Cantsilena - Lungu Sonnu (Helikonia Factory Records, 2010)

Following the recent concert of Cantsilena, only a few days ago, I'm grooving on their first disk since then...

It's s very nice string of songs, sung by Alberto in both Southern and Northern Italy's dialects, thanking his heritage bridging these sooo different, almost colliding "worlds".

His so powerful, dry, throaty, "strange" voice is, REALLY is, so "right"... when I played first time in my system, I had goose-bumps, as the recording so beautifully captured the energy of the group: low drums, soundstage, nice imaging and timbres... and music, not over-produced, sincere, honest... simply beautiful.

It's (old & new) Italy at its best... as we're NOT Berlusconi's bunga-bunga, mafia & Banana Republic's politicians and the like...

I'm honoured to be and feel part-of "this" very, truest Italy. 

Peppe's oud and robab playing are oustanding: his skill coming from a great passion and the long workshops years with Ross Daly in Crete are so naturally showed,  like great, GREAT Paolo's tar and daf drums and assorted percussions - i.e. wooden blocks and tibetan bowls.

... but, like it seldom happens these homogenized, globalized days... hey, it's new and old music... it's pleasant, provoking... folk, pop, ethnic... classic and popular, and never boring or academic... weird, yet, you could end whistling while taking a shower:-)

Music is Love... you know... and when it makes you happier, hooray!

It's Rene Clemencic, Incredible String Band, Anouar Brahem, Nuova Compagnia di Canto Popolare... and more, and all is digested, milk-shaked...

... and re-born, brand-new... like only best music is.

The tracklist, folks:

Din Don Campanòn ****
Cuperici E Cuperice ****
Rast Pesrev ****
Fonte De Paese**
Sole Santu ***
Discesa De Amore *****
Sea Sea Setaccio ***
Sol E Caigo *****
Ilahi *****
Lungu Sonnu ****

The *** are my own... a very personal opinion and choice, fitting my tastes.

Please notice the five stars... it's a very full-bodied disk and the (slightly) lesser (IMO) songs better prepare listener to the next superb one... I'm sincerely, pleasantly impressed as these musicians, the recording and production and cover-art and pixes are... well, simply perfect.

A very, VERY nice find... 

Cantsilena are: 

Peppe Frana (oud turco, robab afgano, bodhran, lira cretese)

Paolo Rossetti Murittu (daf, bodhran, bendir, marranzano, calimbe, campane tibetane, canto armonico, bicchieri e altri oggetti, voce)
Alberto Ferraro : canto e filastrocche

I respectfully invite everyone brave-hearted enough to buy this disk... also non-Italian  speaking people out there, as Cantsilena's music is truly universal...

It's music which makes trees dancing!

You won't regret.