Chris Ianuzzi has been releasing this set in dribs and drabs since late last year. I've been intrigued by the tracks, but I try to wait for a full-fledged set to make a judgement. But in truth, my judgement of Ianuzzi has been pretty firm for some time now. While he identifies as an experimental electronic artist, I think it might be more accurate to call his music impressionistic.

Chris Ianuzzi Maze (Satellite Symphonics)

Ianuzzi borrows from pretty much every template available, including many not particularly associated with electronic music (punk, jazz, etc.). He then spins his ideas around for a while, generally anchoring them to a central beat. Even when the sounds seem formless, there is an underlying structure.

Not that this doesn't get weird. Ianuzzi embraces the weird, and then he dresses it up into something modestly more presentable. Perhaps it is just his skill at arrangement, but Ianuzzi can make the most dissonant and discordant ideas sound almost mainstream.

And all this without the dread "selling out," whatever that might mean to you. Ianuzzi is constantly pushing, and he's simply creative enough to convince a listener that his music is actually part of this universe. And it is, if one embraces the concept of an expansionary universe. Ever expanding, ever wondrous. Really spectacular stuff.

Jon Worley