Luca Cimarusti is one of the many shapeshifters out there in underground music. From his endeavours in post-punk titans, Luggage, to his black metal solo project, Annihilus, and, most recently, his involvement in Chicago hardcore collective, Ready For Death, the multi-instrumentalist is always moving his art forward to places you wouldn’t expect him to go.
It continues, this time under his own name for Repetition, Resonance. Four drum-led compositions that come as advertised. Utilising every component of the drum-kit, Cimarusti conjures up something both repetitious and resonant. A cerebral experience that results in hypnotic delirium.
Beginning with the 15-plus minute Open, Cimarusti explores the inner grains of sound. The results, a deconstruction of post-punk. It leads into Snare. Something akin to a blast zone in your mind, Cimarusti adopts the snare like a semi-automatic weapon. It’s a world away from Rebound, which is more about a specific reverberation. Essentially, it’s the embodiment of what he sets out to achieve with these recordings.
Which reaches a crescendo on Shimmer. Led by a stream of cymbals, Cimarusti creates an effect akin to waves lapping up to the shore. Until the toms combine, where a tidal surge ensues.
It’s a huge end to Repetition, Resonance – a document where Cimarusti pulls experimental percussion to new corners. While the frenetic world of Chris Corsano has pushed similar boundaries, Cimarusti’s work is more of a mediation. The space he creates throughout these pieces, much more open-ended for future works.
Last month, Cimarusti answered some questions about his creative progress, his past endeavours which have eventually led to Repetition, Resonance, and what the future may hold on the back of it.
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Sun 13: Who were the people and / or artists that inspired you to take up drumming?
Luca Cimarusti: “When I was probably 10, my friend’s older brother played in a punk band. These guys were 15-year-old kids playing Green Day covers in the garage. But to my young brain it was like we were witnessing The Who or something. I pretty much knew right then that I just wanted to play drums really loud forever. My friend’s brother actually ended up giving me some lessons and helping me learn how to play, and he sold me my first drum set.”
S13: Do you remember the first time you sat behind a kit?
LC: “Yeah, I had a friend right around the same time whose dad had a Ludwig drum set in his basement. I remember going over there and playing around on it and just being enamoured with how big and shiny and loud it was.”
S13: What were the initial ideas that were the spark to what would become Repetition, Resonance?
LC: “I’d been seeing sets and listening to records by people like Jon Mueller, Lina Capra Vaccina, Kid Millions, Tim Barnes, and Chris Cosano. Seeing and hearing these artists create such a fully realised movement with just a drum kit was super inspirational to me. But the approach to how I made these tracks was largely influenced by a Halloween cover set I did last year. Some friends and I did a Velvet Underground Halloween band that I played drums in. Our method was to stretch out the songs and playing those simple Moe Tucker beats for like 15 minutes at a time created this sort of hypnotic, trance-like state. I had a moment where I thought to myself, ‘What would it sound like if Sister Ray as just drums?’ and that sort of planted the seed.”
S13: What was the most important aspect you wanted to capture with the record?
LC: “I wanted the repetition to create a psychedelic effect for the listener. I wanted each person who listens to this record to hear something different every time they put it on. I want everyone to get caught on weird little rhythms and intricacies and room sounds that other people might not hear, [and for] every listen to this record to sound like your first time hearing it.
“About 20 years ago I discovered a website that hosted a bunch of isolated John Bonham outtakes from the In Through the Out Door sessions. I was completely obsessed with it. He moved so much air when he played, and you can hear it so clearly all on those recordings. I wanted to capture something like that. The energy and ambience and resonance in a room when big drums really start pushing sound around. I wanted that air to be an instrument in itself.”
S13: Along with the hypnotic effect to these recordings, there’s a ritualistic and even spiritual element, too. Do you consider yourself a spiritual person?
LC: “Ha, no, not at all. I’m probably the least spiritual person I know.”
Luca Cimarusti - Repitition, ResonanceS13: What were you listening to at the time of writing the album, and do you think it influenced how the record turned out?
LC: “Like I mentioned earlier, lots of Moe Tucker. Antico Adagio by Lina Capra Vaccina was a big one too. I’d been listening to a lot of dub records as well, by artists like Scientist and Keith Hudson, and hearing treated drums so up-front in the mix definitely had an effect on making something like this.
“Lots of other minimal records were in rotation, like Oren Ambarchi, Arnold Dreyblatt, Ash Ra, and Stephen O’Malley, so that all absolutely helped get me in the headspace to make something creeping and heady.”
S13: With regards to your process, are there any necessities you need in order to create?
LC: “A lot of ideas come to me when I’m alone in silence, like as I’m falling asleep or mowing the lawn or taking a shower. So I need time to let my mind wander I guess, that’s the genesis of a lot of my creativity.
“Also, for this specific practice, I need the chance to play drums a lot, because playing these types of sets require endurance. If I’m out of practice, it’ll sound bad and my arms and hands will cramp up. Gotta keep my mind and body strong.”
S13: All of your projects are so different. Is important to surround yourself with different musicians in order grow as an artist?
LC: “Absolutely. I learned at a young age that the best way to learn how to be a better player is to learn how to play with others. Your best teachers are going to be your collaborators.
“My Luggage bandmate Michael Vallera’s approach to playing guitar honestly had a huge effect on me making this record. I’ve always admired the moods and colours he can get from such a minimal practice. I tried to keep his playing in mind when I started playing these solo drum parts. I’m very fortunate to have someone like him as a collaborator, creative partner, and friend. Because when it comes to making freaky minimal music, it doesn’t get much better than him.”
S13: Ryley Walker penned the one note to the album. How did your acquaintance with him come about?
LC: “Ryley and I have known each other since we were both young dudes. I think I met him when he was still a teenager? We would always hang out at this DIY venue in Chicago called the Mopery. He was a young shredder, and I was in a punk band. He’s always been a dear friend and huge supporter of anything I’ve ever done… he even released a Luggage record on his label Husky Pants years ago. I’m very grateful to have him in my life and have loved seeing how far he’s come as an artist.”
S13: How much do you think Chicago is an influence to you?
LC: “Since day one Chicago has been a huge influence on the music I make. Not only the city itself, and the sounds of traffic and the trains, and the no-nonsense attitude of everyone here… but when you live here, you’re also surrounded by the best players and bands in the world. I can walk into a record store and catch Chris Corsano playing in the corner, or I can stroll down the street and by chance see members of Tortoise jamming at a gig. If you’re a musician in Chicago, you walk among legends every day. That’s pretty cool.”
S13: Do you think you’ll make another record in this vein?
LC: “Yeah, I’d like to think that I’m just getting started.”
Repetition, Resonance is out via Island House Recordings. Purchase from Bandcamp.
