ITALIAN PRESS (for more see the section in Italian of this site)
“Ernesto Tomasini’s versatile voice (…) renders [the melancholic melodies] with polyglot virtuosity”
Blow Up, June 2018
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“We had left Ernesto Tomasini’s bizarre talent giving voice to Shackleton’s abstract (but full of tribal emotion) electronica, in “Devotional Songs”, a work that for a moment, at the end of 2016, had soothed the over 10 year absence of Coil. We find him now in all his magnetic and polychromatic vocal range, instilling lifeblood in the Almagest! project. (…) “Snake Oil” [opens the record] with a vocally acrobatic Tomasini as our Virgil. The thousand voices of the 21st Century Klaus Nomi chase each other and explode in “Piume”, in which the sparkling declamatory art of the polymath artist knots itself around drones.”
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“[A cover of the song] taken somewhere else by the Klaus Nomi voice of Ernesto Tomasini.”
Sentire Ascoltare, 14 March 2018
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“Tomasini’s extraordinary multilingual performances flow with ease throughout his entire vocal ability, which goes from spoken word to opera, passing by glossolalia, reinventing the record at every listening.”
Il Mucchio Selvaggio, March 2018
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“Ernesto Tomasini, in alto range, with American Man Parrish and their ‘Per Altri Motivi’ becomes Futurist Opera”
Il Mucchio Selvaggio, March 2018
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“Tomasini is the Houdini of the voice, an illusionist capable of singing in the same song as Pavarotti, Farinelli and Callas. This quick change artist of the vocal chords pirouettes between notes and trills like Jury Chechi through rings.”
Krapp’s Last Post, 6 November 2017
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“Ernesto Tomasini, actor with golden chords. In every sense: His voice has a 4 octave range (…) Luxury performer (…) he is direct and overexcited, impetuous in assaulting the audience with his painted face that creates a mask generated from the union between Jack Lemmon and Hannibal Lecter… but also a bit Pee Wee Herman!”
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“[Almagest!] is the polymorphous creature spurned by the artistic liaison between Ernesto Tomasini and Fabrizio Modonese Palumbo (here feat Julia Kent), (…) with Tomasini a bit Carmelo Bene a bit chanson de geste, who often sends chills down the spine with his vocalising (…)”
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“A remarkable work (…) Tomasini (…) is a total artist who works in theatre, performance art, contemporary music and alternative culture in general. (…) His singing ability is superb and this is also evident in the eleven pieces contained in this project. (…) Tomasini directed the piece – a never accessible transposition – creating the vocal melodies and writing eleven episodes that would represent the Bataillan text. (…) [his] voice conjures up visions. (…) Rare beauty.”
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“A very intriguing record (…) by singer and performer Ernesto Tomasini (…) [who] added his vocal expressiveness, which is also atmospheric, descriptive and lyrical. His voice is used as a tool in a defined, stinging theatrical dimension (…) Excellent”
Blow Up – September 2017
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“Blessed with a 4 octave vocal range Tomasini is, no doubt, one of the most important voices in the world today. In actual fact, even more rare, he is a true artist, more than complete, total.”
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“Cherry on the cake is the most wonderful voice of Sicilian singer Ernesto Tomasini. Wow!”
Vittorio Nistri, Psycanprog – 30 December 2016
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““Devotional Songs”, with the fundamental help of singer Ernesto Tomasini, gets closer to the most hallucinatory and Gothic neo-punk (…) Four movements that are nothing less than unforgettable.” The album is also second best of the year for:
Indie for Bunnies – 29 December 2016
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“Looking at our own country we cannot but mention the shamanic collaboration between Sicilian artist Ernesto Tomasini and Shackleton” + “Devotional Songs” is the year’s number one best album
SentireAscoltare – 22 December 2016
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“The magnificent Ernesto Tomasini”
Teatro.Persinsala – 15 December 2016
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“To signal this change in his trajectory [Shackleton] decided to call no less than the Sicilian actor/singer Ernesto Tomasini”
Il Mucchio Selvaggio – December 2016
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“On one side [Shackleton’s] electronica (…); on the other side a “performativity” that is expressive, explosive and with a wide spectrum that runs through various registers – from falsetto to emphatic and powerful declamation and from almost rococo flights to passages as a shaman ready for the ritual – courtesy of the Sicilian singer living in London. In the middle we find the nomadic nature of both artists, the actual one but also and above all the psychic one.”
