Italy's VANESSA VAN BASTEN reside amongst a rare breed of bands (loosely categorized as "post rock") that truly create instead of simply copy. At times lush and layered, at others minimal and haunting, the sheer variety displayed on "Closer to the Small/Dark/Door" is only achieved with an expertise forged through years in the underground. Although quite heavy at times, VANESSA VAN BASTEN employ far more atmosphere and ambiance than most contemporaries. There is a subtle touch here that is rare, even amongst longrunning household names.
The acoustic/classical instrument tracks conjure visions of MOGWAI conducted by Ennio Morricone, while the more programming-centric tracks imagine SWANS personnel falling hard for a Mediterranean girl (who listen to a lot of GODFLESH and JESU). Nothing fits snugly into place here though, with molds being pushed in more than one direction. Thankfully, VANESSA VAN BASTEN know the veteran importance of "too much" vs "not enough", which they expertly display on "Closer to the Small/Dark/Door", a truly unique 50 minutes of rock music.
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