Elisa Montaldo
Fistful Of Planets vol.2

The new album by the Genoese keyboardist Elisa Montaldo, Fistful of Planets Vol.2, released by Black Widow, follows in the footsteps of the previous installment, although this time the arrangements are more elaborate and refined. The style is still minimal, imbued with a timeless melancholy. If you know Elisa Montaldo as a member of Tempio delle Clessidre, you might initially be taken aback. Here, we don't find the typical prog of the Tempio, but songs that play with different genres. The first track, “Valse Des Sirénes (Chanson) – Second Meteor Of Chaos” is an old French chanson whose sound comes from a gramophone (which occasionally gets stuck). Undoubtedly, an apt way to bring us into the dreamlike “mood” of this work. The following “Floating/Wasting Life – The Grey Planet” begins quietly with synth sounds creating cosmic-flavored ambiance. Then the guitars, vibraphones, and tubular bells of Hampus Nordgren Hemlin shift towards a delicate and Canterbury-style progressive rock. “Earth's Call – Exosphere” is characterized by the use of cello and flute with ancient and Celtic-flavored atmospheres, almost like a soundtrack. “We are magic” is instead a dreamy pop song with Montaldo’s voice reminiscent of Kate Bush. “Haiku” ventures into meditative sounds with a beautiful acoustic guitar in the foreground. The long “Feeling Nothing/Into The Black Hole” (about 12 minutes) is, in my opinion, the highlight of the album: it begins calmly with sounds of crystal-clear purity thanks to a spacey-sounding piano that is almost unreal in its delicacy. Then, suddenly, the music becomes frantic, dark, and rhythmic with Mattias Olsson's percussion and Stefano Guazzo’s sax creating a sound not far from Magma. The brief piano interlude of “Wesak” introduces us to “Washing The Clouds,” a ballad embellished by the “Floydian” guitar of Ignazio Serventi. “Valse des Siréns (grand finale) – satellite” finally closes the loop by reprising the initial melody with Jose Manuel Medina's orchestral arrangement. Fistful of Planets Vol.2 is a precious album to be savored slowly to appreciate all its details. I believe it could potentially appeal to many, not just prog followers. Available on Bandcamp: https://elisamontaldo.bandcamp.com/album/fistful-of-planets-part-ii.