NICHELODEON "BATH SALTS" + INSONAR "L'ENFANT ET LE MÉNURE"

"L'Enfant et le Ménure"/"Bath Salts" is a 4 disc split release by Italian avant garde acts NichelOdeon and InSonar. Both double albums have also been released individually. Both the individual double albums and the 4 disc split release were released in June 2013. Mainman behind both projects is singer/composer Claudio Milano. Both releases feature loads of guest performances from both internationally known and more unknown musicians. "L'Enfant et le Ménure" by InSonar (where Claudio Milano has teamed up with electronic music artist Marco Tuppo), features guest appearances by artists like Trey Gunn & Pat Mastellotto (King Crimson), Walter Calloni (P.F.M.), Nik Turner (Hawkwind), Paolo Tofani (Area) and Dana Colley (Morphine).

Both projects are centered around the expressive/theatrical/experimental vocals by Claudio Milano. While the "Bath Salts" album by NichelOdeon is more warm, theatrical and organic, "L'Enfant et le Ménure" by InSonar is slightly more experimental, electronic (not overtly) and ambient in nature. What characterize both projects are stellar musicianship, the combination of many musical styles, professional sound productions and intriguing songwriting. Most of the lyrics are in Italian, but the albums feature cover tracks by Peter Hammill (Van der Graaf Generator), Tim Buckley, David Bowie/Brian Eno and The Velvet Underground, which are sung in English.

Both double album releases are quite intriguing in their own way and while some of the vocal experiments on especially "L'Enfant et le Ménure" can be a bit hard on the ears it´s obvious that Claudio Milano is both a brilliant and very skilled vocalist with a clear vision of what he wants to deliver to his audience. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is warranted.

Finally I've the splendid opportunity to review this recent box-set regarding "Bath Salts" + In Sonar "L'Enfant et le Mènure", such an ambitious project by Claudio Milano: talking about the project Insonar, featuring Elliott Sharp, plus some members of PFM, King Crimson, Area, Hawkwind, Gong and so many other musicians coming from every part of the world, my reaction has been soon enthusiastic, cause They represent a lot of different music genres, such as the electronic music, the experimental jazz, the classical music, the experimental rock and so on...(regardless the audio book, such a great idea!!).

Moreover, in particular, I found that the audio book by "L'Enfant et le Mènure" is so much interesting and pleasant, and also more accessible in comparison to the previous production by Claudio Milano with Nichelodeon: the theme regarding the childhood, making us reflect a lot, as for the intelligent music approach by Claudio, is so interesting after all, and the band give us the opportunity to explore the "historical" instruments from every part of the world! For me every tool is suitable and well fitted into this "magical" word of sound.

Here is the main reason for which Claudio has chosen the splendid cover versions concerning some important and excellent artists, such as Tim Buckley, David Bowie/Brian Eno, the Velvet Undeground, regardless all the interesting "Arias", well enriched by means of the lyrics by Garcia Lorca, Agatha Christie and David Lynch!

I like the experimental vocalism by Claudio and his natural sound, such a versatile project whithin this dramatic album; even though perhaps the other double album- of which I will tell you soon- is a bit less "harsh" and experimental, but always complex and characterized by a great team work and a fantastic songwriting as well!!

Talking about "Bath Salts", always under the label LIZARD, here Nichelodeon introduce the subject regarding the difficult relationships among the people in general: They talk about "cannibalism", but anyway here you find another dramatic theme, this is pure avante garde music; and I love the combination between for instance the theatre a-la Bertold Brecht and Kurt Weill (regarding the foreigner authors) or a-la Fiorenzo Carpi (regarding the Italian one) with the experimantal sound and the most intelligent visual arts. Besides the Peter Hammil's cover is well worth checking out and if you take it alone, it's already worth the price of the whole "ticket".

Claudio is so brave, in composing the "pieces" of this intricate puzzle and, moreover, He's been able to resume all the interests and the versatile styles which have characterized his splendid career.

