NAVELS FALLING INTO A LIVING ORIGAMI

As much as Decalogue of Darkness sought to evoke the turbulence of sounds and atmospheres that once characterized the music of King Crimson, this 49 minute one track album slithers into a more psychedelic realm that showcases a definite cinematographic style, something Pink Floyd would do if they relied on the mellotron as their main weapon of choice. That being said , the duo of master keyboardist Alfio Costa and drum king Davide Guidoni shake the arrangements up by adding dense orchestrations, all sorts of sound effects as well as some solid Gilmourian guitar soloing courtesy of a trio of guitarists.

So you never quite know what to expect next, a constant, unending sonic adventure full of twists and turns, clashing serene with uncomfortable, always on edge. Like a palace of a 100 rooms, each opened door offers new dimensions': strange vocalizations, officious percussives, sublime pastoral soundscapes, buzzing waspy synthesizer lines, bruising bass from Simone Montrucchio, very clever 60's styled TV music (at the 18.30 mark), whistling synth spirals that whoosh into the firmament, I mean its all there.

Things can get quite experimental at times, very free-spirited until the drums kick some orderly direction into the mass, though Davide is way more polyrhythmic than Nick Mason. The mellotron does make numerous incursions, providing that surly and agonized touch that makes it such a legendary icon. At the 26 minute mark especially, the simple beat thuds alongside the sad piano motifs, the glistening guitar pearls wedged between murky clouds of uncertainty, urging a sense of incredible journey, dripping water notwithstanding. A lost violin scours the horizon, strings attached to its very soul until a Spanish guitar seeks to emulate Concerto for Aranjuez, a wholly unexpected ornament to an all-ready gorgeous soundscape. Shifting light obscured by clouds, thunder rattling beyond, wind whistling through leaves and branches and rivulets of gurgling sounds. Like a soundtrack to a travelogue, the music evokes Nordic forests, Asian deserts, lush jungle, searing skyscrapers, alpine behemoths and green valleys. The final segment audaciously includes a brief vocal , courtesy of Guglielmo Mariotti, also known for his bruising Rickenbaker bass playing on other albums, thus adding a semblance of gentle accessibility to the entire proceedings.

Daal has been dishing out great music over the last decade, the two 2018 releases simply crown this band as the current prog leaders in exciting modern musical manifestations.

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