Lorenzo Senni Scacco Matto

Lorenzo Senni has been turning heads for over a decade now. However, his star has risen greatly since the release of the exceptional 2017 single ‘XAllegroX’/‘The Shape Of Trance To Come’, a record which solidified both Senni’s ‘Pointillistic Trance’ style and his status as one of modern electronic music's most vital artists. As such, it is hugely exciting that the Italian has announced the new LP ‘Scacco Matto’, his first full-length album since 2014’s Superimpositions.

Across the eight tracks of Scacco Matto, Senni demonstrates once more that his maximalist style can be deployed to summon both club heft and depth of feeling. Rather than utilising a wide array of instrumentation, Senni selects his sounds carefully in a manner not dissimilar to early Sophie singles like ‘Bipp’. Despite not using drum machines Senni is still able to whip up rhythmic frenzies on cuts like ‘The Power Of Failing’ and ‘XBreakingEdgeX’. The latter is one of several track-titles here which shows off Senni’s humorous side (see also ‘Wasting Time Writing Lorenzo Senni Songs). This playfulness also translates into the music at times, with ‘Move in Silence (Only Speak When It’s Time to Say Checkmate)’ full of the zippy synth runs one finds in Murlo tracks.

The grandiose builds that underpinned ‘XAllegroX’ and ‘The Shape Of Trance To Come’ resurface here too. ‘Dance Tonight Revolution Tomorrow’ Appears particularly indebted to those tracks, its powerful chords swelling across seven-and-a-half minutes to summon up huge emotion in the listener. There is also great punch to Scacco Matto opener ‘Discipline Of Enthusiasm’.

Lorenzo Senni, trance’s premier deconstructionist, debuts on Warp with Scacco Matto, his first LP in six years.