Litfiba
Transea (EP)

LA RECENSIONE

"Weak ray you can enter
inside me,
you can illuminate me
and then, absorb me...
At night I,
I waited for you..." (Transea)

The 12" EP 'Transea' hits the market in 1986. To be cynical, this new release from the Florentine band Litfiba can be seen as a mere commercial operation, an attempt to strike while the iron is hot after the extraordinary success of 'Desaparecido' the previous year.
But how can one have this attitude towards this gem, set into the long and glorious discography of Litfiba between the already mentioned 'Desaparecido', and '17 Re', considered by many as the best album of Litfiba? Simply, one cannot.

This EP captures the band in perfect condition: the 4 tracks presented here showcase the 5 members (Piero Pelù, Ghigo Renzulli, Antonio Aiazzi, Gianni Maroccolo, and Ringo de Palma plus guest Velemir Vedma on violin) dealing with almost all the influences of their sound (new wave, folkloric and oriental atmospheres...). 2 tracks are reworkings of old hits released on compilations, while the remaining 2 are instrumentals taken from the soundtrack of the theater play "Il compagno dagli occhi senza cigli".
A keyboard loop and a hypnotic bass open "Transea". The track is very different from the version 3 years earlier: the guitars are much more present and Pelù's singing itself has become more mature. Unfortunately, I continue to appreciate the ethereal original version more. Following is "Maria Walewska", an accordion instrumental, where the folkloric echoes of Eastern Europe can be heard. From the Central European atmospheres, we move to the oriental ones with "Onda Araba": a bass and guitar introduction pave the way for the overwhelming main riff, supported by stunning bass lines and keyboards; the lyrics (cryptic, as per Litfiba’s 80s tradition) say: "The Arab wave decomposes, multiplies and marks circles of fire and sand, radio invasion, one minute and it will transform me'".

It closes with "Cpt. Queeg" a relaxing and evocative instrumental in which the keyboards do a great job. A work that increasingly reaffirmed how those Litfiba were the best Italian band around in those years.