DISORGANICORIGAMI

In September 2008, two Italian musicians gathered to see what would emerge if they tried a few things together again. They had already played together in a side project before. Then, DAvide (drums) left his band, whereas ALfio's band was on hiatus due to unfortunate circumstances; two very different bands, as are the personalities of the two musicians. Davide Guidoni is more structured, rigorous, systematic, whereas Alfio Costa (keyboards) is more free-form. Halfway through their one week seclusion in a friend's farm villa in central Italy (ancient Etruria), they got word of [Pink Floyd's] Richard Wright's passing away. After struggling with their emotions, they got back into that improvised studio and eventually came out with a superb rendition of "A Saucerful of Secrets".

Ironically for the beautiful, original music on this 9 track, one-hour long album, this cover may be its best moment; or at least my favorite. With Alfio Costa's piano and longtime Prowlers bandmate Laura Mombrini's and Cristina Vinci's voices on separate channels, this rendition brings even a "The Great Gig in the Sky" feeling. Not forgetting Davide Guidoni's tribal percussion. Exquisite is also the graphic illustration he provides in the booklet for this track: the silhouette of the aged Rick Wright, as if an "Astronomy Domine", on a "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" background. Plus they get Fabio Zuffanti, of Finisterre, Hostsonaten, Maschera di cera and many other projects' fame, guesting on bass. In fact, other Pink Floyd references are scattered throughout the album: the "On the Run" synth that Alfio Costa creeps in "Mo(o)nso(o)n", "The Dark Side of the Moon"-like heartbeat in proggy "Chimaira" and "The Dance of the Drastic Navels Part 1", even in a title like the dark "Brain Melody" and its "The Wall"-like ringtone.

Noticeable guest appearances are also made by Flavio Costa (Alfio's younger brother and also longtime bandmate in Prowlers, electric guitars on "Chimaira"), Moongarden's Cristiano Roversi (stick bass on "Chimaira", for which he also gets the only co-writing credit in an album otherwise almost entirely written by Alfio Costa), Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso's Alessandro Papotto (woodwind instruments on "Brain Melody", "The Dance of the Drastic Navels Part 1" experimental trilogy with no follow-up so far, and the title track), Eloa Vadaath's Riccardo Paltanin (electric violins on "Mo(o)nso(o)n"), and composer and Celtic harpist Vincenzo Zitello (who, this time, plays his earlier instruments, transverse flute, clarinet, viola and cello on the "Children of Our Dreams" miniature).

But "A Saucerful of Secrets" is not the only tribute on this album. There's also a special bonus track "Var Glad Var Dag" (Swedish for "Was Happy Every Day"), a cover of a Ragnarök song from 1980. No guests are credited this time, yet I can hear a flute as well.

As can be seen, with titles like the metal-flirting "Holocaustica", the experimental "Mo(o)nso(o)n" (snowboard/guitar, seasonal change, night, and even King Crimson song allusions), and the avant-garde "Disorganicorigami", Alfio Costa just loves puns. His synth monologue in the end of the trilogy is my second favorite moment on the album. Short stories accompany excellent graphic illustrations of most of the tracks. There's even a "making of" short fiction included, with Alfio and Davide as Alan, respectively Darren. Do not expect Music for Piano and Drums on this album. Fans of electronic and experimental prog rock will love it.