Gigi Masin, Various Artists

*Original Divergo LP edition* As we’re becoming steadily aware, Gigi Masin and his mates made some truly beautiful music in the late ‘80s which is only just properly coming to light in recent years.  Blessed with an almost ineffable air of sophistication and a sort of Venetian play-of-light, their music had existed quietly on the fringes, minding its own business until Music From Memory illuminated their work with 2014’s gorgeous Talk To The Sea compilation, and we were subsequently smitten with the reissue of his sublime Wind side from 1986 in recent times.

Spanning glistening electro-acoustic minimalism and heart-melting ambient pop along with moonlit solo piano expressions and loosely refined, hypnagogic new age experiments, they cross lines with everything from David Sylvian to Iasos and Brian Eno, and heck, i’ll say it, at times he definitely sounds like Sting, but, don’t let that dissuade you, because there’s a real tenderness and searching sehnsucht to their music that transcends all of the above.

""They're far from perfect but they give a broader perspective of our work. We recorded this music in a basement ('Bunker' studio in Padua, Italy) under ideal conditions, no time or financial restrictions; we were allowed all kinds of facilities including a baby grand piano and excellent recording equipment so we were able to capture on tape ideas in real time. The music reflected our common purpose: mixing songs and harmonies with noises and experiments using both the electronic and the acoustic instruments. Unfortunately we weren't lucky with the distribution at the time, but after 25 years it seems that there's an entire new audience for The Wind Collector; perhaps we were unconsciously ahead of our time" Alessandro Monti

It’s indubitably enchanting music, and a most handsome addition to any contemporary ambient collection. Warmest recommendations.