MANIFESTAZIONI LIVE 2011-2023

Claudio Milano does it yet again, crafting something truly incredible that is able to feel so cohesive despite how eclectic and utterly out there it will often get. Despite being a collection of live recordings from different projects and collaborations over the course of 12 years, it all fits together pretty cleanly while also being extremely bold in the directions things go. This is most clear when comparing the opening track Per Causa - Nostra with stuff like Madre pagana. The former of these is this dense avant-prog masterpiece featuring members from the band Area, with the song going in all kinds of directions and keeping this constant sense of intensity that only ever seems to escalate, packed with this theatrical flair to further elevate the density of everything going on.

On the other hand, you have a fair few tracks that are entirely acapella, feeling rather sparse, but no less impressive, really letting Milano's voice shine through in all its powerful, operatic glory. My favourite of this style of track has to be the closing track SenseNonSex however, being a borderline harrowing duet with Giulia Zaniboni that reaches some utterly ridiculous heights with how the two of them play off one another. It's hard to pinpoint too many specific moments in this that grab me beyond this, but that's not really a complaint in this case either, instead contributing to a rather unique listening experience where moments will begin blending together, but in those moments where much closer attention is paid, you'll almost always be hearing something a bit different, all tied together by the common thread of it being so constantly intense, whether it's influenced by fusion, classical or even a bit of canterbury from time to time, making for a truly special listening experience from start to finish.

Even the occasional lulls in my personal interest that occur from time to time don't detract from the album as a whole, as these still will often strive to feel very fresh and continue contributing to the kaleidoscopic flurry of ideas on display. Heavily recommended, as while this might not be as tightly constructed as Nichelodeon's Incidenti - Lo Schianto, it's arguably even more full of ambitious ideas, being this maximalist 2 hour journey that rarely lets up.