DISORGANICORIGAMI

DAAL are the Italian duo of Alfio Costa and Davide Guidoni, and this is their debut release from 2009. And this is one of the most adventerous and engaging debuts that I've ever heard I might add. Basically we get two veteran musicians playing drums and keyboards, then adding some guests to fill out the sound. We get eight tracks worth over 53 minutes. And while hearing different styles of music featured on one album is far from new, these two take it to a different level.

And the guests are worth talking about as we get a couple of veterans from PROWLERS, also Fabio Zuffanti plays bass on one track, Cristiano Roversi from MOONGARDEN adds chapman stick on the opener and helped write it. How about Alessandro Papotto from BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCORSO who adds horns on three tracks, and he will be on future albums as well. So we pretty much get this prog stew of electronics and avant garde music with a helping of Carbonara sauce you could say.

I'll start with the negative and that would be "A Saucerful Of Secrets" which was the song that I was most looking forward to hearing. It just doesn't sound right to me, and especially the two female vocalists of which one sounds off-key, and if that was on purpose, then good job. I do like the short tracks before and after it though. Both are experimental with the title track featuring these cool sounds that are like deep breaths. The latter has children laughing and having fun, like what you would hear at recess.

The opener "Holocaustica" is but 2 1/2 minutes but it sets the tone with how powerful this record is as we get sirens going off etc. "Chimaira" is dark and experimental at first, then it turns heavy. That third track is also dark and experimental(get used to it) with mechanical sounds. FLOYD comes to mind before 4 minutes then violin comes in over top. "Brian Melody" opens with the phone ringing before synths and more take over. It turns more powerful before 2 minutes as mellotron helps out. Piano and a calm follow but not for long.

Finally we get the 14 1/2 minute "The Dance Of The Drastic Navels Part 1". It opens like we're listening in on a party with lots of people talking. Then electronics flood the soundscape with the voices ending before a minute. A dissonant horn and drums lead before 4 minutes. Synths will play a big role the rest of the way. Floating organ late. Funny how at times when listening to this record I'm thinking "This should be in electronics", then at other times "This should be in avant". I agree with the eclectic tag though. A solid four stars for this amazing debut.