A masterpiece, which is almost worth a 5 stars score

"Bath Salts" / "L'Enfant Et Le Menure" is a box-set featuring a double disc recording from NICHELODEON along with a double disc recording from a band called INSONAR. Claudio Milano the gifted singer from Italy is the connection between the two projects as he sings on both works. I've already reviewed the NICHELODEON discs seperately on this site so i'll focus on the INSONAR discs. INSONAR is basically Claudio Milano and Marco Tuppo with an enormous amount of guests helping out. Some will recognize several of these musicians like Nik Turner(HAWKWIND), Paolo Tofani(AREA), Walter Calloni who played with PFM in the eighties, Richard Ingram who played on OCEANSIZE's first Ep, Trey Gunn & Pat Mastellotto(KING CRIMSON), Graham Clark who played with GONG in the nineties, Dieter Moebius(CLUSTER) and many, many more. I much prefer these two discs to the NICHELODEON ones in this box set as they instrumentally match the adventerous and challenging vocals of Claudio Milano. I found this true as well of NICHELODEON's "Il Gioco Del Silenzo" record where the music was as entertaining as the vocals which is something I felt was missing with the NICHELODEON discs in this box-set.

Up first is the "L'Infant" disc at almost 60 minutes in length. The first thing we hear on the first track "The Simpsons Sing Gounod" is Claudio's high pitched scream as it were before he continues with vocal expressions. Not much else going on here other than that though. Not a good start and "L'Istali Di Santo Nessuno" doesn't do much to change that. "La Stanza A Sonagli" is where I start to get excited as before 2 minutes we get a lot of atmosphere as Claudio offers up some vocal expressions. So good ! "Thief Of Toys" opens with piano before Claudio sings in English. Other instruments help out but the focus is on the lyrics here. Nice sax later on. "L'Inventasogni" is an eerie track with laid back vocals that match the haunting atmosphere. Sax, drums and piano only standout later. Nice.

"Menura Latham" opens with what sounds like a music box playing in slow motion. Other intricate sounds take over in this eerie piece. I like it ! It gets intense late. "Gallia #1" is again spooky with vocals to match. Haunting sounds sweep across the soundscape. Amazing ! "Venus In Furs" was written by Lou Reed apparently. The vocals are deep and determined here and I love the atmosphere. Another winner. "Dieci Bambini Cacao" features a ton of atmosphere as laid back vocals join in. There are some really cool instrumental sounds on this one. "Hamelinvoice" ends disc one. Again it's spooky before the vocals join in but the eerie mood continues throughout.

Disc two is called "Ashima" and it clocks in at 40 minutes. It's my favourite of the two discs. "Liberami- Tabernacolo Erotico" opens with creepy vocals and the music to match. Gottal love when the intensity rises with sax. Love the last minute that brings UNIVERS ZERO to mind. "Song To The Siren" was written in part by Tim Buckley. This sounds so good to start with the atmosphere. I know i'm repeating myself alot when it comes to the atmosphere but I love it. Vocals join in and they almost sound cosmic here. Beautiful stuff. The female vocal melodies late bring IN THE WOODS... to mind. "Cancion Del Jinete" opens with sounds that echo before these angry vocals take over with a background that is adventerous to say the least. Crazy but oh so good. "La Torre Piu Alta" is almost Eastern sounding to start as vocal melodies help out. Different is the word here but man this is good. Like a deranged version of a DEAD CAN DANCE song with that World music flavour.

"Plaisir D'Amour" is certainly out there with the vocal expressions and laughter but the music works perfectly with them. Check out the creepy atmosphere 1 1/2 minutes in. Love when it picks up a minute later without vocals. This reminds me of KING CRIMSON but more haunting of course. "Warwaza" written by Bowie and Eno is a slow moving affair and the vocals don't arrive until around 4 minutes in. "Gaillia #2" is haunting with strings and lots of atmosphere. "Medina" ends it and it sounds like mellotron sweeping through in waves early on. Gorgeous sounds throughout this track.

I'm giving this box-set 4 stars overall. It's packaged beautifully and while I feel the NICHELODEON discs aren't as good as the INSONAR ones, there's enough here to recommend it for those who are into adventerous music.

A lot of time is passed since when I received this boxset sent by Claudio Milano, but this is not a kind of music that you can put on you car audio system and listen to just in the background. As almost all the many Milano's side projects it requires attention and time.

Let's first speak about the package. Also this time there is no plastic other than the CDs, but the very "artist touch" is the little piece of rope which keeps the paper box closed. Inside, other than the four CD2 there are two booklets with the lyrics and some pictures. The pages, especially on the InSonar booklet remind me to the futurism of the first half of the 20th century.

Now the music: the first remarkable thing is of course the incredible vocal extension of Claudio Milano. Other than him there are very few singers with similar capabilities that I'm aware of: Boris Savoldelli of S.A.D.O. and the former Quintorigo singer John De Leo, but Claudio Milano is the one closer to the vocal experiments of the unlucky Demetrio Stratos. This means that his voice is one of the most important aspects of his music. But not only. The mixture of jazz, electronic and avantgarde music in general is relevant as well.

