Diaframma
Boxe

THE REVIEW

It's hard to say if this is the best work of the Florentine band. One thing is certain: the true Diaframma should not be sought in the mists of darkwave; the debut album "Siberia" should be considered a simple episode (albeit a perfectly accomplished one). Punk is the true love of Federico Fiumani (leader, guitarist and lyricist), a controlled punk that never goes to excess.

"Boxe" is an album that Diaframma themselves have described as "difficult," and listening to it makes clear why they made this statement. It is a mixture of emotions, a work dense with meaning: there is love, childhood, fighting, falling, getting back up and fighting again. The struggle. This is the central theme, and it could not be better expressed than through the metaphor of a sport as tough yet captivating as boxing.

The original version of the album featured only ten tracks; lyrics of rare beauty, simple and decisive sounds. After a gripping start with "Adoro guardarti" and the splendid melodic rock of "Blu petrolio", one lands on the sweet notes of "Dottoressa"; a few delicate chords and then an unexpected punk turn. Quite different, however, are the subdued tones of "Un temporale di campagna", which take on the vague and indefinite contours typical of a dream: a child frightened by the lightning, someone whispering "giovane voce non avere paura del buio...". It is the memory of a childhood not always easy and conditioned by the absence of a father figure. The album closes with "Caldo", where for the first time we discover Fiumani's voice. At the end, his first timid screams explode, which will become much more frequent in the immediate future.

And then there's "Boxe", the song that gives the album its title and encapsulates its spirit. It is a real burst of energy, a refusal to passively suffer a defeat: "...La voglia delle mie idee ha la forza di un pugno in faccia a chi me le ha negate". Miro Sassolini's interpretation is perfect, as his warm voice further embellishes this masterpiece.

These are Diaframma, this is their most fascinating album. I myself couldn't fully appreciate it on first listen; now I have been captivated by it, and I am amazed that it hasn't become a milestone of Italian rock. All that remains is to hope that, more than twenty years after its release, its value will finally be rediscovered...