SentireAscoltare – 15 October 2016
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“One of the most eclectic voices in the international music landscape, worthy successor of Klaus Nomi”
The New Noise – 4 October 2016
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“Ernesto Tomasini’s singing is thrilling and hypnotic. It panders Shackleton’s refined melodic flourishing without ever overpowering it. On the contrary the voice of the Sicilian singer, in spite of its theatrical expressiveness, becomes sound itself, enriching an already varied palette.”
Blow Up – October 2016
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“But it’s Ernesto Tomasini‘s vocals which are truly striking: a mixture of tenor and falsetto, in a slightly sinister cabaret style, it’s a unique thing. And it blends superbly with the music. (…) It’s unsettling, trippy, and utterly spellbinding”
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“Extraordinary protagonist is Ernesto Tomasini, whose voice, stretching through 4 octaves, takes us to Gabriel Faure”s Requiem (…). The singer manages to masterfully render the two lead voices, baritone and soprano, building a lyrical world that is delicate, without pain, and at times irreverent and accentuated by overtones that are aptly queer.”
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“A force of nature. He is vitality, creativity, explosion. Sicilian to the extent that when you see and hear him sing you think of those images of the deflagrating Etna volcano”
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“Ernesto Tomasini is a diva from another era, extremely kind with an amazing talent (…). With an extraordinary vocal range of 4 octaves (there’s very few like him in the world) (…) he is always ahead of his time (…) his work has full on avant garde vibrancy. (…) The trademark of [his] art is a pop and surreal essence, painted with strong colours”
Giornale di Sicilia – 4 January 2016
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“Ernesto Tomasini is the diva (…) and acts as remarkably as he knows how”
Giornale della Musica – 23 September 2014
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“An amazing voice”
Giornale della Musica – September 2014
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“The sublime multi-octave singing of Ernesto Tomasini. (…) Ernesto Tomasini’s sublime castrato tones”
Compulsion Online – August 2014
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“The golden throat of Ernesto Tomasini, national treasure and worthy heir of Klaus Nomi”
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Click here for the Italian reviews of Roberta Torre’s “Aida”: February/March 2014
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“An all-round entertainer (…) he’s gone a long way (…), strong of a remarkable vocal range he shines internationally”
La Repubblica – 8 January 2014
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“Let’s say it straight: he is a star of the alternative scene”
La Repubblica – 6 October 2013
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“With his vocal performance he gave the show pure magic”
La Stampa – 5 October 2013
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“Tomasini, modern Farinelli, singer of extraordinary ability. An important figure in the international arts panorama. An eclectic personality whose range spaces from cabaret to chamber music, through experimentation, thanks to his 4 octave singing voice”
La Stampa – 27 September 2013
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“[The] perturbing figure of Ernesto Tomasini, a performer with a stratospheric singing ability, skilled at mixing vaudeville, cabaret and experimentation”
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“The amazing vocal chords of histrionic Ernesto Tomasini, capable of wonders and hyperbolae”
Rockerilla – June 2013
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Ernesto Tomasini’s extraordinary voice (…) [his] histrionic flair, from falsetto to tenor, and his considerable acting ability (…) A Ptolemaic cabaret among post-industrial satellites, rotating geocentrically around Tomasini’s vocal chords”
Rumore – April 2013
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“The vocalizing of acclaimed Ernesto Tomasini lead to the estranging dimension of an industrial Klaus Nomi”
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“Histrionic and most noble in his delivery, strong of a miraculous vocal extension that soars from operatic bass, through an elegant roundness of harmonics in his baritone, to finally land on the falsetto, where it finds its most surprising character. Tomasini has such control in the soprano and mezzo registers, in the agility of his phrasing and in the colour (timbric and dramatic), that we often find him winning in comparison with opera stars Manzotti and Christofellis”
