KINESIS

Let me start by saying that I regard "Kinesis" as a prog masterpiece: Accordo dei Contrari has delivered a real musical gem for the year 2007, refurbishing the jazz-prog area with vigor, creativity and powerful colorfulness. Going beyond the typical sound of a quartet of guitar/bass/Keyboard/drums with the additions of guests on sax and violin, the band sets its style with inspiration from Area, Return to Forever, Deus ex Machina, Gentle Giant, and to a lesser degree, ELP and Happy the Man. 'Lester' kicks off the album with ravishing splendor, stating an exciting jazz-oriented vibe that at times borders on the power sound of contemporary hard jazz-rock. The sax solo gives a special warm undertone to the track during its short duration. 'Meghiste Kinesis' (meaning "greatest speed" in ancient Greek) goes to more energetic places, in this way capitalizing the previous track's fire. The notable use of dissonant chord progressions and the presence of a guest violinist make the band lean really close to pre-"Cinque" era Deus ex Machina. The intensity is interrupted by a subtle piano solo that relies on the empty spaces to provide an air of mystery: the following crescendo reminds me of a jazzed Gentle Giant, which in turn leads to a reprise of the opening motif for the coda. A special mention goes to the synth solo, an exhibition of Hammer-meets-Duke. This is an undisputed highlight. 'Scala Quadro' puts an emphasis in the rock side of jazz-prog rock: the recurrent motif is quite catchy, and then, for the last two minutes, the keyboardsman leads the way in an unmistakable Emersonian fashion. 'Gondwana' bears a similar structure to that of track 2 - a strong motif sets the pace and a much calmer interlude creates a well-ordained variation. This track's interlude sort of emulates the most serene passages of Happy the Man's repertoire, while the main motif displays a mixture of classic Gentle Giant and 80s King Crimson. 'Anexelenkton', in turn, brings back the robust spirit of track 3: the rhythm duo's peculiar dynamics and the partially sinister moods displayed in Parmeggiani's keyboards (once again, quite Minnear-like) are the track's most featured factors. With an interlude focused on a clever crescendo adorned with a certain extravagance and an impressive drum solo near the end, this track reaches a compelling climax. The album's last 6 ¼ minutes are occupied by 'O.M.', a number that keeps pace with the tracklist's overall punch, even enhancing it at times. In many ways, 'O.M.' is a condensed retake of the band's main references: Area, Return to Forever, Gentle Giant. The excellence of Accordo dei Contrari is based on a tight confluence of all individuals' virtuosic endeavors - their "Kinesis" is, IMHO, a must in any decent prog collection.