Calva & Io Monade Stanca - Split LP

One of a few things I have in a growing pile of records from my friends overseas is this split LP from Calva and Io Monade Stanca. This one happened to come out last year through two excellent labels in A Tant Rêver Du Roi and Africantape on a very pretty slab of green translucent vinyl. Calva, who have the a-side here, are a new one to me and really I know very very little about them other than that they are a duo from what I can tell and an occasional three piece on stage. However, that obviously tells you next to nothing about what they are actually playing. As it often happens to be from both of these labels, what is delivered from Calva is a bit math-rock oriented tied along to a more mutoid synthesizer and beat driven slant, even opting to use a vocoder on the track “Kato”. As their side progresses though, Calva seem to slowly meld the two more successfully…or I should say evenly. I’m intrigued to see what these guys could do with a full-length of such material, if there isn’t one already out there. There very well could be I imagine.

Io Monade Stanca fill up the b-side with one long nearly 20 minute track that was recorded live and is divided up into three movements. New to the mix is an organ that is sparsely used here and there, which accompanies much of the similar sort of noise that I had the pleasure of hearing on their last album The Impossible Story of Bubu. This time though the variance in their sound is put together in a seamlessly flowing track that ranges from the precision timed math-rock leanings to occasional full noise assaults that act as a proper method of decompression after the short exercises in growing tension. It also gives light to the bands skilled improvisational methods more so than one would find on their full-lengths. That said, it’s truly impressive that this track remains as interesting, and furthermore, as enjoyable to listen to repeatedly as it does.

Io Monade Stanca – Eravamo Partiti Coi Piedi Per Terra (stream excerpt)
Calva - Kato (stream)

Anyone interested in picking up this split can do so by heading over to Africantape or A Tant Rêver Du Roi. Enjoy!