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“A voice that soars to the high octaves to then plummet to the lowest ones, with a body that loses gender connotations (…) a Farinelli for the 21st Century”
Il Gazzettino – 18 January 2012
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“A great, multicoloured theatrical presence. A mix between Maria Callas and Carmelo Bene, he boasts an extraordinary voice and a special gift as entertainer”
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“Elegant moves on high heels, long legs in black tights, face heavily made up. Klaus Nomi brought back to life? Ernesto Tomasini has a four octave range (…) he surprised us with his vocal dexterity and – most of all – his ability as performer”
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“The next star in the same firmament of the various Antony and The Johnsons, Marc Almond, Baby Dee and all those who exhalt the more androginous part of the “bel canto”
Freak Out – October 2009
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“Sublime Sicilian performer of the “castrato-style”
Rumore – n. 196/ May 2008
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“A few cult artists are part of the project [“The Angelic Conversation” live soundtrack] and we must single out eclectic, magnificent Ernesto Tomasini, actor – in this instance – who finds the perfect balance between pathos and poetic narration of the 14 Shakespeare sonnets that Jarman inserted in the film”
Giornale della Musica – 28 April 2008
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“Ernesto Tomasini: A leading figure in avant-garde circles with his seducing high voice, capable of reproducing the tone of eunuch singers”
La Repubblica, 16 April 2008
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“The modern day Farinelli”
Corriere della Sera – 1 October 2007
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The new Farinelli”
La Repubblica – 21 February 2007
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OTHER FOREIGN PRESS
“Ernesto Tomasini takes care of the vocals, a variation on Klaus Nomi. After twenty years as actor and singer in the theater, he then worked with Current 93 and Andrew Liles ( Nurse With Wound ). (…) By the way, it is not only the voice of Tomasini that makes ‘Fun House Mirrors’ interesting. Just like his singing, the music is as alien and penetrating, which makes us immediately understand why he can work with the big ones from the experimental industrial field.”
Gonzo Circus (Belgium) – 13 January 2019
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“Le chant se fait ensuite plus “en relief”, en velouté-sombre allant de pair avec le décor. Almagest! n’est pas classable et, de ce fait, s’avère être d’autant plus intéressant.”
Muzzart (France) – 30 December 2018
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“Just like [Tomasini’s] singing, the music is alienating and penetrating, which immediately makes us understand why he can work with the big ones from the experimental industrial fields.”
Gonzo Circus (Belgium) – 17 May 2018
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“This intriguing release from Ernesto Tomasini and Fabrizio Modenese Palumbo features five long, electric, richly textured and sonically distorted cinematic compositions.”
Spotlight (Netherlands) – 7 May 2018
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“Ernesto Tomasini, das paradiesvogelige Ausrufezeichen im Spiegelkabinett. Denn der Typ aus Palermo hat mit seiner zwischen Bass und Falsett, zwischen Nomi, Verdi, Wagner und Metal kippenden Stimme Furore gemacht als Kabarett-, Musical-, Monodrama-, Oper- und Performance-Diva. Seine androgyne Exzentrik machte ihn reizvoll für Andrew Liles, OTHON, Marc Almond, David Tibet und Peter Christopherson, die ganze Hidden Reverse-Blase. Zu seinen frühen Highlights in dieser Szene zählen auch das mit Palumbo realisierte “Canes Venatici” (2007) und “The Hunting Dogs of Boötes the Heardsman” (2010). Nach zuletzt den “Devotional Songs” (2016) mit Shackleton und “Madame E.”, einem von Mirco Magnani komponierten Oratorium nach Georges Bataille, singt er nun eigene Lyrics (…). Tomasini zügelt seine Manierismen für getragene Dark- und Cold Wave-Songs, die mit Electrobeats und Drones (…)”
Bad Alchemy (Germany) – 7 March 2018
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“Tomasini, who has hitherto noticeably held back as a countertenor, shows here at last, to how much expressiveness he can swing up.”
