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Rating: The Underground Life of brothers Giancarlo and Enzo Onorato represented, alongside Litfiba and Diaframma, the leading names of the Italian new wave scene in the early '80s. While the band led by the Renzulli-Pelù duo embodied the Mediterranean soul of the movement and that of Fiumani the darker soul, ours was characterized by a romantic and decadent nature.
"Filosofia dell'aria" was released in 1987 and takes its name from the novel by Giancarlo Onorato. It was produced by the expert Alberto Radius.
The opening of the album is disorienting. "Uccidiamo il lavoro di massa" captivates with its rhythm nestled between horns and shimmering guitars on which a "committed" text rests. A true anthem.
"Belfagor" is a dedication to the namesake ghost from the famous French series of the '60s; the accordion outlines a Mediterranean-tinged scene, the bass perfectly supports the pace of the drums, the guitar paints the details (Perhaps tomorrow the streets/will resemble the streets of the Louvre/our hands will be/glazed white like in a film). Noteworthy is the final tail of the piece, where the accordion joins with the strings as fantasy blends with reality. And the result is highly emotional.
A tight guitar riff, a bass that resonates deep, a drum that awaits its turn, the voice sings with emphasis an ode to the woman, to a romantic woman (lying on the grass/in the mood that takes me/perhaps we are meteors/in eternal, deep fall), sensual (resolve for me the dilemma/of life beyond sensuality), perverse (lying on the couch/your heart that gets lost): "Lady Von S. Masoch" in other words. The guitar fades into effective slashes and then gives way to a dreamy riff, the keyboards design splendid architectures, a robust guitar solo closes this memorable track.
"Il battito" and "L'iperbole notturna/Architettura sospesa" represent the most original episodes of the LP; the first is slow, icy, built around keyboards and soft guitar arpeggios (perhaps they are/satellites/our senses/that rotate), the second is introduced by a spoken-word piece ("L'iperbole notturna") performed by Cinzia Canesi, the second part (dedicated to director Andrej Tarkovskij) is characterized by a sustained drum rhythm, Giancarlo Onorato offers us an interesting part on the harmonica.
"Albe atomiche" is dreamy and carefree (explode in my hand and turn blue/send me back a single white halo), "In inverno" emotions are the opposite: there is cold, metallic atmospheres (not in sounds) faithfully recreated by the strings (winter/lost eyes/on construction/on dark beaches/and iron viaducts).
The words of this review can reach, those who read it, up to this point.
What remains is the listening, which I highly recommend. And not only to enthusiasts.
For those who wish to explore further: Filosofia dell'aria
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'Filosofia dell'aria' ... rightfully becomes part of the milestones of the Italian new wave.
Alongside electric guitars and synths, piano, strings, and winds create together driving rhythms, rarefied and enveloping atmospheres.
