Ysmail
Totem

One could say that with this solo debut, Emanuele Milletti, whom I had already mentioned here, has reached the culmination of a journey of sonic evolution or at least a milestone that marks a turning point. In the eight compositions of "Totem," we partially find some elements that had already characterized the debut of Space Yantra, but in this case, we are dealing with a single expressive block, even if divided into nominal chapters. The album develops through a sense of cohesion and "vision." Composed and entirely realized by the multi-instrumentalist from Liguria, Totem unfolds between overtone singing mantras and vocals shaped on more Western canons, also using English in addition to indigenous languages. The overall atmosphere of the album is peaceful, imbued with something that does not reduce to a specific mood but rather to something amorphous and more complex, similar to a widespread physical sensation that tends to rebalance the limbs. It's an album that, in a certain sense, is listened to with the entire body: the sonic experience flows smoothly with "Jaguar Song" and "Circle of peace," draws a smile in the shadow with "Mother of all the things," slithers sinuously with "Anaconda" and "Thunderbird," aesthetically emancipates with "Sandy Planes," and opens up with the conclusive "Universal Love." "Eagle song," for reasons unknown to me, does not resonate with me as much as the other compositions, which certifies that this album is to be understood not only to be listened to with the ears but also to be felt with the entire body. A mature album, denoting a certain attention to detail in the mix, a cohesive whole made of dynamics that are never flat, and a generally rich and precise production that sounds as it should. Curious to see how the project will evolve.

Release Date: 11/02/2025

Pre-listening - Pre-purchase: https://ysmailmusic.bandcamp.com/album/totem