PHONOL∆B: A new collaborative project from Anglo-Italian musician GAUDI + experimental electronica composer ERALDO BERNOCCHI

PHONOL∆B is the new collaborative project from Anglo-Italian musician, solo artist and producer Gaudi and experimental electronica composer Eraldo Bernocchi.

Both fearless creators known for pushing the boundaries of sound for almost four decades, the duo’s new album ‘Disturbia’ is set for release on the 11^th of April via Subsound Records and features contributions from heavyweights including Gerald Casale (Devo), Flowdan, Bill Laswell and the late Mark Stewart (The Pop Group).

With its eclectic blend of electronic innovation, deep basslines, and cutting-edge sound design, ‘Disturbia’ challenges and captivates listeners with its bold, genre-defying vision, resulting in a deeply immersive and forward-thinking sonic experience.

The title of the album was created by late post-punk pioneer and lead singer of The Pop Group, Mark Stewart, who was recording with PHONOL∆B, shortly before he died. Some of the disruption and creative defiance Stewart embodied can be heard throughout the album including tracks such as the glitchy ‘Lapis Lazuli’ and album title track, ‘Disturbia.’ The album acts as a homage to one of the most influential post-punk pioneers the UK music scene has ever seen.

Stewart was already friends with both Bernocchi and Gaudi, but unaware of the fact that the two “sonic mavericks” had known each over for over three decades. Seperately, Stewart was working on vocals with Bernocchi inspired by the dark atmospherics of the Sigillum S project, while simultaneously in discussion with Gaudi regarding a future collaboration.

It was during the recording of the album that Bernocchi and Gaudi felt Stewart’s input would be invaluable to the outcome of the record and one track in particular: the album title track. Initially, vocals Stewart had recorded with Bernocchi were synchronized and with additional vocals added by Stewart, the unsettling ‘Disturbia’ was born.

Elsewhere, other notable contributions on the album include Gerald Casale of Devo, who provides striking vocals via Phunk Investigation, and adds a futuristic yet minimalist dimension to the album. ‘Disturbia’ also features UK grime icon and Grammy Award winner Flowdan whose powerful vocal presence brings an urban and unsettled intensity to the project. Another key figure on the album is American bassist, composer and music producer Bill Laswell who features on two tracks.

Eraldo Bernocchi

Eraldo Bernocchi is a composer, arranger, producer and guitarist with a solid reputation as an all-round sonic sculptor. Starting his career in the late 70‘s as a guitarist in various punk bands, in the mid ‘80‘s Eraldo co-founded the conceptual audio project Sigillum-S (with Paolo Bandera and Luca di Giorgio), which grew into a highly acclaimed international cult act.

In the 90s together with graphic designer and visual artist Petulia Mattioli, Eraldo started to create a raft of notable audio-visual projects and art installations. A relentless sound explorer, he has collaborated with artists including Harold Budd, Toshinori Kondo, Thomas Fehlmann, Nils Petter Molvaer, Russell Mills, Raiz and Almamegretta, DJ Olive, Markus Stockhausen, Giovanni Lindo Ferretti, Robin Guthrie, Balazs Pandi, Hoshiko Yamane, among many others.

In addition to regular work scoring music for adverts and other multimedia projects, Eraldo has composed music for Academy Award winner Gabriele Salvatores and won the ‘President of the Republic – Best Soundtrack Award’ for the movie ‘Denti’ (2000). Uniquely, Eraldo is also known for being invited to play and organise special events for H.H. The Dalai Lama in Italy. Co-founder of London-based label RareNoise Records, Eraldo and Giacomo Bruzzo have released a series of cutting-edge albums championing forward thinking musicians and artists across various genres as well as releasing a number of Eraldo‘s own recordings.

He recently scored ‘Cy Dear’, a documentary film on Cy Twombly’s life, presented at the MOMA in New York, at the Louvre in Paris and at the National Portrait Gallery in London. His latest album ‘Too Late Too Dream’ is released as SIMM and features Flowdan and Hoshiko Yamane of Tangerine Dream.

Gaudi

The Grammy-Award nomination for Gaudi’s production work with reggae band Steel Pulse on their latest album ‘Mass Manipulation’, followed by three #1 in the Billboard chart as a musician and songwriter on releases for Lee “Scratch” Perry, Horace Andy, and Hollie Cook, consolidate his credentials earning him the title of one of the most sought-after producers in the dub-electronica scene. His unique sound and skilled musicianship have contributed to a number of hits in the UK Charts, from the most recent #1 in the Dance Chart with the album ‘Prism’ by The Orb, to the oldest #1 Dance Chart with his Terra Terra remix of ‘Jus Come’ by Cool Jack in 1996, passing through the iTunes #1 Chart single ‘Blue Monday’ (co-produced with Dub Pistols and Dubmatix), #41 Official UK Chart with Horace Andy’s album ‘Midnight Rocker’ and a #13 with the album ‘Dubwiser 2’ by Dreadzone.

There’s no easy way to encapsulate London-based Gaudi’s vast body of work, for the past 4 decades, he has been shattering genre barriers, pioneering psychedelic-influenced dub, world music and electronica, amassing a stunning collection of originals, remixes and production works with and for artists such as: The Orb, Groove Armada, Trentemøller, Mad Professor, Simple Minds, African, Head Charge, Brian Ferry, Damian Marley, Seun Kuti, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, UB40, Scientist, EMF, Deep Forest, Don Letts, Terry Hall, Sizzla, Grandmaster Flash, The Beat, Capleton, Afrika Bambaataa to name but a few.

As an accomplished keyboardist and theremin player, he regularly performs live with bands and acts, such as: African Head Charge, The Orb, Deep Forest, Steel Pulse, Mad Professor, Adrian Sherwood, Don Letts, Scott Page and Roberta Freeman of Pink Floyd, Stephen Perkins of Jane’s Addiction, Norwood Fisher of Fishbone and Youth of Killing Joke. He has released 19 solo albums, over 350 productions and remixes plus 6 movie soundtracks.