CAMERA CHIARA

Camera Chiara is a band from Salerno, Italy, who came together in the latter half of the 2000s, and who released their self- titled debut album late in 2013. The lineup for the album was Francesco Lembo (keyboards), Daniel Lupi (bass), Vincenzo Manzi (guitar), and Antonio Pappacoda (drums).

The music is instrumental, relying heavily on textures, melodies, and interweaving lines from keyboards and guitar, all with some excellent steady, always interesting contributions from the rhythm section. The bass lines in particular are very memorable, driving the songs forward and providing a solid anchor. At times the moods are spacey, other times tinged with a post-rock melancholy, still others driving and heavy. Each song moves down its own unique path, but they all definitely share common elements.

Stand out moments for me are Chiaroscuri, Nel Tuo Mondo, In Un Gioco Di Specchi, Il Nuovo E Il Vecchio Giorno, and especially Come Il Bianco Col Nero, which I'll try to describe to give a sense of what the album is like.

The song opens with a bass trill with some echoes applied. Spacey keys and guitar effects soon appear, as well as a quiet stuttering drum beat. These all interplay and gradually build, with the bass continuing its hypnotic trilling riff. There are two alternating chords that form the backbone of this section. About two minutes in, the guitar and bass double in a new riff that takes over and acts as a bridge to the next longer section. A descending bass line reminiscent of Pink Floyd's Interstellar Overdrive introduces the next section, a more uptempo beat with some punchy keyboards and building guitar riffs, some angular and some fluid. The keys vary from vibraphone to organ, shifting to background for some killer guitar solos.

This is a very strong album, never dull and frequently engrossing, and will certainly appeal to fans of instrumental prog, particularly those who enjoy their space themes spiced with some modern sensibilities. Please visit their bandcamp page and listen and download the album. Or purchase the CD from the band or from other distributors (such as Synphonic). Four stars. (Gnosis 12/15)