The two Nichelodeon albums are open by a harp prologue. Harp is quite omnipresent in this album and fits very well with Claudio's voice, especially on his highest notes. On "Un Posto Sicuro" (A Safe Place)the melody has a medieval flavor and it's a good contrast with the percussive background. The chorus has a very good melody, unusual in this genre. A part of the song seems sung in Japanese and it's followed by a coda and closed by an acapella last rhyme.

"Ricordo D'Infanzia" (Childhood's Memory) is incredible. The four harp chords sound medieval or even celtic but if I concentrate on the vocal melody it could come from the early 60s Italian pop, I think to Luigi Tenco. This is a lovely song with lyrics which deserve some attention. Sorry for non-italian speakers. Also on this song the coda changes drastically the song's mood.

Harp again on Surabaya Johhny, but this time instead of the melody we have a sort of teathrical monologue. Who speaks is likely a woman and this adds a touch of ambiguity to the song. The excellent chorus which dives in the same waters of Vangelis "One More Kiss, Dear" and the teathrical performance are again very vintage. I think to an Italian singer as Fred Buscaglione.

"Bolle" (Bubbles) is short. Musicaly I still hear a strong connection with the artsy pop of the first Italian singer-songwriters, these more influenced by the French chansonniers. "Rapporto Sulla Fine DI Una Storia" (report about the end of a story) is, for its melody, a sort of litany, lullaby or nursery rhyme, but it's accopanied by percussion and bells which make the "popular" feeling vanish. "(This Side of )The Looking Glass" has a strong RIO flavor, more than the other songs up to this point. It's closer to the Claudio's solo albums than to the Nichelodeon usual output. A little bit more challenging, but if you follow the melody I think it could be called jazz.. Something like Sinatra playing Carla Bley.

"Desiderio Nascosto"(Hidden Desire) is made of harp (played like a piano), cello and voice. It could have a classical feeling but Claudio's voice with the alternance of high and bass notes gives it the RIO touch. "7 Actions - Music for the Flesh" is a poetry. Claudio's voice is overdubbed several time, but don't think to Bobby McFerrin. He is later joined by tribal percussion. On this track we can hear all his vocal extension. Demetrio Stratos would have liked it.

This "first chapter", entitled "D'Amore e di Vuoto" (Of Love and Emptiness) ends with "Giulia". The subtitle means "born in seven months, dead at the first appointment". The melody is sweet. It's a sort of chamber rock, with mainly harp and flute creating an exciting background for Claudio's voice. The instrumental harp interlude is fantastic. This is the track that I've liked more in this first CD.

The Chapter Two, "Di Guerre e di Rinascite" (Of Wars and Rebirths) starts with "Terra" This word in Italian has many possible meanings: "Earth, Land, Ground, Dirt, Soil" to say few. Listening to the lyrics, I think that "Ground" is the best translation. The melody is obsessive and dark, with drums and double bass in evidence.

It's followed by "Alla Statua Dei Martiri Di Gorla" (To the Monument for Gorla's Martyrs). It has a sad melody and sounds like an epitaph. It was October 20th of 1944 when the Americans bombarded a school killing 184 children. The orders where misinterpreted and the aircrafs turned 22 degrees right instead of left destroying the school instead of a factory. Ok, this is not speaking of music, but even non-italian speakers can appreciate this song, poetry more than a song, knowing what it's about.

"Fuoco Amico (Mai N.A.T.O.)" Friend Fire, where NATO is the Atlantic Alliace, proceeds on this line with a joke about the two words of the title. The melody is very dark thanks also to the cello.

"Trittico 50 mg"(Triptych) has more hermetic lyrics. I have the impression that Claudio is joined by another singer here, instead of being overdubbed. This song is full of musical ideas. I really like what the harp does in this track.

"Johnny Dei Pirati"(Pirates' Johnny) Has a theathrical mood, like a part of an opera. More than just a rock opera I think to Bertolt Brecht. Another very good track with a very consistent melody.

Another war in another time: at the end of 15th Century all the inhabitants of Otranto (about 800 persons) were killed by the troups of the Turkish sultan Ahmet Pasha because the refused the conversion to Islam. Antonio Primaldo is a Catholic Saint. The legend says that after his head was cut, his body stood up in front of the sultan. The song is melodic and quite "light".

