DOPO IL BUIO LA LUCE

One of the forgotten gems of the vast Italian progressive scene of the 1970s.

The Salis brothers, Antonio and Francesco, from Santa Giusta, Oristano (Sardinia), began their musical career in the early 1960s under the name Barrittas. They released several singles throughout that decade. With the help of their older cousin, Lucio, who produced them, they changed their name to Salis'n'Salis in 1969. By the time their first album was released, they were simply Salis.

Their debut, Sa vida ita est (1971), is a charming blend of 1960s-inspired pop and psychedelia, with subtle hints of progressive rock. It's a good album, but sadly it went unnoticed and didn't receive the attention it deserved.

By this time, the band had moved to northern Italy, near Cremona, in Lombardy. Their lineup also changed, with the addition of two musicians from Brescia: Pier Paderni and Paolo Gerardini. Both had played in JB Club, a group that once included Mauro Pagani. They replaced Mariano Tunerini and Nino Scalas, who had decided to return to Sardinia. This version of the band lasted until 1972. Briefly, in 1973, back in Sardinia, the lineup included bassist Pino Martini and drummer Salvatore Garau, who would later become the rhythm section of Stormy Six.

In 1974, a second album was released. This was more of a solo album by Antonio Salis than a complete band effort.

One of the first quadraphonic albums released in Italy, it was released on EMI's CiPiTi label and was later reissued by La Strega, a small label run by Lucio, who also wrote the lyrics for all of their songs. Musically, the album leans more toward pop/progressive than their debut and shares some similarities with another Sardinian band, Gruppo 2001. Antonio was accompanied by his brother Francesco, guitarist Gianni Serra, keyboardist Dario Baldan Bembo, and drummers Andy Suray and Furio Bozzetti.

Five years later, a new version of Salis returned with a revamped lineup and released Dopo il buio la luce, their third album. This is a completely different record: more focused, more progressive, and mostly instrumental. It's a keyboard-driven record that shows a completely different side of the band's potential.

The album is cleaner than the band's previous albums. The instruments flow and blend into a solid sound, guided by beautiful guitar and keyboard arpeggios. Dopo il buio la luce reminds me a bit of Arti e Mestieri and their 1974 album, Tilt, but with a more melancholic tone.

Dopo il buio la luce is another hidden gem of the great Italian progressive scene. Can you imagine? I've been listening to Italian progressive for almost 40 years and I'd never heard of this band. There are so many, and most of them are incredible. Nowadays, getting a physical copy of the album is almost impossible, but luckily there are digital versions so you can enjoy this wonderful record.

Social review comments

Review related links

• Send comments to Stoneburner
• Report this review (#3184445)
• Buy SALIS music online with PA partners
• Show all SALIS MP3/Stream
• Go to SALIS page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Dopo Il Buio La Luce page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for SALIS related discussions