Valentina Magaletti - A Queer Anthology of Drums

Valentina Magaletti is an Italian-born, UK-based drummer, percussionist and composer. Her restless output over the last decade has pushed her CV to include a staggering who’s who of contemporary, rock, pop, jazz, electronic and experimental projects. While the world stood still in 2020, London’s Café OTO offered Valentina the chance to record a solo project for their digital-only Takuroku imprint, and A Queer Anthology of Drums was born. Sales went through the roof and in 2021 the Chinese bié label acquired vinyl rights for a limited pressing. Only a handful of that pressing left Asia and they’re selling for silly prices online. Now Permanent Draft the all-female label run by Valentina with Fanny Chiarello, is making this monumental document available worldwide. A Queer Anthology of Drums sees Valentina stepping out alone for the first time with a confidence that only a CV like hers could afford an artist. Valentina’s bold and broad approach to composition is immediately apparent. Her use of field recordings, samples, and piano augment the arsenal of drums and percussion resulting in a deftly crafted suite that transcends what most of us would expect from a solo-drummer. Carefully weighted, and free from macho bombast, A Queer Anthology of Drums weaves its story through a range of influences and styles yet remains concise and almost understated. Keen ears may alight on comparisons to Milford Graves, Harry Partch, or Stomu Yamashta, but this record really feels like it’s the beginning of a new language we’re hearing for the first time.