"L'urlo Ritrovato"(Rediscovered Scream) is initially sung in Latin. For what I can understand is like a prayer , or the parody of a prayer to Mary and Jesus. After the first part in Latin the Italian lyrics become "crazy". This is another operatic song on which Claudio is joined by a female vocalist. It's the longest song of the Nichelodeon's double CD and the central part of the track is one of the most challenging. The part of drums and brasses explores the free- jazz landscapes. I don't know on which track Calloni and Tofani guested, but this part sounds quite AREA.

"Un Posto Sicuro #2" is the reprise of "A Safe Place", but the medieval mood is disappeared. It has a chamber arrangement on a melody which sounds classic RPI. "Finale(Ninna Nanna)"(Final - Lullaby) is what the ttle says,but of course the lyrics are a tragic parody of a traditional one.

"Portami Un Fiore"(Bring Me A Flower) is a short dissonant closer. Again there's the contrast between a chaotic and dissonant base and the melody sung by Claudio. It's a strange closure. Even if not properly a concept there's a red line across all the tracks. "Finale" would have been perfect as last track, this seems quite an appendix.

However, this is an excellent double album that requires listeners in the right mood and available to pay the right amount of attention to it.

Now the second "double CD" of the boxset. The project is InSonar and even here there's a lot of guests from every part of the world: all the five continents are represented here. It's mainly a duo composed by Claudio Milano and Marco Tuppo, but just give look to the guests list on the album's page. The story of prog, and not only prog, is there.

InSonar is a different project. Maybe less challenging than Nichelodeon is naturally based on Claudio Milano's voice. The first track "The Simpsons Sing Gounod" is a kind of a joke, with Claudio's voice overdubbed in a crazy choir which we can imagine as the Simpsons.

A friend told me that the chorus of "L'Estasi Di Santo Nessuno"(The ecstasys of Saint Nobody) reminds to the PFM "Dolcissima Maria". This only to say that the connection with the classic RPI is evident as with Nichelodeon, but this project is not as dark as Bath Salts is.

"La Stanza A Sonagli" jokes again with the words. It can be translated as "rattleroom" as a "Serpente A Sonagli" is a rattlesnake . A difference respect to Nichelodeon is the use of electronics. After two minutes we are in a sort of drone enriched by Claudio's high pitches. It's not too dissimilar from the experimental side of Battiato in the late 70s.

"Thief Of Toys" is quite different so that I had the suspect that it could have been a cover of some song that I don't know. For some reason it has reminded me to Patti Smith's "Land".

"L'Inventasogni"(The Dreammaker) is the first track which can be called "difficult". Possibly the picture on the InSonar's album cover is inspired to this song. This is mainly a piece of free jazz with piano drums and sax in great shape.

"Menura Latham" is pure avantgarde with a bit of electronics based principally on drums and percussion. I can't describe it. Just listen. "Gallia #1" seems sung in French. The flavor is French as well. It's like a "Chansonnier's" song contaminated by avant arrangements. You can hear Claudio singing on high pitches and taking one very high and powerful note.

Now surprise: a Velvet Underground's cover. "Venus In Furs". Different enough from the original version but still recognisable. Here Claudio sings on bass pitches. More thanto Velvets to me it sounds more close to Joy Division.

"Dieci Bambini Cacao"(Ten Cocoa Children) is opened by keyboards and sounds very electronic. The song itself reminds me of Nichelodeon's "Malamore E La Luna" which is one of my favorite Nichelodeon's songs.

Finally, "Hamelinvoice" is another joke on words. Hamlin is the city of the "magic flute" of the Grimm's brothers. Claudio uses his voice instead of a flute. The story of Hamlin which is likely derived from something really happened in the year 1264 could sound like a horror story.

The first of the two InSonar CDs, "Enfant" is gone. To "Ashima" now.

"Liberami - Tabernacolo Erotico"(Free me - Erotic tabernacle) is a jazzy and electronic improvisation (maybe). Chaotic.

"Song To The Siren" is a Tim Buckley cover. It's I think the first time that guitar can be heard on this album. The song is fantastic and this cover, even though very different from the original, keeps the song's mood intact.

"Cancion Del Jinete" is a poetry by Federico Garcia Lorca. Knowing this fact, we can appreciate the "Andalician mood" of the track. I know that somebody else has put it in music, but this is the first version that I hear. The violin which emerges from the chaos is a great idea.