African Paper (Germany) – 13 January 2018
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“Ernesto Tomasini’s operatic stylings”
Resident Advisor – 8 August 2017
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“o magnífico álbum com Ernesto Tomasini, (…) mantém uma forte linha esotérica, entre transe ritual, invocações mágicas, locais místicos e uma ambiência consistentemente tensa e em expectativa.”
Flur (Portugal) – 24 April 2017
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“Foi das colaborações com Ernesto Tomasini que culminou no bem recebido disco Devotional Songs, editado no ano passado via Honest Jon’s.”
Music Box (Portugal) – 29 March 2017
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“ao bem recebido trabalho feito a meias com Ernesto Tomasini.”
Rimas Ebatidas (Portugal) – 28 March 2017
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“Already last year, in his work with Sam Shackleton, Tomasini had shown that he could be at home in an electronic environment, (…) making “Devotional Songs” an impressive work. In “Madame E” (…) Tomasini shows the heights and depths his voice can achieve.”
African Paper (Germany) – 11 February 2017
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“[Tomasini] canta teatral y enigmatico. Delicia.” + “Devotional Songs” 8th best electronica album of 2016
La Jornada (Mexico) – 10 February 2017
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“An eccentric personality with a distinctive vocal quality, reminiscent of the castrati. When you watch his performances, or listen to his voice, or even when you talk to him, you feel like he knows exactly what he wants and how to achieve it. Extremely intelligent and funny.”
Opera Plus (Czech Republic) – 8 February 2017
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“[“Devotional Songs”] saw [Shackleton] team up with versatile classically-trained singer Ernesto Tomasini, for perfect and challenging fit. (…) Shackleton and Tomasini were there to seriously smash you over the head with drama.” + “Devotional Songs” among the best albums of 2016
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“Geradezu himmlisch gelingt die Zusammenarbeit mit Kult-Sänger Ernesto Tomasini, in dessen Schaffen von experimentellem Theater über Kabarett bis hin zu Kooperationen mit Othon, Marc Almond, Sleazy, Julia Kent und David Tibet eigentlich alles seinen Platz findet. Mit seiner vier Oktaven umfassenden Stimme kommt er aus tiefstem Grollen bis ins feinste Falsett. Seine Präsenz ist das Bindeglied zwischen dem Hang zum Theatralischen, der immer schon Teil von Shackletons Musik war, zu den okkulten Energien des postindustriellen britischen Undergrounds.”
This Music (Germany) – January 2017
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“Fantasque chanteur italien, plutôt grave ici, Ernesto Tomasini.”
Rotations Variables (France) – 21 November 2016
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“エフェクト処理されたERNESTO TOMASINIによる変幻自在のヴォイスが幻惑的な世界を作り上げた、エレクトロニック・サウンドが4曲。テクノ～アンビエント～ドローン～ニューエイジ～民族音楽～ミニマル・ミュージックなどの要素を感じますが、そのどれにも当てはまらないジャンルレスな作品です”
Underground Gallery (Japan) – 1 November 2016
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“[Tomasini] uses a vocal style quite difficult to precisely categorise, but that, after a bit, can be associated with the likes of Scott Walker and Edward Ka-Spel. In this album both the vocal and instrumental layers hypnotise (…) the final track, Father, You Have Left Me, in which the individual threads of instrumental and vocal interlock perfectly, becomes phenomenal.”
Polifonia (Poland) – 18 October 2016
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“De vier octaven die Tomasini in z’n baggage heeft passen perfect bij de occulte energie van Shackleton’s post-industriële underground.”
