Corde Oblique

Corde Oblique is the primary musical vehicle for Italian composer and art historian Riccardo Prencipe. Formed in 2005 following the dissolution of his previous project, Lupercalia, the ensemble has become a cornerstone of the Mediterranean neofolk and neoclassical scenes.

Prencipe, a conservatory-trained guitarist, utilizes the project to explore the intersection of Italian art history, southern landscapes, and contemporary ethereal music. The project is notable for its collaborative nature, featuring a diverse array of female vocalists and guest musicians from prominent dark wave and progressive bands like Anathema and Ashram. Over two decades, the sound has evolved from strictly neoclassical dark wave toward a self-styled 'FolkGaze' aesthetic, which incorporates the wall-of-sound textures of shoegaze into a chamber folk framework. Critically, the project is lauded for its technical proficiency and its ability to evoke a specific sense of place, specifically the 'wild and talented' South of Italy. They occupy a unique cultural position as musical preservationists of Italian heritage within the global underground folk community.