"La Torre Piu' Alta"(The highest Tower) has a middle-eastern floky flavor. The untuned notes sung by Claudio an remind to a Muezzi, then they change into a sort of Berber chant. After this intro the music is clearly arabic. An unusual ethno-folk effort with an unexpected jazz clarinet in the middle. It smoothly looses the ethnic element to be transformed into a noisy track, then back to North Africa. The lyrics may be both Arabic or Hebrew, I can't say.

After this chaos the famous romance composed in the 18th century by Jean Paul Martini appears strange, but it's just the first impression. It's so weirdly arranged that it can be recognized only because the chorus is so well-known.

Another cover: The Eno-Bowie "Warszawa" from "Low" (my first Bowie purchase many years ago). Calling it a cover may seem inappropriate as I can hardly recognize it, but it's one of the most relaxing tracks of the whole boxset.

"Gallia #2" starts instrumental and is sung in Italian, so not what one could expect from a #2. It's not what I mean as a follow-up or a second part. This is a challenging track. After about 4 hours of music, a track of this kind is not easy to listen.

"Medina" has a very slow crescendo from the initial silence. After about two minutes there's a major chord growing, then becoming minor. I can call it Progressive Electronic. It reminds me to Alio Die, even in the use of percussion.

After listening to the whole in one shot I need some rock and roll....jokes apart, this is a split release and the originals are effectively two double CDs, not a unique 4CD thing, so I can't say that the length is a defect. Both the albums are challenging and even if both are Claudio Milano's projects, they are very different. Dark and dramatic the first, Experimental and jazzy the second.

There's still something that doesn't make my cry for the masterpiece, but 4 stars are well deserved for both the albums. Enjoy. Just be sure to be in the right mood.

What makes progressive music so enchanting is the multiplicity of it's varied offerings, a wide palette of different possibilities that span the entire spectrum, from the concrete to the abstract, from song to noise and everything in between. While each fan has set their own personal parameters in what they enjoy, truth remains that most progfans relish more than just one style, giving them a greater grasp of sonic sensibilities.

No better introduction than this rather unique package from Claudio Milano, owner of a rare talent in our genre = a sensational voice, deeply rooted in Italian tradition of considering the lung/mouth alliance as an instrument all to itself. Previous reviewers have commented on similarities with Area's mythical singer Demetrios Statos, which to my ears is a too easy analogy. They both have stunning voices but Area's music was chaotic, at times gothic and mesmerizing, no hint of any harp anywhere. One can also name Alberto Piras of Deus Ex- Machina, another pyrotechnic rock band from Italy, but Milano is a totally different animal, closer to being a stage thespian merging with classical, avant-garde, opera and operetta than anything else. I cannot really think of anyone similar in North America or the UK. He has put together a massive 4 Cd package with copious artwork booklets that won't even fit in any conventional jewel box, creating a duality of works from the Baths Salts of Nickelodeon to the Insonar project named "L'Enfant et le M�©nure" .Being essentially a French schooled linguist, this last word was something new, so I researched it (I refuse to use the verb 'google' until they decide to end their world domination campaign) and it turns out it's an Australian bird! The stuff we learn in prog! Sheeeeesh!

Listening to 4 Cds is a gargantuan challenge for any audiophile especially when it's a style that is not devoted to an 'easy listen', so fans of Jouney, Boston, Asia and other more MOR styled artists should just bolt right now and head for the fridge to satiate their needs! The arduous audition will require patience, admiration for the sheer talent involved, solid reflection and profound introspection into the more ethereal inner world we all intrinsically possess.

The Nickelodeon 2 Cds as mentioned previously are under the Bath Salts moniker and are broken down in two distinct sections Capitolo I- D'Amore e di Vuoto and Capitolo II ? Di Guerre e Rinascite. We are immediately plunged into what is perhaps best described as modern-medieval, harp and voice in the forefront with a wide array of synthetic sounds and samples of the electronic variety. It's a beguiling listen, both complex and simple, easy and hard on the ear, turning hypnotic ("Un Posto Sicuro") and swathed in dense electronics. Milano has a wonderfully modulated voice, hitting various levels of tone and octaves. The underlying impression is one of disassociation with comfortable tendencies, a deliberate osmosis of styles and instruments (flutes, big beat drums, alto sax), some bells and whistles and sundry sounds. The entire side is the same avant-garde experimental music with a special twist and it's captivating only if you really involve yourself as a listener and let the sounds overcome whatever defenses you may set up. At times, Claudio makes noises with his lungs, mouth, tongue and lips that leap into the weird and the bizarre, which is surprising and fun. He yelps plaintive gulps of theatre, croons cabaret-style, grunts and groans, then dives into semi-operatic discourse, a voice that spans the gamut of emotions. Throw in some narration (semi-sung actually) and you get a prog-rock operetta with an encyclopedia worth of research. Yes, it's sung mostly in Italian but so is opera, so get over it! When he sings in English ("This Side of the Looking Glass"), the mood gets quite hysterical and creepy, as his plaintive rant gets washed in dense electronics. Other tracks have his voice multi-tracked into a mirror of a zillion tones, a flowery bouquet of vocal insanity. Some introduce cello to really extend the variety of sounds. Capitolo II is harsher, more war-like as the subtitle may indicate, still conducted by the mad voice and the eerie harp. I am reminded of some horror movie soundtrack, something the Italians did and still do quite well.

