2020, the year of the pandemic, all locked into the house: the lockdown.

All in solitude. Contacts only via the internet.

For us musicians a real misfortune.

No concerts, no studio recordings, no contacts with students.

But … an opportunity to reflect, listen, imagine new musical situations.

An opportunity to dare, to use electronics, to have fun with music, both sad and cheerful,

with a hint of irony.

Vito Paternoster

Krassy Halatchev (Icicle) has proven with his 9 studio albums to date that he has a lot of colours in his musical palette.

Axioms is no exception with its 12 tracks of driven alt rock/pop that is chockfull of imagination and good beats. The sound is as eclectic as it is manic, but it is the quirkiness that unifies it all.

It's the same kind of musical Krazy-Glue that bonds such acts as Foals, The Stone Roses, Arctic Monkeys, Beck, Spoon, Blur, Kasabian, Talking Heads… to name a few.

Icicle handles the vast majority of the vocals but occasionally, as in previous records, would invite singers on lead and/or backups. This time it is the Brit Kat Howell who takes charge of the fairy-tail-ish One Bad Boy for Every Girl (track 4) and completes the choruses on The Force Within (track 2).

Axioms goes in many directions throughout its 12 compositions but the manic, head-spinning theme continues throughout. Snowman at My Door (track 2) is a cool, hypnotic trip well backed by acoustic guitar and keys, with the latter breaking into subtle shimmering stars at the choice moment. This is Not a Love Song (second single/track 9) is another enjoyable sing-along tune based around a P.I.L.-esque vocal hook and some hip-hop style well stitched verses. Desert Tree (first single/track 11) is a beautiful heartfelt piece about the colliding forces of science and ambition. It should well provide some clues to the other strange places that Icicle will lead you to throughout this record. Meanwhile, bluesy guitar grooves provide the perfectly askew backdrop for White Horse, You Against You and Tone It Down a Little.

For more info please visit Icicle's website.

Created between 2004 and 2008 by the maker and producer of the Hinterland Milano Crew, Dubmaster Conte, this series of albums was inspired by the hip hop from the 90ies. They all share an old-school beat style and a genuine urban atmosphere, in which warm sounds and different rhythmic structures were masterfully coupled with lyrics to give each track a distinctive character. These albums have inspired the free-style performances of several MCs as well as the scratching and cuttings of various turntablists. What's more? The albums are also perfect as beats for lead instruments, or just for listening while chilling and grooving to the sound.

Sultry female vocals, catchy, simple lyrics, and earthy beats, this album of experimental sounds has a life of its own. This album was a labor of love, as Destiny self-engineered it in the wee hours of the morning while her toddler was sleeping, in her home studio in Ashland, OR. It was professionally mixed and mastered. It has been played for live ecstatic dances, podcasts, and in a documentary.