CAMERA CHIARA

Barthes considers photography as asymbolic, irreducible to the codes of language or culture, acting on the body as much as on the mind and he develops the twin concepts of studium and punctum: the first denoting the cultural, linguistic and political interpretation of a photograph, the latter denoting the wounding, personally touching detail which establishes a direct relationship with the object or person within it. Well, on their website the band invite the listener to focus on the punctum of the "musical photographs" contained in the album. This is a completely instrumental work, all you have to do is close your eyes and let the music drive...

The short opener "Tufa Domes, Pyramid Lake" sets a mysterious, dark atmosphere. Although there are no liner notes in the booklet, the title seems to refer to a famous picture shot in 1867 by Timothy H. O'Sullivan which portrays an almost lunar landscape on the Pyramid Lake, a place near Reno, Nevada while the music recalls Pink Floyd.

The following "Chiaroscuri" is a long, complex track marked by the constant contrast between dark and light atmospheres. It' another track that testifies the deep passion for photography of the band. In fact, chiaroscuro (Italian for light-dark) is a word that defines the artistic use of strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition or a picture. Here pulsing, tense bass lines contrast with light, soaring keyboards waves and electric guitar patterns while calm moments are followed by stormy passages. Every now and again Goblin or L'Ombra della Sera come to mind but the music does not sound derivative at all. A real treat!

Then comes "Maschere cadute" (Fallen masks), a nice short track full of positive energy that leads to the reflective "Nel tuo mondo" (In your world). Here the atmosphere is dreamy but never relaxed while shadows and lights seem to dance all around. A great track!

"Danzano le memorie" (Memories are dancing) is a short, romantic track with the piano in the forefront that almost melts into the following "In un gioco di specchi" (In a game of mirrors) where you can hear a haunting marching beat and experience some strange exotic flavours. Then the rhythm rises taking you to mysterious territories where your imagination can run free conjuring up psychedelic visions...

"Come il bianco col nero" (As white with black) is another complex track where influences from the past and modern sounds are mixed in an original way with brilliant results. Then "Il nuovo e il vecchio giorno" (The new and the old day) concludes the album with a good dose of electricity and powerful blows of optimism.

This work is completely instrumental but very rich in ideas and there is no weak point. According to the band's website, among their influences you can find bands and artists with a different background such as Air, Balletto di Bronzo, Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, Biglietto per l'Inferno, Genesis, Goblin, King Crimson, Le Orme, Philip Glass, Pink Floyd, Rush, Soft Machine, Tool and Vangelis but I think that Camera Chiara have succeeded in mixing all these influences with great personality and excellent composition skills. This album is really worth listening to...

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)