PANDELIRIUM

I have been a fan of Brazilian trio Dialeto for some time now, and although it has been seven years since the last release, the trio of Nelson Coelho (guitars, digital instruments), Gabriel Costa (bass), and Fred Barley (drums) are back. One of the reasons for it taking so long is of course due to the pandemic, and this album recounts Nelson's experience as a severe Covid-19 patient in March 2020. The songs represent the chronology of the illness, hospitalization, and long recovery with the album itself being part of a multimedia project, which also includes a book written and illustrated with paintings by Nelson. There was obviously a great deal of suffering for Nelson, and this album is full of drama and anguish.

All three musicians provide massively complex and complicated music, somehow weaving the threads together so they make sense, and while they can be driving and dynamic at some points, they are reflective and laid back at others. They can be highly inventive, as their live album with David Cross demonstrates, and they can be happily moving in the circles of King Crimson or taking their music in different direction with more than just nods towards Mahavishnu Orchestra. While Nelson is the leader and songwriter, it is the contributions of the others which make Dialeto what they are, a wonderful jazz rock fusion band who are always looking to break forward and challenge the listener to keep with them. The break in "The Long Way Back" is as unexpected as it is delightful, and the way they bring us back to earth is surreal. Dialeto have returned with another wonderful album and let us hope it is not so long to the next one.