Premiata Forneria Marconi
L'Isola di Niente

The first major line-up change in the Premiata occurs precisely with this album. The modest Giorgio Piazza is replaced by that technical monster named Patrick Jan Erard Djivas. For the first time, the bass within the group's musical mix plays harmoniously, with jazzy sounds, not just accompaniment.

I intended to start my review of the album “L’Isola di niente” this way because, with this record, the Premiata "turns out" tracks that will forever be imprinted in the DNA of the group and all its aficionados. The album starts with the track that gives the title to the album: L’Isola di niente. The track begins with a choir sung by the Accademia Paolina di Milano: religious, church-like. You breathe an ancient and rarefied air that explodes with the beginning of Mussida's guitar in a lethal rhythm, full of grit and "new" sounds. A track with continuous rhythm changes with Djivas already in the spotlight and the usual Di Cioccio rolling and keeping time both simple and complicated. In the track, there are various interludes of guitar and keyboards that intersperse different solos to then merge into a very unique, particular sound. The track closes with an arpeggio and a Mussida solo that really takes your mind to an island where you can dream. It is followed by another track to which I am very attached and with English lyrics: Is My Face On Straight. This track continues the collaboration with Pete Sinfield started the year before with Photos of Ghosts. The track begins with a Mussida arpeggio and as it continues takes on exceptional musical forms. Mussida, as always, dazzles while Pagani reaches the peak on the flute with a solo that is goosebumps-inducing and uniquely skilled (absolutely the best flute solo among all the tracks ever played by P.F.M.). The piece's finale belongs entirely to Flavio Premoli, a virtuoso of the instrument, with a wonderful accordion to emphasize, in a musically very important moment for the group, their roots, their origin.

The second side of the album opens with La Luna Nuova, the most beautiful piece of the entire album. The track that is still played by the group today and is loudly requested by the audience. A complicated yet simple track. The track starts with a folk motif and gradually sounds more and more classical, in the sense of classical music, with violin and moog playing together two very complex solos. The base sounds rock-jazzy. The track is engaging and is a measure of the high quality reached by the group. It continues with another classic of P.F.M., Dolcissima Maria. This track is a ballad that brings the group back to their Mediterranean roots. Certainly, it might contrast with the rest of the album due to the too much rhythmic difference but, as I said before, it is a track of incredible sweetness and positivity. The album closes with Via Lumièr, an entirely instrumental track. It's the track where the Premiata thrives. Odd times, countertimes, a flute solo à la Jan Anderson. Perhaps the part that "sounds" the least in this piece is Flavio Premoli himself, as, being accustomed to great fugues, in this track he plays more of an accompaniment role. The track's finale is a surprise... A dive into the clear and calm waters of a Caribbean sea, a sensation of joy, of peace.

With this album, the Premiata was number one in the charts for many weeks in Italy and, with this album again, managed to enter the difficult American market with a series of dates all over North America, obtaining success and recognition from the specialized press and various musicians in the "circuit" (read Led Zeppelin, Poco, Santana, Dave Mason, T.Y.A. and others).