Short Reviews [I Sincopatici - 2024 - "Decimo Cerchio (L'Inferno 1911 O.S.T.)"]

This album needs some background information, but given the depth of the performance, this is quite fitting. What we have here is a soundtrack to the first ever full-length Italian film, ‘L’Inferno’, which was released in 1911 and is based on the first canticle of Dante Alighieri's ‘Divine Comedy’. The music contained here was recorded live in November 2021 by I Sincopatici, who comprise Francesca Badalini (piano, synth, zither), Andrea Grumelli (fretless bass, electronics, soundscapes), and Luca Casiraghi (drums and percussion) They aim to discover silent film masterpieces and then provide live musical accompaniment to accompany them – anyone who has seen this approach will know just how powering that can be (I was incredibly fortunate to see Goblin perform at a showing of ‘I Suspiria’ some years ago). On this project they have also brought in the talents of Claudio Milano and the result is something which is compelling, intriguing, powerful, passionate, gothic and operatic all at once. To my ears Milano is a true vocal talent, much more than “just” a singer, bringing many styles to bear which are RIO, experimental, eclectic, avant and so much more. Here he provides vocal gymnastics, showing a breadth of range which is remarkable as he moves from growls to falsetto, providing the perfect counter to the experimental styles going on beneath him. It is incredibly dramatic, so much so that when listening on headphones one can picture the scenes taking place (I have yet to see the movie itself, but there is a QR code within the CD booklet which allows one to download the official video for this). That it has been made available on vinyl is incredibly fitting as this is an album of real depth and breadth, and one cannot imagine this being available just in a digital space as this has presence and power. This is music which refuses to conform, is designed to be listened to in its entirety and not something to be dropped in and out of. It feels special in a way which is difficult to describe, and even though this is something which will appeal only to a select few I am not surprised to find it nested within ProgArchives’ Top 50 albums for 2024. With the lyrics in Italian, I can only take Claudio’s vocals as another instrument, which in this context is exactly the right thing to do as he is using his voice in a way which allows us to understand he is a true master of his craft, seemingly at home with every style and emotion he is asked to portray. It is his vocals which lifts this to the next level, as while the music can, and does, exist without him, it is his approach which takes this album into a very special area indeed. This is not an easy album to listen to, and there will be many progheads who will play part of this and cast it aside, but for those of us who “get this”, we understand we are in the presence of something very special indeed.