I discovered the Italians of 'Brave New Worlds' with the release of their second album 'Net of Illusions' in May 2021, 'Brave New Worlds' being the first released in 2020 and it tooks me a few months to digest this exceptional work which, by borrowing from the great rock formations progressive from the 70s with for example 'Pink-Floyd', 'Tangerine Dreams', 'Emerson Lake & Palmer' or 'Genesis' but also to more recent ones like for example 'Leprous' or 'Pain of Salvation', makes of this album a patchwork of all these artists and embark us on a creative and imaginative sound journey that necessarily requires lingering there for a long time to draw all the richness. With a name of group like that, the Italians refer to the dystopian anticipation novel of the same name by Aldous Huxley 'released in 1931 and which at the time was presented as science fiction but which is increasingly becoming our daily reality. In 'Net of Illussions', the theme addresses the possible futures of humanity with references from different science fiction authors ('Philip K. Dick', 'William Gibson', 'Roger Silverberg', 'Roger Zelazny'...) and writings from historian 'Yuval Noah Harari'.
First, these are 15 compositions for nearly two hours of music that are offered to us and doing title by title would require too long a chronicle. It is for this reason that I will focus this one on the strong points which marked me during my multiple listening. First of all, each track is a discovery of a sound universe that merges different styles and atmospheres and, especially in the first part of the album, we have the impression of being always on the razor's edge with this feeling of very loud and continual cry of call for help that we find for example in 'The Wall' (listen to 'Neuromancer' to convince yourself of this with the use for example of reverberation in singing), a feeling that from time to time is dissipates to release all the accumulated tension : the first two tracks, in the form of a mold with two envelopes, are the typical example with striking vocal parts giving off an extraordinary force. In opposition to these strong moments, the second part of the album is much more atmospheric with more peaceful and soaring compositions like 'Net of Being' or 'Dstry Ur Wrk' or the magnificent 'Butterfly Effect'. Then, the musical diversity highlighting contemporary disgressions (for example the very beautiful piano interventions of 'Fabio Aramani' including the very beautiful piano prelude 'Obscure Light Prelude') does not take over because the melodic aspect is always present to soften and make more accessible the whole, 'Darkest Lights' being a first example with these different twists which alternate harmonious sung parts with other more sought-after parts which bring a real originality. Finally, the Italians, in addition to classic progressive rock instruments such as keyboards and guitar (beautiful solos punctuate the various titles), have surrounded themselves with artists who put all their talent at the service of music and the contribution of wind or strings instruments bring a completely original sound diversity : we can cite the interventions of the strings and the clarinet in 'Illusions Theme I' accompanying the piano and we can also note very beautiful vocal harmonies that dot the album, and which bring an airy and celestial side to the whole as in 'Sea of Endless Worlds' or in 'Across Theme'.
In summary, this second album from the Italians of 'Brave New Worlds' shows all the talent of this formation which offers us an innovative and rich progressive misuc, filled with a remarkable creativity and which, on the flip side, should be intended for an informed progressive rock audience who likes long concept albums that one tame, little by little, over repeated listening... | |
