Hangisphere

Matt Venuti (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 21, 2009)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: CD BABY.COM/INDYS
• ASIN: B0028ERAT0
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #628,186 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Bill Adams, Ground Control

There are moments - and listening to Matt Venuti's Hangisphere is one of them - when one has to pay attention to what's going on because there's a central, cornerstone element that is very alien. There is an unusual sound that amounts to a puzzle that a listener will find himself paying very close attention to - if only to figure out what it is. In the case of Hangisphere, that sound is made by the PanArt Hang - It is a very exotic sound that emanates from a made-to-order instrument imported from Switzerland and it is the central feature in the ten tracks that comprise Hangisphere.

I know what you're thinking because I thought it too, initially), "Yeah so? You're saying it's World music."

No exactly. Read on and you'll see, grasshopper.

Yes, the PanArt Hang is the central instrument used on Hangisphere and that inclusion does give the record a "World" slant, but it's only the brush that Venuti uses here to make this world image. The songs themselves incorporate myriad musical styles that take on an otherworldly quality when passed through the Hang and that's what makes this music so interesting; Venuti is learning to emote with the Hang as the record plays and listeners can share that sense of discovery with the player.

With little bits of electro-lounge, jazz fusion, rock, world music (of course) and even folk sewn into the dynamics of Hangisphere, the instrumental tracks begin to exhibit new epiphanies (for the player, which is arresting to observe for the audience) as they play out and even yield a few surprises in the cross-genre mixtures. In "The Yolanda Trail 4," for example, Venuti intermingles key aspects of folk, lounge and Mandarin contemporary musics to arrive at a hybrid all his own and enriched by the Hang - not dominated by it. Elsewhere, in "Naked Moonlight," the composer trades exotic rhythms for erotic ones and "Hang Bauhaus" incorporates forms, dynamics and melodies from both rock and pop (I swear, you can hear "Janie's Got A Gun" by Aerosmith and the entirety of True Blue by Madonna in this song - without the lyrics, of course) to bring a bit of the world to the great indoors. In every case, the relation between the music on Hangisphere and any other music is completely abstract but listeners will find that their own minds will begin to fill in the gaps as they begin to wander. In that, each listener is guaranteed a unique experience because the qualification process of Hangisphere will be unique to each individual listener; they'll transpose what they know already onto Matt Venuti's music and draw their own conclusions based on that. That process will make for a special experience for anyone that hears Hangisphere and it's definitely one worth having.

Product Description

Matt Venuti unveils the captivating sound of the PanArt Hang in this collection of highly visual, soul-soothing compositions that arouse reflection, touch the heart, and energize the spirit. Guest appearances by members of The Venusians.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful music from a unique instrument..., December 2, 2009

By 

Thomas Duff "Duffbert" (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hangisphere (Audio CD)

I received a copy of the CD Hangisphere from the publicist for Matt Venuti. I was moderately interested once I visited Venuti's website and heard a clip of the music produced by this odd instrument called the "hang". Now that I've heard the CD in its entirety, I'm hooked. The sound produced from the instrument is incredible, and Venuti uses it to its full musical advantage. In short, I'm now a Venusian fan. :)

The best way to describe the look of the instrument is to imagine someone cutting the top off of a steel drum... actually, *two* steel drums. Take one of the concave surfaces, flip it over, and join it to the other surface. You now have a "flying saucer" that makes beautiful music. Much like the steel drums used in my imaginary construction, the sound is reminiscent of what I hear when I visit the Caribbean. But instead of a reggae beat, Venuti uses the hang to create a New Age sound that spans a number of feelings and emotions. Some of the numbers, like "For Virginia", are a bit haunting and emotional. Others, like "Elephunk", are more playful and jazz-like. In all cases, the instrumentals are soothing and calming, both as ambient music in the background or a primary listening experience.

Normally I'm not one much for having music playing as I'm working on computer code or writing material for books and presentations. But Hangisphere is apt to change that, in that I could have this playing as a filter for surrounding noise, while at the same time relaxing me for better productivity. Now all I have to do is pick up the rest of his works... :)

Disclosure:

Obtained From: Publisher

Payment: Free