Obsil’s Vicino opens with a high, twinkling sound like a music box–a sound that becomes a motif throughout the disc but which, although initially charming, manages to wear out its thematic welcome before the disc’s over. Which, for me, more or less describes Vicino. Interesting at first, but rapidly wearing thin. Which is unfortunate because overall Obsil (aka Giulio Aldinucci) culls a mix of fairly interesting, if not always consistent, ideas out of field recordings and miniscule clips of sound. The disc is built on an aggregation of moments, quick glimpses of sonic somethings that flash past and leave their afterimage turning in your head. Sometimes those afterimages are worth thinking about; just as often, however, they can leave you scratching your head and wondering what you were supposed to get out of it. While I usually enjoy discs that take the listener through shifts of identity or concept, Vicino at times seems more aimless than changing. The randomness of the sounds and the way they’re pulled together can seem abrupt and slapdash in spots. It feels like the further into the disc you go, the less cohesive it becomes. Tracks devolve into experiments that don’t always work. Fans of abstract and experimental music might find more points to latch onto here. For me, Vicino just leaves me wondering what it is I’m not understanding.

Available from Guido Aldinucci’s web site.