PRISMOSFERA

For their sophomore release, the excellent Italian ensemble Stereokimono provided an enhancement of their musical path as stated in their debut "Ki". This time, "Prismosfera" comprises a repertoire in which the threesome show an increase of both energy and experimental trend, which eventually leads to an awesome opus within the realms of avant-garde prog. Their self-imposed psychofonic oblique label is nothing but an energetic combination of 80s King Crimson, jazz-rock with a funky core, psychedelia with moderate electronic leanings and ethnic sensibilities that come to the fore occasionally. What can go wrong when the group stays cohesive and their sound becomes stronger? 'Onda Beta' is the opener that has to set the initial mood for all things to come afterwards. It kicks off with a set of oppressive, sinister synth layers and sound effects before the main motif erupts, mixing neurotic and joyful vibes. 'Rosso di Luna' is a bit less explosive, more oriented toward the reflective, something that is easy to notice from the evocative guitar leads and keyboard ornaments, as well as the splendid electric piano solo that emerges somewhere in the middle: yet, it's not a languid number really, but an excuse to make the jazz element more noticeable. 'Bahnhofstrasse' finds the band exploring the virtues of ethnic-infused jazz fusion based on Arabic ambiences. The midi sounds emulating cello and violin create a beautiful sonic architecture sustained firmly by the ever-efficient rhythm section. Once again, the synth effects come by to provide some sort of mystic feel (to some degree, like the Ozrics or classic Gong), especially during the track's second half, in which the tempo shifts to a faster pace. 'Xetrov 5' is the aggressive apex in the album, starting with a dark synth-based soundscape and then following with a very RIO-esque motif built on a challenging 5/4 tempo. Things get a bit closer to Present and other robust RIO acts. 'L'Uomo Nuvola' is yet another exhibition of typical psychofonic oblique rock, albeit with a sleight added touch of pop that allows the main melody be easily noticeable and get its hooks on the listener. Attention to the beautiful clarinet solo - is it a midi guitar trick? Also attention to the jolly country coda, which brings an air of easygoing relief to the band's bizarre musical vision. 'Salamandra' makes things get aggressive again, with a massive display of hard-rock colors on a funky basis: it almost equals the dark approach of 'Xetrov 5'. The last piece in the strictly musical collection is the ethnic 'La Soffitta Volante', which gradually keeps on growing from a mesmeric succession of acoustic guitar chords, percussive ornaments and keyboard layers all the way until the final climax, full of frenzy and mystery. The album's last 4 minutes are occupied by a series of old prog and art-rock classic albums' samplers: spot pieces of material from Yes, Pink Floyd, Gentle Giant, Genesis, Tangerine Dream, King Crimson, Gong, Camel, Area, ELP,. floating by among the birds in the forest. A homage to the old stuff made by one of the most amazing prog acts of the new millennium. General conclusion: "Prismosfera" is a real contemporary masterpiece.

A contemporary juggernaut

Stereokimono is an exciting group from Bologna that has released two albums over the past few years. I only hope that the lack of new updates on their webpage does not mean they have decided to stop as this is a promising band. Their unique style of modern spacey rock sounds on the surface just a little reminiscent of latter day Crimson but there is a certain underlying appreciation of melody here that makes this more appealing to me than some harsher, more angular sounds. "Prismosfera" is instrumental joyriding that will make fans of the Ozrics and Djam Karet jolt to attention and it will win them over. Produced by none other than Franz Di Cioccio of PFM the album has a sound that manages to be both light and airy while packing significant punch at the right times.

We like to think to our music as a becoming of psycho-sensorial experiences, stimulating fantasy and imagination ... something like a soundtrack for interior and cosmic journeys. We have playfully defined our project/genre Psychophonic Oblique Rock [from the Band: Antonio Severi, Alessandro Vittorio, Christina Atzori]

Indeed! This music is like a huge floating sentient being shapeshifting its way through some weirdly lighted sky in a distant universe. It is one of those bands where I am almost intimidated by the thought of trying to describe it in writing because it should not be subjected to the limitations of my pen. The wide variety of keyboards, guitars, electronics, sound/voice samples, and percussions allow soundscapes that vary between daydreams at times to pulling one in with direct sound communication at others. And the transitions between the different colors are tastefully handled making the listener experience more "real" if you will, as opposed to simply reacting to units of entertainment we call songs. I feel as if I'm getting mini-musical vignettes rather than songs. I am usually attracted to music with a more direct, obvious emotional connection but here the style works for me for the most part. I think most adventurous listeners will appreciate this very much. The band impresses with technical proficiency yet maintains playfulness and taste throughout, always attempting the head spin. "Rosso Di Luna" is a real favorite of mine: the guitars are layered so nicely.there are leads of course but you never feel like the solos are some extraneous thing, rather they are integrated into the overall sound as a component. The bass and drums are beautifully nuanced in their parts and similarly part of the weave rather than "backing" the lead guitar exclusively. Same with the keys. Simply great instrumental rock and easily recommended to anyone who may like the above bands or groups like Gourishankar, Porcupine Tree, or Lost World.

At the end of the album the band has a little contest for fun by stringing together short samples of '70s prog classics and inviting listeners to see how many of the 30 they can identify on their website. They also put together a nice booklet with cool images that go along with the tracks. The gatefold LP sleeve is quite nice in general.