Published by Davide Pappalardo on November 5, 2016
Julinko is the dark folk / alternative post-rock project of Carlo Veneziano (guitars, drums, accordion, vocals) and Giulia Parin (vocals, guitars), born in 2015 and already known for a limited cassette called Hidden omens, licensed by Stoned to death; now, their return with their sophomore effort called Sweet demon published by Italian label Tiny Speaker, a work where their formula made of post-punk, mystic dark folk and pagan motifs is expanded upon with a personal touch. Sometimes it recalls Gothic American and names like Chelsea Wolfe, but a personal approach avoids any plagiarism or a too derivative direction, giving us an eerier and “ancient” sound, linked to experimental music and to an almost psychedelic feeling with a 70’s vibe (but without any retro mannerism, it must be said).
Our journey starts with the dissonant strings and ghostly voice of Ananke, a short pastiche full of evocative lines and shrilling sounds, which gives us an avantgarde intro to Fever comes, a more direct number with delicate arpeggios and a dreamy, soft atmosphere enhanced by Giulia vocals. We could say it works as a bridge between dark tendencies and a progressive, psychedelic sweetness hiding a sour taste; the final part uses a steady rhythm, which guide us toward the conclusion.
Ruins plays with a stifling tone, encapsulating a severe atmosphere, something reminding of a less acid and aggressive Neurosis with female vocals. But then the track develops its own identity with desolate guitars and a slow tempo, which reflects perfectly the name of the song. At the end of this evocative number, we find an elaborate session with a crescendo encircled by a grandiose motif.
Ride is a darker affair where, at the beginning, frighting effects underline sharp strings, generating an apt sound for the sensual female voice. A steady riff is accompanied by a controlled drum, while roaring loops find their place in the minimal setting, where few instruments saturate the composition with a slow, but imposing, pace. Here, southern tendencies and experimental post-rock edges are fused in a hypnotic track crowned at the end by a grandiose march.
Lovers dead alive uses ambient sounds and a style reminding us of Dead Can Dance, made of eerie and dilated motifs and ethereal vocals. Guitar arpeggios guide us in a seductive and mysterious path, until the long track reaches a noisier, but always controlled, sound and Giulia voice opens up to an evocative chorus; then, melancholic guitars develop a sweet and effective pattern, enriched by angelic choruses. But the surprises don’t end here: a final almost metal motif adds tension, reminding us of the modus operandi of names like The Devil’s Blood.
The dweller and the strange wind ends the album with a number introduced by an accordion, which then develops in a languid guitar-driven song, where Giulia soft voice narrates her story, while the sonic crescendo adds slowly energy to the songwriting. We have a folk song enriched by a great vocal performance full of passion, something akin to an accompaniment for a modern minstrel. The end is enlightened by a more steady rhythm, which collapses in a final ambient effect, degenerating in dissonant violin strings accompanied by female vocals, which compose the final “outro” called Daimon.
An evocative, eerie, somehow mystic work, where the tropes of dark folk and the experiments of post-rock find a common ground characterized by a coherent, but eclectic, sound, which never indulges in cacophony or violence. The play between the sweet eerie voice of Giulia and the underlined tension of instruments is the key to understand Julinko, a world of the soul, where music awakens ancient archetypes and emotions without a name, not a negative darkness, but a dialogue with a part of ourselves we have almost forgotten. We invite you to find out about them and their enriching music.
Label: Tiny Speaker
Rating: 7, 5