Post Description

Tracklist: 

CD: [76:39] In The White Air (6:57), Wearing Lies On Your Lips (4:20), The Child’s Game (2:46), The Moment She Knew (9:38), Waves Of Time (2:07), Overloaded (6:13), The Broken Parts (6:24), Idle End (9:43), Hope For The Future (5:57), Sol29 (10:02), Idae 14 (3:24), The Red Song (3:57), The World Is Outside (5:11) 

You can go home again. Italian project Nosound shows us that with the Kscope CD/DVD reissue of the 2005 debut Nosound release Sol29. 

Our esteemed friend and former colleague Bart Jan Van Der Vorst gave Sol29 a fairly strong review up its initial release five years ago. So as Nosound wunderkind Giancarlo Erra revisits Sol29 with three bonus tracks and a bonus DVD, I shall offer a revisiting of the CD with this new review. 

The DVD contains the 2005 mix of Sol29 along with a new ten-minute video of the title tracks, and the three ambient/experimental audio/video tracks originally found on the DVD-R release The World Is Outside. 

Now a full-fledged band in their own right, Nosound began as a one-man affair under the stewardship of Erra, who prior to Sol29 only had a few demos under his belt. From writing to production, Erra wears the many hats of a multi-instrumentalist on Sol29. There is one contributor, Alessandro Luci, who plays bass on a few tracks. 

His bass broods somberly on Overloaded, a tune recalling early King Crimson in its use of acoustic guitar and mellotron style keyboards. Overloaded is one of seven vocal songs on the thirteen track audio CD, with the rest being instrumentals. 

Instrumental track The Moment She Knew offers up ambient synths and heavy drum programming from Erra, and some bass from Luci evoking The Wall-era Pink Floyd. 

Floyd references are on display as well on the strongest of the CD bonus tracks, The World Is Outside. The three bonus tracks were recorded during the original Sol29 sessions, but released instead on the aforementioned DVD-R and now here. 

The stark, restrained nature of the recording has commonalities with On an Island-era David Gilmour. Obvious pointers also signal to label mates No~Man and collaborator/compatriot Stefano Panunzi. 

The Broken Parts showcases whirring electronics that could have come from the studio of The Resonance Association, ostensible theremin style elements, and some wistful dark guitar just crying out to be heard. 

Pop the DVD in, grab some wine and cheese, and via the artistic photo stills that go with the 2005 mix of Sol29 you’ve got yourself your own little art opening. While listening to and viewing the 2005 tracks on the DVD, I was symbolically transported to different points in time. The stills of a Ferris wheel (Hope For The Future) and of a swing set (Overloaded) symbolize childhood, while the new ten-minute montage style video of the title track and some of the other photo stills through their depiction of winter scenes symbolize old age. 

A journey through space is symbolized as well. The titles of the 2006 The World Is Outside videos say it all- Contemplating Neptune, Contemplating Mars, and Contemplating Moon; with panoramic planet views, moonscapes, and pictures of man landing on the moon courtesy of NASA and NSSDC. The cinematography of the videos to an extent evokes the film Koyaanisqatsi and the director’s cut of Pink Floyd: Live At Pompeii. 

The CD booklet is colourfully presented with evocative photos, artwork and designed courtesy of Erra. Lyrics and some liner notes are included as well. The booklet, CD and DVD are housed in a locking jewel case, with the two discs one on top of the other. 

Sol29 will appeal mostly to fans of melodic post-prog. If you’re seeking something rockier, this isn’t it. 

It can be argued that due to some recycling of musical themes here and there across the CD that if anything it creates for continuity. With that said my rating comes in half a point under recommended. 

The “room for improvement” rubric does not apply here, as this release is from several years ago and has already been followed by two more releases.