‘Tell Me To Sin’, the debut collaboration between Santa Cecilia & Semionauta, unveils as an arresting record. This collection of introspective, yet visceral compositions opens a glimpse into the rich spectrum of their creative vision, offering a profound exploration of suffering, death, sexual energy, and the transcendence of pain.
The album traces a surreal narrative arc, spanning from barren soundscapes of resonant basses and smears of feedback to melancholic piano chords that accompany Santa Cecilia’s vocal lines. Rejecting all definitions, her voice acts as a means for spiritual catharsis and personal expression rooted in emotional darkness, where intense power and agonising vulnerability collide. She takes a radical approach to the themes of anguish and yearning, whilst shifting from delicate, ethereal singing to fierce screams. To accompany the five original productions, the duo teams up with Bulgarian experimental sound artist Evitceles, who naturally interacts on an equal level of genuine drama, steering ‘Down Here Praying’ into a ceremonial and rhythmic stage.
Complementing the record is a performative film, released as soundtrack to the record’s climatic ‘Madre’, which extends its thematic depth through imagery and oneiric suggestions. Immersed in an idealized realm, two bodies explore the dynamics of encounter and repulsion, engaging in prolonged actions that unveil the enigmatic codes governing power dynamics. The positions, maintained beyond the point of control, and the absence of a traditional narrative, challenge the relentless pace of modern content consumption.
Santa Cecilia & Semionauta defy disciplinary boundaries, forging a gripping fusion of sound, visual art, and performance art that invites audiences to grapple with the complexities of existence.
released August 19, 2024
The album was recorded during a timeframe spanning from 2021 to 2023, across a variety of intimate locations in the countryside of Tuscany and Rome.
All music written, recorded and produced by Santa Cecilia & Semionauta
‘Down Here Praying’ remixed by Etien Slavchev
Mixed by Semionauta
Mastered by Daniele Antezza at Dadub Studio
Artwork and Layout by Maria Sole Barzacchini
© Strange Therapy 2024, Amsterdam | ST023
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