The 2 InSonar discs are quite different stylistically, closer to avant-jazz and even experimental rock, with classic covers of "Venus in Furs" (Velvet Underground), "Warszawa", David Bowie's stark classic from his Berlin days and Tim Buckley's "Song to the Siren ", a standard torch song also covered by This Mortal Coil, a past (mid-80s) cousin with whom this music shares some common traits . All three are utterly interesting, mainly because they are quite recognizable yet aurally different. The first disc is titled "L'Enfant" , a coarse , exacting and punishing listen , though the final tracks are surprisingly intimidating, and the second CD called "Ashima" both literally soundtracks for the impossible movie playing in one's head, swanky Kafka-esque angst twirling into vocal vortexes that defy form and logic, yet they completely resonate and beguile. Experimental sonic workshops divulging extreme tendencies, ideal for the chaotic and urban vernissage your artist friend is planning next week, just make sure there is a lot of vodka on hand.

As stated by another reviewer, you need to queue up some heavy rock after this one, just to shake off the torpor of cocooned numbness that this music creates on any willing participant. At times gorgeous, intriguing, painful, mesmerizing and outer worldly, Milano is a talent that is completely unique and inspiring, boldly going where no one has gone before.

4 tortured ecstasies

Sometime ago I was asked to review this massive four CD package wrapped up in a nice cardboard box with two boolets containing lyrics as well as several drawings and pictures. I really don´t know why I was chosen to do it, given the fact that RIO/Avant-prog is hardly my cup of tea. I´m much more a "traditional" prog lover, who´s a sucker for nice melodies, as my review list might have shown to anybody who have cared to visit it. Anyway, claudio Milano was very kind to send those CDs and I decided to take the challenge.

It was not an easy task for me as you might have guessesd. The music inside those two double albums (each one previously released separetly, one by his band NichelOdeon and the other a side project called InSonar) is definitly intricated, bold and challeging. This is no background music at all! It demands all your atention and, at first, it sounded way too freakish for my taste. However, upon a few more spins I found it to be quite interesting and ended up enjoying the material. It´s certainly a grower: you have to listen carefully to the complex layers of sounds and its unsual musical structures (or lack of it). But unlike most avant gard material I´ve heard so far, the weirdness of some passages, the atonal musical parts and some pure experimentation rarely, or never, sounded gratuitous or self indulgent. The often inclusions of some more melodic and "straight" parts made it all the more balanced and digestable.

Of the two CDs, the InSonar is definitly the more experimental and difficult to get on to it. Still, it is very interesting, including some clever and very original versions of songs from others, like his take on the old french song Plaisir d'Amour or even David Bowie´s already unsual Warsawa . Milano is, definitly, a great singer and he has an awesome technique that may sound be a little over the top to most, but works very well for this kind of material. He is probalby the most accomplished and daring vocalist I´ve heard since the late Demetrius Statos. The long list of musicians playing in here is quite irrelevant, since even if you know some of the names on it (like Hawkwind´s Nik Turner and PFM´s Walter Calloni) the music inside has nothing to do with those aforementioned bands (and others). However, I found the music here to be quite mesmerizing and trippy, taking you into a journey through a lot of human feelings, good or bad. I did not get the lyrics, since my italian is quite poor to say the least, but even if I believe those words are an important part of the whole, you still can enjoy the ride without really getting into them. The performances are spotless and some instrumental parts are quite intriguing and beautiful in their own way.

Both record benefit form a crystal clear sound and production. That´s quite an achievement since both records have a wild variety of styles and atmospheres that really demand some fine sound engineering to get it right.

