Fabio Zuffanti
La quarta vittima

THE REVIEW

The fourth solo album by Fabio Zuffanti is released and stands as a sort of summary of his now twenty-year career. Unlike previous works, where the Genoese musician used a sparse and minimal language (Fabio Zuffanti and Ghiaccio) and personally revisited Battiato (La foce del ladrone), in this new La quarta vittima he wanted to make the quintessential prog album. He surrounded himself with brilliant musicians, demonstrating, as usual, great foresight in choosing his collaborators, including the excellent jazz-trained bassist Riccardo Barbera (whose contribution proved very important in the sound's economy), Emanuele Tarasconi from Unreal City on keyboards, Enzo Zirilli (another jazz musician) and Paolo Tixi from Tempio delle Clessidre on drums, Laura Marsano on guitar, and Gian Marco Pietrasanta on saxophone.

Zuffanti played the role of assembler like Steven Wilson by writing the music and lyrics and singing. The album, in the best prog tradition, is based on a concept taken from the book by Michael Ende, Lo specchio nello specchio, a piece of fantastic literature that acts as a guiding thread. The influences are multiple; there are always references to the glorious Italian '70s prog like in La Maschera di Cera, to Van Der Graaf Generator and Pink Floyd, but, as mentioned, there are also strong hints of jazz-rock. The atmospheres are warm and changing. The first track, “Non posso parlare più forte,” immediately sets the album's mood with its overwhelming prog and psychedelic feeling, highlighted by a beautiful flute and a stunning “Floydian” guitar solo in the end. "La certezza impossibile" continues more calmly with Santana-like atmospheres. "L’interno di un volto" has many facets and reminded me of certain Italian prog. The title track is a dynamic piece that incorporates elements of fusion and jazz-rock while "Sotto un cielo nero" in the latter part shifts towards typically jazz waters. "Il circo brucia" has a dark stride reminiscent of Van Der Graaf Generator. It closes with the melancholic and calm "Una sera d’inverno," where violin and piano paint winter landscapes.

La quarta vittima is an album of high caliber that places itself at the top of the genre.