Cassette Gods: STEFANO DE PONTI "Like Lamps On By Day" (Old Bicycle Records)

STEFANO DE PONTI
"Like Lamps On By Day"
(Old Bicycle Records)

The work of a singular intelligence. The artist is conductor and engineer of his own bedroom symphony. He is patiently jamming away in his private, mystical world and presenting the fruits to the listener with classical forthrightness. It is a precious album, beautifully formatted for the cassette. The artist is dreaming honest. A private phantasmagoria for the attentive initiate. It is symphonic, but with great electronic sounds, including analog crack crack. Tasteful, careful variety. No voice to put a face to, but the psychedelic noir cover art can suffice for the heaven-bound earth-child element, along with the breathy flute that ends side B. The music is true and kind of sad. “Like Lamps on by Day” turns out to be a good title. The artist’s website says he is creating primarily in a theatrical/sound installation context. Italian theater. That sounds good and right to me. Recommended.

https://oldbicyclerecords.bandcamp.com/album/stefano-de-ponti-like-lamps-on-by-day

-- Kevin Oliver

Founded April 2007 A.D.

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How to put out a tape, how to become a Cassette God, show reviews, other musings: EDITORIALS

It should be obvious, this is a webzine we created to put cassette releases and the format of cassette itself on a pedestal. We are not doing this to be some sort of cassette snob, more-DIY-than-thou elitists or anything. We are doing it because all the formats that sound can be presented on are exciting and provide unique ways of shaping the listeners experience... so it is a shame that any one of these formats would fall by the wayside. Cassettes provide a listening experience that is similar to vinyl because of the intermission/moment of pause created by changing sides of the tape, but can be of almost any length between 30 seconds a side to an hour. Tapes can also be listened to in a car or while jogging.
While today this format helps keep the home label alive, its almost a dream to remember that once every musician from Michael Jackson to REM had their releases on cassette. Cassettes were a legitimate format, not just for the DIY underground. Maybe we (thats you too) are the last guardians of this format. Maybe someone, someday will popularize cassettes again. In the meantime we keep the reels turning. A little offering because at least there are a few of you that know there is more than one god of this land.

-- first CG post by Brian Miller April 2007