Miranda – Asylum: Brain Check After Dinner (2013)

If you’re into the wildest Sonic Youth like rock experiments and generally, into borderless, adventurous, noisy and raw, garage rooted rock with additional contorted electronic layers, Miranda is exactly the kind of “girl” you’re looking for. Really “kinky” stuff for your ears.
Miranda is a three piece band from the south of Italy (calabria and Puglia), but they relocated in Florence, Italy, since 1999. Piero Carafa playes bass, Giuseppe Caputo guitar, voice, synth and sampler, while Nicola Villani drum, electr. drum and synth.
During the several years of activity they’ve run different musical directions. Miranda’s artistic vision has been described “radical and broadminded, disaggregated and oblique, their attitude mocking and alienated” (Blowup Magazine 2006).
They’ve released 2 albums on fromScratch (Inside the whale, 2003, and Rectal exploration 2006) and a split CD with the Canadian band Creeping Nobodies. Defined “one of the most interesting Italian underground bands” (Rumore Magazine, nov. ’07) they’re becoming a cult band of the no wave scene, thanks to their incendiary shows and to their personal and uncompromising research constantly carried on.

The 3rd album, Growing heads above the roof (released on 2009 May for fromSCRATCH/audioglobe, rereleased on 2011 July for fromscratch/mandai), adds synthetic and sampled sounds and it’s considered the best Miranda’s album (Blow up mag). The sound is dry, essential and immediate (Rumore mag.)
The 4th album “Asylum: Brain Check After Dinner” was released in February 2013 on fromScratch/Audioglobe and took Miranda to the next level of exploration and widening of their sonar territories.

Guest: Francesco d’Elia (King of the opera) electrified violin on tracks 4, 6 & 8.
Recorded and mixed between 2010-2012 by Giuseppe Caputo at fromScratch studio, Firenze.
Mastered at New Mastering Studio, Milano.

“Suicide watch” starts the trip quite rowdy and contorted. Distortions everywhere, glittchy layers and heavy riffs make this trip tensioned and it sounds like the common rehearsal of a garage rock with an industrial rock band.
“Being Ed Bunker” bring to the surface the rawest flavour of Sonic Youth with an additional space rock feel and positive tension running throughout. Might be a little bit schizophrenic for my morning coffee, but waking up it’s sometimes painful while most of us are sleeping away whole lifetime. Probably I will need to check my brain after dinner.
“Wanna be a sluggy” it’s a tumultous mixture of powerful garage and noise rock riffs with some twisted off melodies. Reminded me of an old favorite: H.P. Zinker.
“Mohamed Bouazizi” calm things down, it’s a seven-headed, slow grinding monster creeping through your head from one ear to the other.
“Odysseia” it’s one of the most addictive tracks of the record, simple, straight, groove-oriented and sparkling. Love it.
“Nothing better than a morning fuck” feels like a free experiment, so, eventually the only thing better then a morning fuck it’s a morning fuck with a stranger. 😆 Anyway, this is dangerous enough by itself and as it is.
“Arabs on the run, psycomelette” it’s another smoother break with really enjoyable vibe, one of my favorites. Have a gentle, charming start then grows into an electronic fueled, pounding rock song.
“H-arcore: first times always hurts, but I don’t” – obviously, this is hardcore in its most contorted, raw and explosive form, most of the full-time hardcore bands would be envy about it.
“Holy Ravioli (in a drug free zone)” it’s an acid fueled trip with jazz flavour and a very addictive groove, an almost danceable piece which feels really good and relaxing.
“Bring drug and food” further down the madness and I start seriously thinking that I’m sitting on the wrong side of the joint. But shit! I forget, I did not have even a beer in the last couple of months and I quit smoking (plain cigarettes) almost three years ago. Life it’s weird when you’re sober! 😆
“Tecnocratic chinese flu” have again that Sonic Youth vibrancy which it’s gorgeous and monstrous simultaneously, it’s like an octopus(sy) which sucks you in and swallow you for good.
Good to know that I’m not the only one idiot left behind on this planet.

Miranda – Official Site
Miranda @ Bandcamp
Miranda @ Facebook

Via fromScratch Records

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