Konkurrent (Netherlands) – October 2016
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“最近Shackleton又用他的Deliverance三部曲，巩固了自己舞池摧毁器的地位，同时不忘自己前卫电子音乐先锋的身份，与Ernesto Tomasini，这位有着跨越实验戏剧，喜剧表演，并与Othon, Marc Almond, and Sleazy有过合作的背景的 cult歌手，表演家以及艺术家一起工作，于2016年7月在Honest Jon的厂牌发行了这张受到全宇宙欢迎的专辑：“Devotional Songs”。
More recently, Shackleton has consolidated his position as dancefloor destroyer with his Deliverance trilogy whilst also confirming himself to be a maverick avant electronic music pioneer through his work with Ernesto Tomasini, the cult singer, performer and artist whose history spans experimental theatre, cabaret and collaborations with Othon, Marc Almond, and Sleazy. This collaboration has culminated in the universally well-received album, “Devotional Songs”, released on Honest Jons records in July 2016.”
Kanjian (China) – 24 September 2016
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“L’expérimentation de la « Techno downtempo » avec une voix passant du soprano au baryton transporte l’auditoire. Le personnage de Ernesto Tomasini, silencieux par moment, regardant la salle les yeux écarquillés au maximum, donne réellement une dimension paranormale au show.”
Dure Vie (France) – 25 August 2016
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“Ernesto Tomasini hat mit seiner Stimme die bisherigen drei Alben von Othon Mataragas maßgeblich mitgeprägt, seine Arbeit u.a. mit Andrew Liles oder im Bandkontext von Almaghest! haben bewiesen, dass er auch in einem experimentelleren Rahmen zu Hause ist.”
African Paper (Germany) – 13 August 2016
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“Tomasinis lyrisch-sonorem Gesang andererseits verleiht ihren Songs etwas Spirituelles, das zugleich hochgradig camp wirkt.”
Hhv-mag (Germany) – 12 August 2016
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“O CV de Ernesto Tomasini é grande demais para uma abordagem que lhe faça justiça. Actor, performer, vocalista numa banda prog rock, colaborações com Nurse With Wound, Current 93, Marc Almond, Peter Christopherson (Coil), actuações na Semana da Moda de Londres; no cinema, envolvido em trabalhos de Kevin Spacey, James Ivory e Ridley Scott. (…) Reflexões sobre a condição humana, cantadas em tom épico, sério, ancestral, por Tomasini, aproximando-o de alguns dos nomes com os quais tem colaborado (ocorre-nos Marc Almond, por exemplo) e de uma carga profundamente artística que uma certa tradição de música esotérica transmitia.”
Flur (Portugal) – 8 August 2016
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“ダブステップを逸脱し、トライバルやアブストラクトな音響ものなどへと自らの領域を拡大させているSHACKLETONが、イタリア出身で実験的な劇場やキャバレーで活動している役者/歌手のERNESTO TOMASINIを招き、コラボレーション作品をリリース! 鉄琴のような金属音と牧歌的なシンセの上をTOMASINIの表情豊かなヴォーカルが響き渡るA面、ミニマルミュージックのような催眠的反復と伸縮するシンセ、変幻自在のヴォーカルによって幻惑的な世界が広がるD面など、完全に意識を異次元へと連れて行かれる圧巻の内容です!”
Tomasini’s expressive vocals (…) dazzle. They are the highlight, taking the listener to a phantasmagoric world , another dimension!
Diskunion (Japan) – August 2016
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“トライバルなパーカッション、鐘〜シンバルなどの金属音や、ミニマルな反復のエレクトロニック・サウンドなどのループと、スペーシー〜催眠的なシンセ、ディープなシンセのドローンなどによるトリッピーなサウンドに、Ernesto Tomasiniの演劇〜ミュージカル的な趣もある表現力のあるヴォーカルをフィーチャーした、アブストラクトなエレクトロニック・ミュージック”
Linus Records (Japan) – 30 July 2016
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“Italian performance artist Ernesto Tomasini provides the incantatory vocals.”
