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Rating: We had already listened to them together in some sporadic collaborations; now, in 2006, the new rap duo formed by Zampa and Jack The Smoker jumps into the mix with excellent work, more than good from a technical standpoint and convincing but without too many pretensions... long live simplicity!
Zampa, a.k.a. Mr. Zampini's rhymes, recount fragments of everyday life made in Verona, introspective phrases halfway between the nostalgic, the outburst, and the tragicomic arrive, like a flaming arrow, straight to the heart; productions signed by Jack The Smoker, not complicated but very effective, classic beats accompany soul/blues samples, urban atmospheres and West Coast style synth sequences. The trumpets by Zeno Fatti enrich little jewels already full of sentiment like “Cade giù”, “Chill” and “Soli”, the soul invades the spirit and everything Zampa expresses in his lyrics seems to belong to us, “Niente di nuovo dal fronte” is a criticism of the frantic and confused consumer society made of clones, fake heroes, fake benevolence, and hopes that every day end up sinking in a sea of crap.
Zampa speaks as he eats, it is a fitting phrase, the language he wields does not mimic the classic street mc slang style USA, made of yo, blin blin, my bitch and various stuff, the words he uses are real, direct, common to all but nonetheless full of anger, pain, and overflowing with bittersweet memories; “Verona city” precisely, the twentieth track, talks about the city to which Zampa owes everything, the city where he and his friends suffered or had fun going around pubs to drink birrini (as he says) and to make trouble, the city that gave our young hero various stories, not extreme, not from the ghetto, but everyday stories that left their mark, for better or worse, stories that you don’t need to be a rapper to understand but rather an ordinary city boy or girl; Jap is the guest and the author of a beautiful featuring.
Among the tracks that deserve to be mentioned we can find “Me la vivo così”: spine-chilling bassline, enchanting synth, a quote from Microspasmi (e come i Microspasmi: va bene ok), husky voice (as always) but nicely relaxed; “Gabbiani” flows smoothly, the bassline very much in the style of “Quelli che ben pensano” by Frankie Hi-Nrg, the slang is only Zampa’s slang and somewhat self-celebrating rhymes like Zampini è il cognome mio, mi chiamano Gesù perchè rappo da Dio attract their rightful attention. Zampa does not whine but expresses his frustration as best as he can, Zampa doesn’t invent anything, Zampa doesn’t talk about made-up stories, Zampa talks about Zampa for what he is and if you don’t believe it, “Un anno terribile” will open your eyes: if the instrumental already seems sufficient to make you tear up, wait to hear the words!
Rest assured that you will not remain indifferent in front of such text, pure social analysis:
"UN ANNO TERRIBILE"
Dear friend, I write to you, outside the city is an ever-growing Babel that sinks in flashes of white lights;
from the cold, I cannot sleep, and the sky cries,
the snow dyes the moon and kisses cheeks.
You have been far away for a long time, we haven’t met, I spend days on the couch with my hands idle,
I remain standing even at night, my house is a mess
of encrusted dishes and broken socks.
Seven are missing to the end of the year, there’s some party around but I don’t know what others are doing, and I’ll tell you the truth,
I already think I’ll stay here, bro, overthinking on the sofa;
so much so that I can’t even smile by accident, it’s been a damn terrible year,
I just want a little peace, like when everything suddenly goes silent
CHORUS:
What happens to me you know
Is all (just) what happens to me you know
Ua yo!
We haven’t seen each other by now
For many too many full moons you know
Ua yo
Dear friend, I write to you and try to forgive me,
but it’s been a strange year that I now try to tell you,
you know here around my parts it's hard to confide and sometimes I prefer to be alone rather than complain.
Giovanna left in April, she gave a nice speech but I was tired and didn’t even bother to listen, like: “Try to understand, I think of my future…”
And what can I tell you, I just wanted to die…
she took her suitcases, her packages, the books, her cups, and high heels, she kissed me on the forehead, said we’ll hear each other soon, and disappeared over the horizon;
and I like a fool tried to call her, to tell her that if I live, it’s to stay close to her and love her, but she didn’t even answer, who knows what she was doing, who knows with whom and where she was….
CHORUS:
Dear friend, I write to you,
life sometimes you know is a big mess,
understanding one day that you can no longer be a child,
certain that destiny is certain and a beautiful morning without warning, you realize that the other pillow is empty.
And the days seem longer, the hours are musty sloths like mushrooms, I work under stress, without even thinking, I am an automaton, my heart cold and my mind in a state of coma;
and then days become months, it's now almost a year that I’ve been moving alone like Dick Tracy;
silent and distrustful, solitary and indifferent, I see no one and think of nothing.
Surely it’s really strange, how you realize how important light is only when it’s dark,
and the value of things when you lose them, sometimes habit dries the greenest parks.
So friend I write to you and don’t worry, I know that with time the time will heal me,
I hope to meet you in the future, see you, and talk to you, goodbye now it’s late…
As for the feat. with a certain weight, we find slightly less introspective but nevertheless exceptional tracks, such as: “Spywar(e)” feat. Ape & Hakeem, “Musica e demoni” feat. Gomez or “Electrorapmusic” feat. Bassi Maestro.
I recommend this excellent album to those who want to cry and then console themselves, vent and then calm down...
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