Gregor Samsa
Rest

"55:12", for those who knew it, was a pleasant musical episode. An accessible meeting point for a more varied audience: Post-Rock yes, but without the verbosity of Godspeed You Black Emperor! (not everyone likes them, unfortunately) nor the Icelandic litanies of Sigur Ròs; a clever blend, indeed, of these two main currents, which gave life to a truly interesting and delightful debut. At times touching.

Honestly though, I had the feeling I would never see a new Gregor Samsa album again after that day. Many bands disappear like this, leaving behind just one, but significant, musical testament. But perhaps, without realizing it, until now I had hoped this wouldn't be the case; in my subconscious I must have never resigned myself to the idea that a band with such an apt name (for those who don't know, the name of the protagonist of Kafka's "The Metamorphosis," one of the most beautiful stories I have ever read) could vanish into thin air. Their return has given me considerable relief because I think the Post-Rock scene really needs bands like these. Bands that don't strive at all costs for the "new" and experimentation, but rather have understood what kind of genre it is: a genre that moves you, that makes you feel less alone.

So, 2008, "Rest", the latest effort from Gregor Samsa. They appear with a larger line-up, but still dominated by the typical string instruments. The difference, however, is noticeable. Not that it appears substantially richer than the previous one, but what you notice after just two tracks is a noticeable stylistic shift: it's nothing but a point in their favor, as the best bands are recognized also by their ability to change.

The atmospheres become even more delicate, fragilely supported by the piano and the faint throb of the bass. "Rest" foreshadows what essentially constitutes the entire album: relaxation, music performed with calmness, stretching the sounds to restore each of them their intrinsic value. Despite sometimes taking on dramatic turns, they remain "full" and at the same time essential, in one word: true.

And another element on which Gregor Samsa expertly plays is the female voice, here even more present than in the debut; it's their strong point, which further distinguishes them from groups that, abandoning the vocal component, give way to purely symphonic compositions - a choice that not always has happy outcomes.

"Rest" is therefore a turning point, where the rhythmic base loses its importance: no more exasperated tracks, as in the best tradition of the genre, but instead emotion, and more emotion. It is music to be sought in the subcutaneous layers, in the less evident part of us, where it can find the right place.

Gregor Samsa have truly undergone the metamorphosis.

Rating: 4.5