Passepartout Duo is the extraordinary project of the Italian-based musicians Nicoletta Favari and Christopher Salvito. The pair is currently readying a new effort entitled Daylighting, to be released as a digital album and limited edition cassette on June 25th via the Chinese art label AnyOne. Favari and Salvito’s musical practice involves physically traveling and recording their music in various far-flung locales, including on their upcoming effort, places such as Wunongding Village, Shanghai, Verona, and Krems an der Donau. Additionally, the musicians continue to build “personalized musical instruments,” having constructed a “new suite of electronic devices that functionally integrate textiles and synthesizer circuits,” as well as their host of hand-built percussion objects.
Daylighting was influenced by Passepartout Duo’s trip to the Meili Snow Mountains in China. In this case, even their instruments, constructed using textiles and computer circuitry, are meant to echo the mountain’s fantastic landscape. While the pair’s conceptually based aesthetic practice provides much to consider, their musicianship is no less astounding. Combining acoustic and electronic instrumentation, Favari and Salvito weave intricately textured compositions from their rigorous playing. Often minimal and mantra-like, the performance of these pieces is often best appreciated in the excellent videos that they make. Below, you can watch Passepartout Duo perform the track “Matter.”
