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Rating: It has often been said, and in my opinion, completely wrongly, that Italian prog in the last 20 years has produced little and of poor quality. To refute, once again, this gloomy and erroneous expression, it is necessary to present the new release of this mighty and marvelous group from Veneto.
D.F.A., an acronym for Duty Free Area, as understood from the album title, is on their fourth official release. Their discography, sparse yet magically intriguing, first debuted in 1995 with a work that practically went unnoticed. True, it exhibited some aspects of sweet naivety, but it was a clear preamble to the sonic explosion that would be the following "Lavori In Corso" of 1997. Even better, in terms of compositional quality, maturation, and stylistic independence, as well as execution tout-court, was the third work "Duty Free Area" of 1999. Then nothing more: the band seemed to head towards total disbandment, but in reality, the work did not stop and continued perhaps in an underground and unobtrusive manner and, thanks to the help of the prestigious label Moonjune, the new release hit the market in 2008.
The new work revisits the themes already explored, made of jazz-rock and fusion with an openly Canterbury style, but rich in Mediterranean sonic stimuli in a way more relatable to groups like Arti & Mestieri or Perigeo. But it is, of course, not a simple re-proposition: the themes are expanded, stretched in the search for sounds and methods that touch the classicism of jazz and chamber classics of the 20th century, touching famous and great names of English progressive like Gentle Giant or King Crimson and, not least, the sounds of Mediterranean folk tradition. In this sense, it is necessary to mention the closing track "La ballata de s'isposa 'e Mannorri," perhaps among the most beautiful and unique things produced in Italy in recent decades. It is impossible not to mention the amazing textures of the track "Mosoq Runa" for twenty minutes of excursions of great quality and sound stature, rich with surprising ideas and without a moment of boredom, with an ethereal and imaginative introduction of cello.
The basic quartet: Alberto de Grandis (drums, percussion, and vocals), Alberto Bonomi (keyboards and flute), Silvio Minella (guitars), and Luca Baldassari (electric bass) currently represent the best that can be asked for in terms of technical and sound quality in general. The great schooling stands out with every note and there is no note in this album that seems superfluous or contrived. The guests: Zoltan Szabo (cello), Maria Vicentini (violin and viola), Elena Nulchis, Cristina Lanzi, Egidiana Carta (vocals) provide the right sonic complement to a work that must remain, and I am convinced it will remain, not only among the best Italian releases of last year, but certainly of the last decade.
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