I MODIUM

"L'anno del contatto" is the debut album of I Modium, a band based in Marano Lagunare, in the province of Udine. The album was self-released in 2019 with a line up featuring Silvio Frausin (vocals), Elvio Tavian (electric and acoustic guitar - previously member of Quasar Lux Symphoniae), Alessandro Filippo (keyboards), Michele Seravalle (drums, percussion) and Gianni Regeni (bass, acoustic guitar) and is the result of a long evolution since before the recording sessions the band had been active on the local scene for more than ten years, playing covers of the masters of Italian prog from the seventies such as PFM, Area, Le Orme or BMS and composing new material in the same style. The art cover by Federico Cautero tries to give a clue of the musical and poetic content of this work...

The title track, "L'anno del contatto" (The year we make contact), opens the album. It's a piece that recalls Le Orme and was inspired by "2010: The Year We Make Contact", a 1984 American science fiction film written, produced, shot and directed by Peter Hyams as a sequel to Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film "2001: A Space Odyssey". The music and lyrics evoke a message of peace and hope from a mysterious alien power. There are far signals coming from another time and hidden words carried by the wind falling like confetti, when the humankind will heed the message everybody will look up and all the differences and distances between people will dissolve...

"Sorona dove sei" (Sorona, where are you?) is a beautiful, heartfelt tribute to le Orme's masterpiece "Felona e Sorona". The music and lyrics depict a man in the night who looks up to the sky. He's a prog fan, no doubt! Suddenly an explosion of light makes reality vanish and he can see for a moment Felona and Sorona, the two imaginary planets lost in the universe spinning in balance and harmony like twin roses...

"Un attimo di infinito" (A moment of infinity) is a short, dreamy acoustic piece evoking a sudden warm light that can drive you across a boundless space where rivers of stars will cradle your dreams. Eventually, wrapped in peace, you'll wake up in the hidden infinite that lies within you...

"La fabbrica del silenzio" (The silence factory) depicts in music and words a gloomy dystopic future where there's no music and fragments of sound blot out the sun and fall down like ashes. The men no longer sing and a continuous background noise covers those who still try to see, think or speak up. But inside the sound screen a clandestine factory works in the dark and cleanses minds by producing and spreading silence...

"Per favore musica (P.F.M.)" (Music, please) is a funny, sarcastic criticism against trashy music broadcast on radio and TV. The protagonist can't find a single channel he can listen to with pleasure, he's fed up and begins to think that all the music is over. So he asks to listen to his favourite music again, certain that it will be a real celebration for those who will be there to listen to it?

"L'altra" (The other) is a short, dreamy acoustic track where vocals are used just as an instrument... It leads to the following "Piccoli galli" (Little roosters) where a strange thought begins to fly like in a psychedelic vision and the beat of the heart never stops...

"L'anello del bufalo" (The buffalo's ring) is an excellent, evocative piece that conjures up in music and words the image of an old sea dog, an experienced mariner with a strong will and a stubbornness that allows him to overcome the adversities of wind, sea and life. He has the looks and strength of a pirate and in his nose there's a ring, the ring of a Namibian buffalo. I'm sure you will be fascinated by the stories he tells...

The last track, "Rifletto" (I reflect), is a caustic piece that portrays an unscrupulous social climber, a man who talks about things he doesn't know, a false moralist disguised as a nonconformist, politically ambiguous and always on the winning side. If you look at him in a mirror, you'll see that he is never the man reflected...

On the whole, a good and passionate album quoting with respect and personality the RPI's masters!

I Modium from Italy is a young band who love the sound of italian old school prog, being influenced by bands such as PFM, Le Orme, Banco, etc. In 2019 was born their first baby L'anno del contatto. A perfect album for italian prog sound in our time, being highly melodic and romantic in aproach but aswell has plenty of complicated twists for such music. With pieces like PFM (Per Favore Musica) or Sorona dove sei are clearly with direction towards PFM and Le Orme musical past and present. The band has excellent guitar player Elvio Tavian from Quasar Lux Symphoniae who done a grerat job here, like the rest of the musicians aof course.

All in all a fairly strong debut, nothing special or never heared before music, but well played and pleasent from start to finish.

I Modium is another good RPI band that brings the spirit of the ;70s in today progressive rock realm. Well worth to be heared and a far better recognition then has here.

From me , easy 3.5 stars