Four By Art
Inner Sounds

Returning from the mists of mythical times but actually not too distant, the Four By Art group from Milan was one of the protagonists of the neo-psychedelic season in Italy. Strongly influenced by garage and R&B sounds, the Four By Art, before disbanding, released 2 LPs, namely Four By Art in 1985 and Everybody An Artist with... Four By Art in 1986, along with a series of thrilling live performances. In any case, all the material by Four By Art was reissued in 2008 by the commendable Area Pirata of Pisa in the double CD The Early Years '82-'86 which also includes the single and some live tracks. In 2002, the Four By Art reformed, and now, also curated by Area Pirata, their new album entitled Inner Sounds is released. The CD immediately makes a good impression thanks to a beautiful, colorful psychedelic cover – it is a 3-panel digipack - a work of the Mexican artist “Grace” who has perfectly captured the spirit and essence of their universe. The first impression you get from listening to Inner Sounds is that time never stopped for Four By Art. The band composed of Filippo Boniello (vocals, bass, guitar, clavinet, synths), Stefano Cecchi (drums), Giorgio Jon Darmin (organ), Storteaux (rhythm and lead guitar), Dario Frasca (electric piano, synths), and Ilaria Bonetti and Massimo Silva (backing vocals) manages to be as spirited and overwhelming as in the old days. Those who love the rawer '60s sounds tinged with psychedelia will undoubtedly be captivated by the explosive sound of the Four By Art. The entire album sounds fresh and essential from the opening "Alive," while the keyboards give an unmistakable psych touch to the ensemble: listening to Inner Sounds is like getting on a time machine set for a journey to the '60s. The average quality is very good, and the album never gets boring. There are no dull moments; in fact, the engagement continually increases as you listen. It's impossible to remain indifferent to tracks like the gritty "I Ask You," the overwhelming “Allora mi ricordo” (the only song sung in Italian), or the derailing "Home," just to name a few. Inner Sounds is a great work that confirms the vitality of the groups that set alight the grayness of the '80s with their sounds. Available on Bandcamp at the following link: https://areapiratarec.bandcamp.com/album/inner-sounds.