Camera Magmatica co-founder Prg/m and fellow Italian artist Neel come together for Mirabilis, a new EP that fuses ambient tones and techno flavours. Five tracks come on the vinyl 12", plus two digital bonuses.

Camera Magmatica calls back on board Neel, after the experimental outing cassette he curated some years ago. He is of course a revered sonic sculptor who works as one-half of Voices From the Lake on labels like Token Records, Spazio Disponibile and Spectrum Spools. He ended 2022 on a high with his EP The 808 Archive on Non-Series, and now continues that form in 2023. Prg/m, meanwhile, is a musician, live act and multimedia artist who also has a highly crafted sound that is rich in immersive pads and deconstructed rhythms. As well as working solo, he has collaborated as r²π with his label co-founders Retina.it and Ruhig while also releasing on Semantica, Midgar and Concrete Rec amongst others.

This new EP continues the Napoli Arcana vinyl series and pays homage to the mystic Neapolitan region. Mirabilis in particular is dedicated to the Piscina Mirabilis site that was constructed in the 1st century AD when Augustus was Emperor. It was an enormous reservoir at the end of the Aqua Augusta or Aqueduct of August and it provided drinking water for Naples and the Roman fleet.

'Idra' opens up in a cavern with water droplets and sonic ripples sketching out the vast size of the space. Atmospheric drones make for an increasingly heavy atmosphere as deep sub bass moves things forwards and spoken word snippets arrive with thoughts on climate change. 'Priapo' immediately sinks you into a deep and weighty techno rhythm that is loopy, organic and hypnotic in equal measure. It's sparse yet tense and leads into 'Misenensis' (Neel Version), an edgy sound world where unresolved drum loops rock backward and forwards with ambient pads and icy sounds layered to eerie effect. 'Mitra' is another smooth, heady techno rhythm that suspends you in space and time and 'Mirabilis' resets with two minutes of ambient that sounds like it was recorded at the earth's core with molten lava slowly flowing all around you.

The digital-only track 'Misenensis' (PRGM Version) is rubbery techno with gloopy drums and bass, pulsing synths. It builds with the tension of approaching danger as if an eruption is just about to come, then the second digital cut 'Leone' carries you away on another wave of serene and cerebral techno that is brought to life deft sound design.

This is an artful exploration of high-concept techno that works as well up close on headphones as it does in a darkened club space.

CM002 Neel & Prg/M - Mirabilis Ep [snippets]

/“There are songs and melody that make you really happy. And there are spiritual gifts that you have – giving these gifts away sometimes gives you that feeling of inspiration. These seconds of awareness make you realize that any second can be your favorite one, and it really is up to you.”
— Russell Simmons

Segment, real name Vladimir Špata, lives in Hradec Kralove. He’s also a founder of the music party series “Come In”, which he has, together with his colleague “Citty”, recreated as a music label “Come In Records”. His name also has its mark under the “Seismic” project, which has its base in Hradec Kralove.

Camera Magmatica is a new imprint started by r²π aka Retina.it, Ruhig and Prg/m. The name has been chosen because their studio is settled under the Vesuvius that, like other many volcanoes, is situated over a magma chamber: Camera Magmatica.

The magma in it is under great pressure, and, given enough time, that pressure can gradually fracture the rock around it creating a way for the magma to move upward. If it finds its way to the surface, then the result will be an eruption.

forma oscura originates from Greece and has been living in London since 2012.
 
Her musical preferences span across experimental compositions, tribal rhythms, mesmerizing melodies, dub-infused techno rhythms, and mentally-driven soundscapes that extend beyond limited aims. 

forma oscura is a resident on @faderadio, a community radio based in Athens, Greece.

{ La tristeza de un hábito que no quieres evitar}

Free Palestine 🇵🇸