Ameba 4
Ameba 4

A truly exhilarating album, strongly vying to become the best Italian CD of 2006. Calling into question Radiohead, Placebo, and Pink Floyd is a must in this case.

Ameba 4. The name isn’t the happiest choice. But so be it. Their sound is truly special, and it’s almost striking to hear Italian words over interwoven sounds that are both sophisticated and melodic at the same time. The work notably features the contribution of Corrado Rustici, a wizard of the mixer and sounds; his presence underscores how much the record label believes in this project. It’s Caterina Caselli herself who produces the work, the talent scout who most recently gave us Negramaro (and before that, Elisa). Ameba 4 also graced the Sanremo stage this year, garnering the promising immediate elimination from the newcomers category.

The album opens with “War (Che ne consegue)”: a layer of keyboards and robotic, filtered voice introduce us to the album. Dirty guitars, hypnotic snares. But then comes the jolt: an exceptional burst of energy caused by an almost progressive rhythm and a whirlwind of guitars reminiscent of the abrupt rock passage of Muse's New Born. Hand claps accompany us in this march, the lyrics are very essential yet perfect. The second track (“Non Vivo Più”) is the most beautiful on the album in my opinion: a Brit atmosphere, simple, no longer robotic; the more acoustic elements of Radiohead's Ok Computer burst in assertively. “Perché non vivo più, stanco e immobile io vado giù”: these words imprint themselves on the cerebellum. And they won't leave anymore. An extraordinary song. Could be a hit single. It’s followed by “Tu Ti Ricorderai Di Me”. Pounding rhythm, almost sick, hobbling and wheezing, sick like some songs from Hail To The Thief (Radiohead is the deepest influence). The electric guitars paint robotic lines, futuristic matrices. And the chorus is very powerful. The fourth track “Via Da Noi” is among the best of the work (competing with “Non Vivo Più”); a swinging but unsettling arpeggio that explodes into the leitmotif of the chorus. The acoustic guitar sets a rhythm that smells of impending disaster.
The soundscapes are meticulously curated. The voice of guitarist-singer Fabio Properzi is truly fantastic, reminiscent in intensity of Brian Molko. After a very cosmopolitan and dirty interlude comes “Fermo Il Tempo (War Parte 2)”; bass almost with synth dance, unhealthy air. Very contagious melody. The frequencies are those of Origin Of Symmetry. “Il Cielo” even travels in the footsteps of pieces by Marlene Kuntz (especially the guitars are reminiscent of the sweet and melancholic arpeggios of Bianco Sporco). Epic, exhilarating chorus, memorable. Track 8 “Labile” features a protagonist bass behind a keyboard wall with echoes of monstrous beings. A song with lots of verve and arrangements in the style of Sleeping With Ghosts. The words “Cerca di non ridere, cerca di resistere, il tuo regno è fragile, ma la mia mente è labile” are as precise as they are sincere. The lyrics fit perfectly into the sound walls. If you read them, they might seem banal, but the fit is eerily successful. “Quello Che Io So” has a very delicate acoustic guitar riff, but the piece is among the less engaging, even if the lyrics are among the most successful. The tenth song is “Dove Ti Troverò”, piano almost classical music, atmosphere in Absolution style; the result is very intimate, yet not as effective as previous moments of the album. “Strade Da Disegnare” saw the collaboration on the lyrics by Giuliano Sangiorgi, singer of the miraculous Negramaro. A fantastic piece, a probable big hit with an extraordinary impact. The chorus is very driving and powerful “Nuove strade da disegnare tra mille fiori da respirare, pianga solo la voglia di restare”. The combination of the verse between guitar strumming and cathartic drums is extraordinary. “Le Tue Mani” retraces the paths of “Dove Ti Troverò” and “Quello Che Io So” forming the trio of weaker songs, although the chorus redeems a start that does not make its mark. The album closes with the beautiful piece brought to the Sanremo Festival “Rido...Forse Mi Sbaglio”: deep song, melancholic like the voice of a medieval minstrel. Pity for the part where the song gets lost in a spatial sound not very connected to the rest of the song, which will penalize its potential presence in airplay.

A truly significant work for this debuting band. There are many musical references, the mastery of the means with which these are managed is enviable. A CD to get, I assure you.