Mostly recorded in 1996, the four tracks on the "Fictional Selfs" EP exhibit an attention to melody that is skillfully declined in different ways. Whether it is the epic build-up and refrain of "The Mobility of Her Features" - a track which the author admit was "dedicated to a girl larger than life, in many ways..." - or the incredibly cheesy keyboard solos in "Filler 4" - inspired by no less than Mike Paradinas / Mu-Ziq's alias Jake Slazenger: "I've got my Alesis HR16 drum machine just because I knew it was on his kit list..." - Marutti clearly knows his stuff and the entertaining qualities of his music ooze from every note.

Anyone curious to hear the original version of "Laughing Stock" will have to wait a little longer, but the Remix gracing the second side of the EP offers a thoroughly enjoyable version, in which multiple organ parts playfully chase each other over a forest of assorted percussion and synthetic laughter. The last track, "VST Atlas", the only one in this collection dating to 1999, expands the sound range by using various samples - "That was the very first track I recorded using Cubase VST, hence the title." - and opens a window on the more recent productions of the project.

Available from: 28/7/24