NAVELS FALLING INTO A LIVING ORIGAMI

The stunning and highly acclaimed Italian prog formation DAAL is an experienced Italian duo: drummer Davide Guidoni played in bands like Tapobran, Nuova Era and Ozone Player and keyboardist ALfio Costa in bands like Tillion and Dark Session, and the Colossus Project. Between 2009 and 2014 DAAL released five studio albums, two box sets and three singles. But four years later DAAL surprised the world of progrock with the release of two albums within one year, first Navels Falling Into A Living Origami and then Decalogue Of Darkness.

DAAL mentions that Navels Falling Into ALiving Origami is a hybrid project: a part of completely re-arranged published material, and a part of material completely unpublished. The album features one long composition (close to 50 minutes), divided into a serie of varied sound collages.

In the first and final part of this very epic composition DAAL showcases its appreciation for Pink Floyd: first with fragile Gilmourian runs (evoking Shine On You Crazy Daimond) and finally with twanging guitars and exciting Gilmourian slide guitar, concluded with majestic Mellotron flights. In between DAAL delivers very adventurous musical landscapes.

From a psychedelic climate featuring sultry violin work and an Arabian sound with the Oud (the father of the European lute) to compelling experimental work in the vein of Classic Italian Prog band Il Balletto Di Bronzo.

From fat synthesizer sequencing evoking Phaedra-era Tangerine Dream to an interlude with melancholical Mellotron violin, soft piano runs and fragile electric guitar.

From intense fiery and howling electric guitar with a lush Mellotron and dark synthesizer layers to warm twanging acoustic guitars and ominous Grand piano play.

And from sensitive electric guitar and warm piano work (evoking Eighties Camel) to soaring keyboards and pulsating sequencing, in the vein of Seventies Klaus Schulze.

Well, what an adventurous and varied musical journey, DAAL has made impression on me but you have to be up to a pretty experimental sound. Because DAAL is frequently scouting the borders between Old School symphonic rock, classical, avant- garde and electronic music, with many interesting own musical ideas. A band very worth to discover!