Conclusion: a very fine and unique work of a terrific singer and songwriter. It´s not easy to listen to so many different moments in a row, but it´s something quite rewarding if you pick up a few parts each time. While most avant prog/RIO stuff sounded pointless and just without any musical consistency to my ears so far, Milano´s work strikes me as a well balanced, profound and pleasant record overall, even if at times it does have some parts I couldn´t really get it. It was a very interesting experience and I´m glad I had the opportunity to listen to such unique piece of art.

I recommend these CDs to anyone who appreciates the style and to anyone who wants to get to know it.

Prog rock is a truly dynamic genre. While many believe it to only consist of pompous British men playing a 27-keyboard stack while wearing 4 capes, the breadth of the genre extends so much further than that. While the extravagant 70s ideal still exists, bands from all walks of life are continuously pushing the boundaries of prog rock to include so much more than the balladry of the bands of the past. Bands such as the two bands represented in this boxset, NichelOdeon and InSonar, certainly push these boundaries. Both are bona fide members of the robust avant-garde prog scene of Italy, and are led by musical visionary Claudio Milano. The bands, while both being led by Milano, have very differing visions. NichelOdeon, and the album seen here, Bath Salts is an emotionally dense and minimalistic musical expos', while InSonar's L'Enfant et le M'nure is an experimental and all-inclusive work or avant-rock. The four-disc split is an expansive release, running for over three hours, and features the sounds of dozens of respected avant-garde musicians. The album is incredibly difficult to listen to in one stretch, but broken into its respective albums and perhaps even further into each album's respective discs, this album is a treat for any fan of avant-rock.

The boxset itself is a sight to be seen ' the handmade set contains the four discs and two separate booklets. Each set is handmade by Claudio himself, which brings the listener even closer to the viscerally personal music that is contained on the four discs. The entire presentation is very clean with the only plastic being the slim lightweight sleeves for the CDs themselves. The booklets too are very clean and well designed, with Bath Salts's booklet containing a portfolio of art pieces and photographs to accompany each of the songs on both discs. The art is very much impressionist and almost surreal, with some pieces taking on an almost cubist look, which mirrors some of the atmospheres of the music very well. L'Enfant et le M'nure is similar, but lyrics accompany the more defined, fittingly childish works.

But what really matters, of course, is the music contained within the thin slivers of plastic and aluminium we call CDs. The sonic expanse presented is remarkably dynamic, including mellow vocal passages, experimental electronic sections, and well-orchestrated avant-jazz pieces. If it weren't for the shared vocalist, these two bands would seemingly have very little to do with each other. And because of this, this album needs two almost completely different reviews.

First, Bath Salts. This two disc album is easily the more mellow of the two, with the music predominantly coming from a Celtic harp, e-harp, or related device which creates a truly pastoral and relaxing atmosphere. Of course, the album is not solely a harp-vocal duo, with many of the songs also featuring a full sized avant rock band to flesh out Claudio's compositions. The songs, in general, are fairly mellow, slow, and emotionally dense. Claudio's vocals reminded me of a cross between Franco Mussida and Laurie Anderson ' spoken word to a degree, but with a degree of RPI melody. The fusion complements the carefully constructed instrumentation perfectly, giving the mellow atmosphere a subtly haunting effect. Overall, the album is an experiment in emotional, mellow avant-prog, and Milano pulls this fusion off very well.

L'Enfant et le M'nure, however, is not quite as mellow. On this album, Milano pulls all the stops on experimentation, and the album shows. Both discs are a rollercoaster of revolving styles, atmospheres, and avant tendencies. While some bands do this same method and go overboard with experimentation, InSonar is able to keep the avant-garde nature of their music in check for an avant album which keeps the listener entertained and not alienated. L'Enfant also follows a more thematic form than Bath Salts as if follows the story of, as the title suggests, a child and a bird. Overall, the albums is definitely aimed at the more adventurous listener, and it takes a more open ear to enjoy, but the album is littered with bits of avant-garde gold as Milano shows he can write a mean work of avant magic.

In the end, this is album is definitely something to invest in if you are a fan of emotion- packed, experimental avant-prog. The four discs contain a world of experimental music, and anyone who is a fan of the genre is bound to find something pleasing to their ears while listening. While some parts can seem a bit off-beat at times, the swaths of music almost completely drown out the minor detriments of the album. Of course, to some, this three hour release may be a bit too much, but enjoyed individually, the boxset provides a nice immersion in Claudio Milano's work. 4 stars.

No Van Goghs please

I reviewed the album 'Bath Salts' a little while back and was completely taken aback by the pirouetting beauty that had unveiled before me - especially seeing as I'd approached the music thinking it would be some kind of avant prog with strange fittings and angular motifs up the wazoo. That was however so far from the truth, that I today laugh a little when I think back to my opening meeting with this Italian produce...

