DECIMO CERCHIO (WITH "I SINCOPATICI")

Believe it or not, everytime I review a Claudio Milano-related release I kind of put myself a disguise and embrace a theatrical mood. His music is so visual, but this time it really had to be, because "Decimo Cerchio" is the original soundtrack for the 1911 silent film "L'Inferno" which was impulsed by three talented musicians who work under the name of I Sincopatici. These guys are Francesca Badalini on piano an synths, Andrea Grumelli on bass and electronics, and Luca Casiraghi on drums & percussion, the first two participated in the latest Nichelodeon album, by the way.

Well, I Sincopatici is a project who loves joining music with films, so they create music for silent films and perform it while the film is being screened, generating a wonderful artistic and multi-sensorial experience, which, for this time was complemented by Milano's voice and theatrical skills, because this release was recorded live from a 2021 performance. Fortunately for us, we can watch these performances on Milano's Youtube channel, a great opportunity to actually see what a experience like this looks like.

This album features 26 songs -mostly short- that make a total time of 67 minutes. The music created here is in the experimental, avant-garde side of things, though there are some moments that they take us to other realms such as the classical or opera one, or others much deep like zeuhl. Of course the whole experience would be fullfilled if we attended to a live performance, however, it is possible to enjoy it by only listening to the music, so we can create our own pictures, passages and scenes. Enigmatic first two minutes, some spacey atmospheres and Claudio's voice; then piano starts building beautiful sounds, while bass and percussion join in a delicate way. Emotional vocals take over for some moments, but then piano let us know thay musically its the main guide, so since the very first tracks we can notice Badalini's capacity to create different moods and musical passages that take the listener / spectator to a fictional world.

I love the contrasts and the changes, for instance, the sorrow provided in track 3 suddenly fades out and a delicate passage begins in track 4. There are some chords that sound like a lullaby for some seconds, but when they disappear, a dark atmosphere begins. And I could go on and make a lot of examples of the changes, but it's important to say these changes make sense, they all have cohesion and a purpose, so the experience naturally flows. I like a lot track 5, its delicious fretless bass sound, MIlano's voice exploding, and those keyboards and percussion that put a gothic-like atmosphere on it.

On track 9 they put a heavier first and then faster rhythm, creating a bit of chaos and letting us know the rock element is also present in their music. Dark atmospheres, some RIO and zeuhl here and there, wonderful. There are several tracks where we can listen to quite different sounds and genres, going from delicate instrumental passages to explosive moments where theatrical and poetic vocals appear. But one of my favorite episodes comes from track 14 to 17, where the guys create more winks to zeuhl, in moments that give me energy but at the same time, sounds tense and scary. Chaotic and explosive passages are also implemented here, all the instruments play crucial part of its success.

The percussion also help creating folk-like rhythms, like it happens in track 20, which has a world music feeling on it. And again, the changes, because track 21 is creepy, disturbing, confusing; and then the zeuhl returns in a kind of coda or reprise in track 22, which has a quite interesting inner change due to the delicate piano sound and those voices echoiing here and there.

And yeah, every journey has its start and its end, and it is great the end comes with applause from the audience.

This is a great work by I Sincopatici e Milano, I would love to see them onstage, however, I am aware their music might not be the easiest to dig, nor to recommend to a regular listener.

Congrats to these wonderful musicians / artists who do what they love, and I am sure, love what they do.

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