Wata Igarashi and Drew McDowall @ Auditorium San Fedele, Milan, Oct. 14, 2024

Live music offers a unique opportunity to test musical theory against practice, allowing us to experience sounds in a communal setting that, while perhaps less comfortable than our homes, enables shared emotional connections and collective enjoyment. Such was the premise of an evening at Milan's Auditorium San Fedele on Monday, October 14. 

The event began promisingly in the theater's foyer, where attendees were treated to a pre-concert listening session of Aphex Twin's seminal "Selected Ambient Works 1985-1992" (R&S, 1992). This piece, chosen by audience members through a Facebook poll, served to inaugurate the venue's new speaker system while guests enjoyed wine and conversation. 

The evening's first performer, Japanese DJ Wata Igarashi, known internationally for his live sets, unfortunately fell short of expectations. While his ambient compositions demonstrated competent use of dynamics and variations, they offered little beyond what audiences have heard since the genre's emergence in the 1970s. His most noteworthy contribution was the application of aging effects to his sounds – reminiscent of Boards of Canada's more accomplished work on "Geogaddi" (Warp, 2002) – creating a sonic equivalent of a Polaroid filter. However, the overall musical development remained predictable and lacking in innovation. 

The evening was redeemed by Drew McDowall, whose performance elevated the proceedings considerably. A veteran of influential groups like Coil and Psychic TV, McDowall presented material from his latest album "A Thread, Silvered and Trembling" (Dais Records, 2024). His setup, combining synthesizers with recorded strings, harp, and flugelhorn, created an extraordinary sonic palette that transcended conventional electronic music boundaries. 

McDowall's composition drew inspiration from Scottish funeral melodies contemporary with Carmina Burana, weaving them into a tapestry of drone music and orchestral elements. Performed in complete darkness, his set constructed an immersive soundscape of devotional, crepuscular music that was at once melancholic and powerful. Rather than merely juxtaposing elements, McDowall crafted a cohesive journey into a shadow realm of mystery and introspection, allowing listeners to explore their own inner dimensions. 

Looking ahead, the venue will host performances of Eliane Radigue's "Tryptich II" (1979) and Lorenzo Senni's "Canone Infinito Extended" from his latest Warp Records release. Reviews of these performances will follow.