The two missing discs I have yet to review are a product of Claudio Milano's musical flirtings, and I'll tell you right away: this guy must be doing something right and genuinely interesting, as musicians like Trey Gunn, Pat Mastelotto, Dieter Moebius, Paolo Tofani and Nik Turner agreed to take part in the making of these, and they are just a small fraction of the incredibly talented crew supporting the all encompassing, wild, frail, gentle and erratic vocals of Claudio. Where each of these fit in on the two albums is strictly guess work on my behalf, but I am quite sure I've spotted both Moebius and Mastelotto a fair few times during the playing time.

The music on offer is closer to what most of us here would identify as 'prog rock', and probably also a tad more approachable than 'Bath Salts' itself, but that doesn't take away from the overt progressive tendencies at it's core. Whether conveyed by a scarecrow of voices all emanating from the man himself, sounding particularly close to that of siren singing and inspired mermaid yawns, or through ambient flusters of electronics, gentle Italian guitar figurines or maybe some good old piano taken straight out of the symphonic prog cookbook, you're almost certain to intercept the more rooted feel of these records. They're earthier and more tangible compared to the, at times, almost hovering musical box presence of Bath Salts.

Come to think of it: imagine Dead Can Dance on some terrible Daturah inflicted drug conjuring up orchestral synths, strings, fizzing electronics and then being interrupted by some King Crimson musicians who just came from an hour long free improvisation jam, and you're not that far off...

Alright if you think you got it pegged down, then add some cabaret music, backwards blues, jazz rock, art rock and a slow moving presence that opens up ever so gently to you over the course of the individual tracks.

Criss crossing between Italian and the English lingo, the music never feels mismatched or thrown on the two albums for feck's sake. It feels natural and gives to the listener a kick in his kidneys - something to distract him from the lavish and colourful cover art.

As to which one I prefer of these two parts of 'Bath Salts', then I have to go for the original album. While you do get a fair whiff of the prog rock of old, as well as some clear parallels to the early RIO scene, on these two InSonar releases, and while they still come across infinitely modern and original, there's just something about Bath Salts that draws me in, gives it the edge.

For any of you people wanting to step out of your sonic routines and take the plunge in something brand new, and, for this kind of music, rather approachable, then by all means go get this stunning Nichelodeon release. It comes in a beautiful blue packing with old school string tied around, almost like a shoelace.

I remember saying to Claudio, that he shouldn't worry too much. Sure people will pick up on some of the most boundary pushing prog that's currently being made. "Sure thing!" I said I'd promise him he wouldn't end up as some kind of musical Van Gogh, who many years from now, after he's long dead and gone, will be looked back on as one of the most progressive and versatile vocalists of the new century. Let's give the living credit while they roam the airwaves eh? 3.5 stars.

'Bath Salts + InSonar "L'Enfant et le Ménure' - NichelOdeon/InSonar (59/100)

I don't think it would be fair to call Bath Salts + L'Enfant et le Mènurea real 'split' album; both are driven by the same core member (Claudio Milano) and both operate by similar guidelines. Both NichelOdeon and InSonar could be resomably described as 'avant-ambient' progressive rock, both projects' included albums are unreasonably long, both projects highlight Claudio Milano as a brilliant vocalist, and both employ far more guest musicians than they rightly know what to do with. In a sense, L'Enfant et le Mènure and Bath Salts are close mirrors of one another. While the former goes for an 'everything but the sink' approach to avant-prog (that ultimately leaves it feeling indistinct) Bath Salts grounds the sound a little more, cutting out some of the unnecessary filler and capitalizing purely on Milano's voice. Between the two, Bath Salts is endlessly better than its counterpart. Listening to the two back-to-back only reinforces this notion.

Eating up over three hours cumulatively, Bath Salts + L'Enfant et le Mènure isn't something I would recommend be heard in a single listen. Even one of these albums can be tough to get through at once; not necessarily due to the quality but the aimlessly subdued instrumentation shared by both albums. Even the strongest material here demands a level of patience some listeners may not have. If you're thinking about getting into this, check out the first disc of Bath Salts; it's the most grounded and consistent of the four CDs, and arguably delivers the best experience. As a final word, I'd like to bring attention to the album's packaging. The cardboard layer atop the CDs and booklets is plain, save for the green imprint of lips atop it. I think it reflects the music here fairly well; minimalism, with an almost out-of-place theatrical touch.