There aren’t many artists working today whom I’d call sound poets without caveats. Though a few names come to mind—Michael Barthel, Anne-James Chaton, Thomas DeAngelo—the practice has been so thoroughly reshaped and assimilated that it often doesn’t feel like an accurate descriptor (not a bad thing at all, as the catalogs of labels like Recital, Index Clean, adhuman, and even the speech-based releases on ETAT can attest). I have no such reservations when it comes to Nuno Marques Pinto, a.k.a. Nu No. I first encountered the “charismatic and seasoned” Lisbon-based multidisciplinarian when I stumbled across his 2019 LP debut Turva Lingua, a humble masterclass in text-sound that draws plenty from the tradition’s titans with a decidedly modern twist. That is to say, his approach is a classic and familiar one, and yet even to the best-acquainted listener it feels fresh, which is impressive considering the modest bag of tricks he’s pulling from. Even following a formidable discography amassed over the past decade, Canto Ventríloquo is Pinto’s best work yet. With the exception of Invenção Única, he’s always gravitated toward short, ephemeral compositions; here, even though none of the “Cantos” exceed four minutes, they each have a clear focus and trajectory in taking a particular premise to its most satisfying conclusion, resulting in a tape that feels not like a sketchbook but rather a tight collection of targeted (and successful) experiments. Pinto deploys his usual repertoire of dictaphone scrabble, sparing samples and instrumentation, and of course his own vocal chords with aplomb: “I” sets the scene by painting a murky swath of mutterings and rattling tape spools, “III” unleashes a hypnotic pulse beset with dizzying utterances that ends up somewhere beautiful. “IV” is one of the most memorable tracks, a goofy but thrilling exploratory workout that systematically escalates—wouldn’t be out of place on an Underwhich tape—and “VIII” displays Pinto’s knack for dark intensity with its haunting duet of spittle and strings. Already one of my favorite releases of the year.
Noise Not Music 