Live at Maxxi

For the follow-up to their widely praised self-titled debut full-length as Voices from the Lake, Donato Dozzy and Neel went further left field, issuing a recording of a live performance at a gallery in Rome. The duo's sound is still hypnotic ambient techno, but this time around there's far less emphasis on beats than on their previous album or EPs. There's still a lush, organic sound to it, but it feels a bit more alien. The album begins with sounds approximating dripping water, and from there it slowly progresses at an unhurried pace, moving through throbbing rhythms, chilling atmospheres (there's a constant chattering-teeth noise through several tracks), and a few offbeat surprises, such as the jaw harp loop in "Richiami e Oscillazioni." The album ends with a majestic 13-minute cover of Italian singer/songwriter Paolo Conte's "Max," which sounds less like the aquatic techno of Porter Ricks and more like a mid-'90s ambient release on Instinct Records, such as any of Taylor Deupree's pre-12k projects. The album's a bit more of a difficult listen than its predecessor, which is the type of relaxing, welcoming album that can be listened to at any time, but Live at Maxxi is still a rewarding album, especially due to the inclusion of the sublime "Max." ~ Paul Simpson