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Rating: There is a lot of talk about Levante these days, and almost always for the wrong reasons.
The former golden child of Italian indie is kicking for a spot in the sun, and with this new “Nel Caos Di Stanze Stupefacenti,” her third full-length effort, she hits the big target and makes a splash with an album that departs (but not entirely, as we will see) from the intimate and cozy songwriting of her previous “Abbi Cura Di Te” (just two years ago) to embrace a clear and decisive change in sound.
The first move is the change of producer, with the controls handed over to Antonio Filippelli (in partnership with the Sicilian singer-songwriter herself), who encourages a strong shift towards a more “band-like” sound. The days of “Alfonso” are now distant, even though the minute-and-a-half-plus of “Caos (prelude),” with its slow and enveloping pace marked by the piano and Claudia's voice in perfect prominence, represents a sort of musical “trolling.”
The Gorillaz-like sounds of “Demon Days” from “1996 La stagione del rumore” indeed certify the album's takeoff and bring us closer to rap fascinations set on an unusually bombastic and robust sound for the thirty-year-old from Caltagirone. From there on, despite some repetition in the structure of certain pieces (composed and soft verse, then small crescendo leading to an explosion in the refrain with full-throttle vocals), Levante doesn’t miss a beat and allows herself the luxury of conceiving even two potential hits: the syncopated and lively “Non me ne frega niente” (a sharp critique of the so-called “keyboard warriors” infesting our social networks) and the duet with mentor Max Gazzè in the entertaining “Pezzo di me” (crystalline chart pop—but of great class—with ambitions of being the new “Alfonso”).
As if that weren’t enough, there's something for those who enjoy certain decisively catchy alt-rock, particularly in the Strokes-like “Le mie mille me” and the early Coldplay-esque “Santa Rosalia.” However, there are also intimate moments reminding us that Levante is also the songwriter of her early works, particularly “IO sono io,” “Diamante,” and the faster-paced “Io ti maledico,” already a candidate for a minor classic.
The already confirmed participation in X-Factor will only overexpose the singer-songwriter's name even more to the public eye, and we’ll see where all this will lead: for the moment, it's pleasing to note that Claudia Lagona's growth path (also in terms of following) has led her to a fine album, which successfully expands the expressive range of this young artist without selling out, as has happened at other times.
Best song: IO ero io
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By federico"benny"
Levante’s writing and composing style has indeed remained intact and works excellently in tracks like the duet with Max Gazzè.
The feared jump into the world of the charts has thus been made and, for now, it seems she has landed well.
