CAUTION RADIATION AREA

Early 70-s were golden age of RPI - very professional music with deep classic roots, excellent arrangements, mellow and sweet. I like some RPI works of that period ( where rock element is presented more than just symbolically), but some RPI albums are excellent symphonic/ classical music in fashionable ( for that time) rock arrangements. Italian sweets.

Area is Italian band, founded in early 70-s. And it is a really "strange fruit". Their excellent debut was melodic jazz-rock with Orient touch, excellent vocals and only slightly connected with what we expect under RPI tag. Second album is excellent jazz fusion influenced by best experimental, free-jazz and avant-garde music, where the only relation with RPI is time (70-s) and place (Italy). So, I believe that any listener ,expecting one more RPI album from "golden era" could be deeply shocked if listening to this music.

From another hand, this album is real masterpiece from the field of experimental jazz fusion. Even if you still can find few touches of Oriental music there, bigger part of this music is electronic keyboards, noises, free-jazz elements and atmosphere you can easily find in Hancock Trilogy or Miles Davis electric fusion period. Level of musicianship is as perfect as usual in Italian progressive albums, so this "strange fruit" in fact is a very delicious one , but just for prepared listener. And it is very rare Italian experimental jazz fusion album, by the way!

Absolutely must have work for every fan of innovative jazz rock fusion from early 70-s. Classic RPI lovers possibly should avoid it - you will find nothing there from usual RPI music.

Not less than 4,5!