Time Passing

The infectious sounds of the downtempo groove and the mellow tones of bossa nova seem to be extending into all kinds of geographical terrain. Time Passing is no exception. It's the project idea of the owner of Italy's largest vinyl store, Claudio Donato. It features the talents of Italian composer and ethnogroove specialist Dom Scuteri, who works to build a low-key rhythmic tempo that occasionally breaks out into tribalistic dance grooves before falling back into its mellow vibe. There is something in the large and airy quality to the tracks that also resonates in Maurice Fulton's newest release. The tracks are always a little restrained and want to convey the nonchalance of the Ibiza compilations with their sultry and sweet vibe. But there are frequent though subtle bursts of energy. The opening number "Bossample," as the name aptly implies, is a stylish bossa nova number, with its Brazilian percussion sensibility and a soft, baritone bass riff. That energy recurs in "Dance With Me," a surprisingly uptempo track in an otherwise laid back album, that layers percussion upon percussion whilst flirting with Middle Eastern melodic lines. This debut effort from Dom Scuteri is primarily instrumental, which helps to sustain the low-key groove he wants to convey. There are some promising vocal numbers, the more memorable contribution coming from Desiree Mohammad on "Listen to the Music," a classy R&B number. There are definitely a number of pretty tracks here, carefully constructed and delivering the mood desired. But it's not quite an album that calls for repeated listening.