Marianne Nowottny
Divine Cantos
CS 42
Sloow Tapes - Pachon
Hypnotic and bizarre interpretations of Dante’s Divina Commedia. Unsettling keyboards, harmonium and dulcimer with Nowottny’s narration guiding you through Hell, Purgatory and Paradise. Somewhere between Kali Bahlu's "Lonely Teardrops" and Alice Coltrane "Sings". 70 copies.
A typically strange Marianne Nowottny release, this one features 6 tracks inspired by Dante's "Divine Comedy" (2 each for Hell, Purgatory and Paradise). She accompanies herself on electronic keyboards, harmonium and dulcimer on epic meandering songs. Her voice has quite a theatrical quality to it and the cyclical nature of the songs (and the harmonium) reminds me a little of Nico. Intriguing. (Boa Melody Bar)
fairly creepy setting of the divine comedy to voice & atonal general midi backing tracks by marianne nowottny (Mimaroglu)
Divine Cantos" by Marianne Nowottny is a dark and perplexing interpretation of six sections of Dante's 'La Divina Commedia.' To a backing of deep, resonant keyboards, occasional lighter instrumentation and dulcimer, Nowottny's intense, almost overpowering vocals bring us brief snapshots of Dante's literary classic. The vocals on the concluding two tracks are lighter however, appropriately, as the text deals with Paradise, and are easier on the ear than those gloom-laden opening cuts. A strange, forboding, but ultimately positive release. (Terrascope)