3voor12 (Netherlands) – 26 July 2016
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“Ernesto Tomasini, better than anyone else, gives life to the alternative world of [Shackleton], which wonders between ritual and science fiction. Shackleton [plays with] the tragic and theatrical, absorbing the influence of that extravagant stage animal that is the Sicilian; known in the 90s for his role in revolutionising the cabaret scene, with acts like The Electro-Castrato, comedian and actor of experimental theatre, with more than 30 years on the stage, behind his four octave voice something sometimes sinister is hidden. “Devotional Songs” seems to close a circle: Tomasini collaborated in the past with Peter Christopherson (Coil, Psychic TV, Throbbing Gristle) and his contribution here amplifies the properties of Shackleton’s recent music. The Italian living in UK for many years, must have identified the producer as the only bearer of this “energy””
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“鬼才Shackletonが俳優や歌手として活動中のErnesto Tomasiniとコラボレート!!名門”Honest Jon’s”からの大推薦盤!!
ベース・ミュージック出身ながらも呪術的音響で更なるレフトフィールドの地平を切り拓くShackletonとイタリア出身、実験的な舞台俳優や歌手として活動するErnesto Tomasiniが驚愕のコラボレーション。
民族楽器を用いたポリリズム・サウンドとErnesto Tomasiniによる個性的歌声が見事にはまっており、現代音楽にもアプローチし得る仕上がり。これまでのShackletonのリリース作品の中でもかなり異色の出来映えです。オススメ!!”
Jetset Records (Japan) – July 2016
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“Skull DiscoやPerlonからのリリースでも知られる奇才Shackletonが、Moritz Von Oswald TrioやActressなどのリリースで話題のＵＫ名門レーベルHonest Jon’sから待望のニュー・シングルをリリース！ゲストにJulia KentやDavid Tibet,らともコラボしたことがあるイタリア人俳優Ernesto Tomasiniをフィーチャーした作品！彼のユニークなヴォーカルをフィーチャーし、Shackletonのオリジナルなエレクトロニック・サウンドで表現された非常に斬新なトラック！Shackletonの新しいアプローチを感じさせる鮮烈な二枚組ヴァイナルです！！”
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“Geradezu himmlisch gelingt die Zusammenarbeit mit Kult-Sänger Ernesto Tomasini, in dessen Schaffen von experimentellem Theater über Kabarett bis hin zu Kooperationen mit Othon, Marc Almond, Sleazy, Julia Kent und David Tibet eigentlich alles seinen Platz findet. Mit seiner vier Oktaven umfassenden Stimme kommt er aus tiefstem Grollen bis ins feinste Falsett. Seine Präsenz ist das Bindeglied zwischen dem Hang zum Theatralischen, der immer schon Teil von Shackletons Musik war, zu den okkulten Energien des postindustriellen britischen Undergrounds.”
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“El tenor fantasmagoric Ernesto Tomasini”
Time Out Barcelona (Spain) – November 2015
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“In the foreground the stunning voice of Ernesto Tomasini transforms the track, giving it theatricality and melancholy”
Postwave (Greece) – 30 August 2014
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“[In one song] Tomasini shows (yet another) new facet of his voice, sounding like a decadent dandy. (…) [In another song he] sings in his spine-tingling falsetto”
African Paper (Germany) – 12 July 2014
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“The siren-like vocals confirm Tomasini, once more, as a great falsetto singer”
African Paper (Germany) – 19 October 2013
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“Impermanence” (…) also benefits (…) of the voice (and the four octaves) of the brilliant Ernesto Tomasini, who sings here on no less than five titles and who confirms himself as the only worthy successor of a Klaus Nomi. Whether in the soprano register (like in the third version of ‘Impermanence’) or in a more contemporary and eccentric voice (’59’), he makes a striking impression”
Obskure Magazine (France) – January 2012
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“[Tomasini] delivers his contributions with great versatility and (…) adds yet another cubit to his already impressive abilities: This is music that can make even angels envious!
Gaffa (Denmark) – November 2011
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“The most exciting and flamboyant personality to shake up the opera world since Klaus Nomi”
Frontiers Magazine (USA) – vol. 27, issue 02, June 2008
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“Actor, singer and bird of paradise, he shows what his voice – between Farinelli and Klaus Nomi, soprano and baritone – can accomplish”
Black Magazin (Germany) – 2008
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“An international star capable of wonders”
Atenciòn (Mexico) – 27 January 2006