Felpa
Paura

I like Felpa. The previous Abbandono already gave positive feelings; and you can understand from whom those somewhat shoegaze vibes came in Offlaga Disco Pax. Like in Tatranky, you know, after Collini says «they took everything from us» and the atmosphere kicks in. But also in the intensity shifts of Kappler.

Because Carretti loves the Slowdive so much, and you can feel it on this record: take when the keyboard enters in the instrumental opener Buio. Or in Paura Mai, one of the most distinctly emulative moments of the shoegaze giants and the 90s indie atmosphere, even the Italian kind. But especially in the evocative, minimal, and atmospheric Stanotte. And it must have been him also doing the slide on the guitar in the ODP; Momenti says it clearly.

But comparing with Offlaga Disco Pax is a sterile game. While Collini built a bridge between introspection and the left-wing militant pop culture, Carretti's project is entirely introspective and maybe even a bit introverted and self-indulgent, as it is deferential towards his influences. Very standard setup: simple and clean bass; two guitars with reverb, chorus, and occasional distortions yet measured, crafting in a classic way - one arpeggios and constructs, the other harmonizes and creates ambiance - and then drum machine, large keyboard, and some light noise. Even glockenspiel in Luce, which closes serenely with the mantra «I will not be afraid», a variation on the theme of the beautiful Inverno.

Shadowy and nocturnal, melancholic but not gloomy, the mood is best delivered by exploiting the sounds of the genre's staples, but with a good dose of personality: starting from the obvious linguistic re-elaboration of the vocals. Whether this stuff works or not in Italian, it’s not easy to say, and with Felpa the doubt remains, also because it's the vocals that bring in the sore notes: voice too dry and too "forward" to be entirely shoegaze, nasal and juvenile; vocal lines dragged and lacking hooks up to monotony. Perhaps intentional, with that apathetic air it conveys, but still monotony nonetheless. Lyrics decidedly not unforgettable. It might have been appropriate, perhaps, to dare more with sounds and reverb, to hide, filter, split, modify and push back. But it's fine as it is, Felpa remains positive and is taking his stuff around. It's time to go.