IL GRANDE LABIRINTO

Every song on this album is of the highest calibure. This release pushes all the right buttons for me. Lots of mellotron and flute, great Italian vocals, and the songs are filled with many mood shifts and time changes. What a musical journey this record is. Of Fabio's many projects this one is my favourite.

"Il Viaggio Nell'Oceano Capovolto Parte 1" is chaotic to open but it settles quickly. Fragile vocals come in followed by organ. Piano tinkles away and then it kicks in around 2 minutes but settles again quickly. These contrasts continue. Flute before 4 minutes. It's chaotic again after 5 minutes as sounds build. So cool ! A dead calm before 6 minutes then vocals come in as it starts to build again. Mellotron before 7 minutes followed by guitar. Flute's back and passionate vocals. Amazing song ! Check out the organ solo and the mellotron that follows. "Il Grande Labirinto" has this good heavy sound with flute, bass, drums and organ. It settles and vocals come in around a minute. Piano before 2 minutes followed by passionate vocals. Great sound before 5 minutes and mellotron joins in. A calm with vocals after 6 minutes. Piano and a powerful soundscape 7 1/2 minutes in. A calm again a minute later. This is dark right to the end.

"Il Canto Dell'Inverno" opens with piano melodies galore until mellotron comes in after a minute. A solemn mood after 2 minutes and it's spacey to end it. "Ai Confini Del Mondo" features lots of organ and flute early. A calm 2 minutes in followed by voclas. A nice heavy sound a minute later. Love the vocals and the mellotron is so uplifting after 6 minutes. A change 7 1/2 minutes in as piano then flute take over. Vocals are back before 11 minutes. "Il Viaggio Nell'Oceano Capovolto Parte 2" is the 22 1/2 minute closer. Water sounds and birds greet us as gentle guitar and flute come in. Vocals and mellotron join in as well. A fuller sound after 3 1/2 minutes. A calm before 7 1/2 minutes and before 10 minutes. It starts to build with flute and drums and then kicks in before 13 minutes. It settles with organ, mellotron and piano before 15 minutes. Vocals follow. Another calm before 17 minutes with aboe. Drums join in. Mellotron 20 1/2 minutes in and flute follows.

Those incredible Italian vocals combined with that vintage seventies sound is just priceless. Hey the mellotron doesn't hurt either.