen stands out for its unconventional beauty, made of classical-infused folk with a minimal touch. The Tori Amos-esque emotional enthusiasm, mixed with the impetuous atmosphere a là Laura Marling, mixes with incomparable tunes, determined by classical education and a highly lyrical soul.
Written by Laura Loriga between Los Angeles and Bologna in the last 2 years, this full length is the result of the harmony between the singer and musicians Stefano Michelotti, Luca Guglielmino, Matteo Zucconi and Riccardo Frisari. This musical melting pot explores the Thus:Owl-y dark folk, embellished with echoes and dramatic climaxes (Yellow Flowers, Altar of Rain), and lounge-cabaret Karen Elson-esque milieu (Auxilio), creating a multifarious pattern of frailty and melancholy. Vocals and piano are lead by minimalistic guitars, creating sweet-sour dreamy pop (Teethmaker) and intimate tracks with a soundtrack-y undertone a là Danny Elfman (Ester).
The richness of the musical spectrum (cello, guitar, piano) and the fragile vocals create a whirling kaleidoscope of emotions, driven by twelve stories from twelve different voices, digging into the past. As ghostly presences, these voices talk about return, the past and true human nature, made of imperfections, shaped to be loved.: “Days end with dawn / My hope with a step / Silence is with the buzzing bees / while I turn my back” (Charade). Backing vocals, reverbs and echoes reflect these themes, which are emphasised through the lyrics: “Carry your pretty head / under the rail / Visions of heaven / angels’ trumpets await” (Yellow Flowers). Fragmented images of poetic desolation, as companion of minimal musical patterns: “…to wait for you / is like a thunder in my ear / so small, that you can hardly see / I could bite it just like a berry / so red its heart is” (Altars of Rain).
Delicate and fragile, just like the frost in early wintery mornings, Memories for the Unseen is a collection of feelings, condensed into twelve sublime songs.
