by M.Christian Burcea - Romania 2006

ANTHOLOGY Essence 91 04 - Neuronium Records

This may be the perfect album to get started on an essential and unforgettable journey.
It doesn't sound much like a typical 'Anthology' and rather is a thoughtful selection
of some of your most interesting works.
This album delves deep into the archetypes of the lnner Realms, providing insight and revelations that many musicians just don't spend enough time seeking when compose.
"Anthology Essence 91-04" dares to explore the roots of musical inspiration,
and even treads into spiritual ground, where magic and creativity are birthed.
This is truly a valuable resource for ambient listeners.

by Morpheus Music - UK 2006

ANTHOLOGY Essence 91 04 - Neuronium Records

STYLE
Regal, cinematic instrumentals with synthetic and orchestral soundscaping.
Bruno Sanfilippo presents here a collection of more than a decade's work - sounds range from delicate baroque style harpsichord, ambient restfulness and gentle new-age melody through weighty, grandeur with tolling bells and processional solemnity. There are plenty of layers, arraying flutes, pianos, guitars, strings and choral effects - some tracks with drums, some completely without. This is a strongly melodic album with sweeping electronica and some delicate acoustic instrumentation - beats are frequently subtle and secondary, a means to propel the music rather than contending for the focus of attention.

MOOD
Anthology is an album of drama and emotion - often one of stately opulence, frequently very beautiful always fervent, full of feeling. Many tracks are suggestive of majestic scenery, important events or strong passions. Bruno Sanfilippo creates quite a weighty sound both in sonic density and harmonic structure. There are passages of placid calm - dreamy pads and slight pizzicato effects, breeze born voices hanging in the air.
There is a Middle Eastern tone to Visualia, an ambient fluidity to Intention, whilst Oniria presents an attractive piano melody brimming with passion.

ARTWORK
Plenty of black as a backdrop to photographic images of the artist and accompanying text.
The tracklist on the rear of the jewel case provides the year each track was released and the album it comes from along with timings. Explanatory notes on the sleeve mention the artist's obsession with "the amazing, magical and deep" - "In dreams" he tells us " there's no imagined thing that's too absurd, too strange" - the music comes from these sources.

OVERALL
Buenos Aires born musician Bruno Sanfilippo has been producing music for many years
now - his output concentrated here into a selection of some of his finest moments.
Influenced early on by classical composers and modern masters like Oldfield and Vangelis
it was in the early 90s that he studied programming, sampler, synthesizer and MIDI techniques. Collaborators involved in this selection of pieces include Jorge Alvarado on acoustic guitars, Gato' Urbaski on electric violin, Manuel Miranda on piccolo, Vanesa Tomas vocal treatments
and Roberto Gandini also on electric violin.

WHO WILL LIKE THIS ALBUM
The combination of synthesisers and organic instrumentation here might well attract instrumental lovers that enjoy soundtrack music. Anthology will appeal to fans of Vangelis and perhaps those looking for a somewhat heavier Amethystium.

ANTHOLOGY Essence 91 04 - Neuronium Records

Bruno Sanfilippo’s Anthology comprises formerly released tracks composed between 1991 and 2004. The tracks are taken from the albums Sons of the Light, The New Kingdom, Solemnis,
Suite Patagonia, Visualia and Ad Libitum.
The album opener The Nobles come back is an intimate, medieval-like track with lots of grandeur.
The best track without doubt is the almost 10-minute track Miracles , a slowly building
stand-out atmospheric track with some classic influences.
I didn’t care much for the 3 tracks of Suite Patagonia as they are not my taste, although
they are well composed and executed. The cd concludes with 2 tracks taken from his last 2 albums, of which I think Visualia the best effort.
Personally I’m impressed by the cathedral-like atmosphere which Sanfilippo is able to create in his music from time to time. In all, the lengthy Anthology offers a proper and well produced overview of what this musician has achieved until now.

Bruno Sanfilippo is a new name to me this past couple of years, but he’s been recording for several years, hence the release of Anthology, culled from his past releases, some of which I’ve heard but many which I’ve not.
His gift for picture music is the common thread running through it, his earlier works sounding more like soundtrack music and his later works moving into more ambient realms, though still with a strong sense of imagery.
The early tracks The Nobles come back, The New Kingdom, and Solemnis sound quite orchestral, and truly sound like epic film scores, possibly set in medieval times. Tympani, crashing symbols, pizzicato strings, it’s all there.
Not typical electronic music fare to be sure, but quite well done.
“Miracles” is the first track to more overtly blend acoustic and electronic elements.
The three selections from Suite Patagonia tend to still be dominated by a more orchestral approach, with melancholy strings featuring prominently in the title track.
I prefer the more textural piece Magallanes, with ethnic and tribal shadings that are just right.
Parts III and V of Sanfilippo’s Visualia album are included, with ethereal wordless female vocals
enhanced by various musical textures.
The disc concludes with two beautiful tracks from ad libitum, particularly the closer Oniria,
with gorgeous atmospherics backing a haunting piano solo.
If you’ve not heard Sanfilippo’s work before, Anthology would be a great place to start.

This work is a compilation of different compositions by Bruno Sanfilippo composed in different moments along his musical career, which reflect, in a way, his artistic history from 1991 to 04. Quite a number of the distinct aspects in Bruno's style appear in this compilation: from the cosmic Ambient to the romantic vein nearing to New Instrumental Music, all that dominated by the warm presence of the melodies. A true delight for the ears from the first to the last theme.

Este trabajo es una recopilación de distintas composiciones de Bruno Sanfilippo compuestas
en diferentes momentos de su carrera, y que reflejan, en cierto modo, su historia artística desde 1991 hasta 2004.
Bastantes de las facetas del estilo de Bruno aparecen en esta recopilación: desde el Ambient cósmico, a la vena romántica próxima a la Nueva Música instrumental, todo ello dominado
por la presencia cálida de las melodías.
Una auténtica delicia para los oídos, desde el primero hasta el último tema.