No Strange
...e Continuerò Ad Esistere
the latest and perhaps most mature album by NO STRANGE, icon and pride of Italian psychedelia: a band that in the course of its long career has established itself as a key reference in Europe and beyond. No Strange are the result of the 50 years long friendship between Salvatore "Ursus" D'Urso and Alberto Ezzu. And it is precisely this friendship that gives rise to the atmosphere that permeates the new record: a summa of psychedelic atmospheres already expressed in their previous albums (starting from the first signed in 1985, since the line-up has returned to being a DUO). The search for and use of ancient instruments of medieval origin brings to mind the atmospheres created by historic bands such as the California-based Kaleidoscope with David Lindley and the Third Ear Band, without straying too far from early krautrock. The lyrics are a very important part of this new album and were written during the pandemic; they are harsh, almost angry, but an anger that should be interpreted as a tribute to life and the search for universal values. The record took shape in the semi-homemade Music Garden studios, an old documentary music company. The atmospheres, once set, were then distorted, adding the instruments the band loves the most: from the medieval lute to the Turkish saz, from the Slovakian fujara to the viola da gamba, obviously always with percussion, drums, bass, electric guitars and synthesizers: a kaleidoscope of sounds where it is not always easy to recognise each timbre. And then, a novelty - although she had already taken part in the previous album - the voice of PAOLA SCATENA, an alto whose vocals sound here very different from her usual singing, even improvising in a minimalist style, and, dulcis in fundo, her solo voice in the last album track: Tangeri. Finally, the song - La luce perpetua - was recorded directly on a mobile phone by Ursus, with Alberto subsequently adding all the other instruments. The album will come with an amazing booklet where, in addition to the lyrics and drawings of the band, you will find notes by Fiorella Gentile (Ciao 2001)!!!