Daal - Dodecahedron (2012)

Como de vez en cuando volvemos a traer algunos discos especiales que ya hemos presentado, revivimos ahora este enigmático, ocultista, hermoso, mágico, oscuro, melodioso, delicado, inquietante y sutil disco. Con densas atmósferas casi siniestras y lleno de texturas conformando al mismo tiempo la geometría progresiva del horror y de la belleza, que lo acerca al soundtrack de una película de terror, o a veces de amor. "Dodecahedron" es un álbum difícil de resumir en palabras concisas... simplemente escúchenlo, personalmente, me encanta.

Artista: Daal

Álbum: Dodecahedron
Año: 2012
Género: Progresivo Ecléctico / Electrónico / Space Rock / Sinfónico
Duración: 52:23
Nacionalidad: Italia

Un disco en el que conviven al mismo tiempo los sonidos más oscuros y los más finos y bellos. Como su figura geométrica, tiene muchos aristas que conviven en un mismo momento, varios planos que convergen en un ecléctico y floydiano disco, con un profuso uso de la electrónica de este dueto italiano compuesto de Alfio Costa (piano de cola, sintetizadores y teclados análogos y electrónicos) y Davide Guidoni (percusiones acústicas, eléctricas y electrónicas, secuencias y programación). Ellos son unos experimentados músicos de la escena progresiva italiana (Guidoni fue el baterista de grupos como Taproban, The Far Side, Gallant Farm, Nuova Era, Ozone Player y varios otros grupos, mientras que Costa tocó en Tilion, Prowlers, Dark Session y forma parte del Colossus project).

Otro gran disco sumamente disfrutable que es necesario volver a revivir.

Como copio más adelante, el disco se basa en 12 temas inspirados en relatos escritos por seguidores de la banda, los músicos invitaron a la gente a que les enviaran relatos de horror inspirados en pesadillas o anécdotas traumáticas de sus vidas, en los mejores relatos basaron este disco, tratando de capturar el espíritu de las palabras y su contenido emocional, donde las pistas no tienen título, pero cada uno está ligado a una historia corta que se puede leer en el artwork.... pero quien mejor que nuestro comentarista involuntario de siempre para que les cuente la historia del disco y describir como nadie la parte musical de este trabajo.

Hoy tenemos un nuevo motivo para alegrarnos en asuntos progresivos. Resulta que a solo un año de su disco precedente “Destruktive Actions Affect Livings”, DAAL, la criatura del teclista Alfio Costa y el baterista Davide Guidoni vuelve a lucir su talento progresivo moderno en su nueva obra “Dodecahedron”. Se trata de un disco conceptual extendido a través de 12 Partes, cada una de ellas inspirada en sendos relatos góticos escritos por seguidores de la banda. De hecho, todo empezó en octubre de 2010 cuando el dúo lanzó la idea en un foro internauta de amantes del rock progresivo de invitar a la gente a que les enviaran relatos de horror inspirados en alguna pesadilla, o anécdota difícil de sus vidas, un trauma, etc., para a partir de ahí inspirarse en la realización de un concept-disc. Pues bien, ahora este disco se ha hecho realidad en “Dedocahedron”, no solo con el amplio arsenal de teclados, sintetizadores, baterías, percusiones acústicas, étnicas y electrónicas y recursos electrónicos varios que Costa y Guidoni suelen emplear, sino también con un nutrido destacamento de colaboradores: Ettore Salati (guitarras eléctricas, slide y clásica, itchemba, kehru), Luca Scherani (bouzouki), Roberto “Bobo” Aiolfi (bajos eléctricos con y sin trastes, contrabajo), Alessandro Papotto (saxo, flauta, clarinete), Vincenzo Zitello (arpa barda, flauta bajo), Marcella Arganese (guitarra clásica), Chiara Alberti (cello) y Sylvia Trabucco (violín en IV, XI y XII). Ahora pasamos a revisar el repertorio del disco con detalle.
Iniciado por un suntuoso preludio de tenor exótico, ‘Part I’ abre el disco con una exhibición sumamente elegante de vibración rockera patente y, a la vez, moderadamente desarrollada sobre un compás a medio tiempo: la amalgama de capas de teclado se articula a las mil maravillas con la arquitectura sostenida por la dupla rítmica y los espacios llenados por los riffs de guitarra mientras dura la expansión del llamativo cuerpo central. El epílogo se centra en un hermoso y estilizadamente inquietante motivo de guitarra clásica que sirve como una especie de puente a ‘Part II’, pieza que desarrolla un dinamismo etéreo. Las alusiones a sonoridades del Extremo Oriente en su sección introductoria y la parsimonia típicamente Floydiana del cuerpo central permiten al ensamble elaborar una sonoridad convincentemente instalada bajo un ropaje de calmado misterio. La espiritualidad de ‘Part III’ tiene mucho que ver con el estándar oscurantista y tenebroso de GOBLIN así como con el patrón del progresivo escandinavo: es una pieza lenta pero rebosante de plena garra rockera. En sus dos últimos minutos se incorporan arreglos de tenor sinfónico que sirven para realzar la sensación de inminente peligro que ha marcado la esencia de su desarrollo temático. Cuando llega ‘Part IV’ volvemos al predominio de lo sutil, esta vez con aires de jazz de salón sabiamente remodelados por pautas psicodélicas: con la presencia del dueto de violín y cello se garantiza la permanencia de recursos de claridad melódica a través de este viaje sonoro específico. ‘Part V’ nos remonta al space-rock alimentado por coloridos fusionescos cuasi-arábigos, haciendo que el lento compás de base impulse la generación y persistencia del suspenso sin desmedro de la calma contemplativa reinante. Una vez más, tenemos un postludio de guitarra clásica que nos guía a la siguiente parte: “Part VI” exhibe, en su amplia primera sección, una estructura krautrockera donde la combinación de futurismo robótico y vibración onírica nos remite a los tiempos del TANGERINE DREAM 75-78, para luego concluir con una fastuosa coda sinfónica donde se conjugan los estándares Floydiano y Yessiano de una forma conmovedoramente majestuosa. Mención especial para el solo de guitarra, cuyo esplendor peculiar es imprescindible para que el ensamblaje instrumental global concretice la dimensionalidad épica hacia la que se proyecta.
La secuencia de ‘Part VII’ y ‘Part VIII’ es bastante contrastada: la primera de estas piezas nos hace transitar por relajantes parajes de lirismo cándido alimentado por leves aires optimistas; la segunda se encuadra en una atmósfera cósmica repleta de pulsátiles vibraciones distópicas donde el space-rock y el jazz-rock se hermanan dentro de un encuadre progresivo contundentemente magnético. ‘Part IX’ signa el regreso de las aristas más musculares de DAAL, y desde el primer instante del despliegue de su riff básico se advierte que estamos ante el cénit rockero del álbum. El esquema rítmico sostenido sobre bien articuladas cadencias sincopadas ayuda a la base nuclear de la pieza a nutrirse de un swing llamativo, así como a intercalar con perfecta naturalidad los intermedios electrónicos estratégicamente localizados. A partir de aquí, el dúo y sus compañeros de turno están preparados para hacer un nuevo viraje temático hacia áreas jazzísticas, esta vez con un tono contemplativo en el que se apuesta por un lirismo romántico, como utilizando el estándar de SHADOWFAX a través de un filtro de YELLOW JACKETS. ‘Part XI’ es como un tema hermanadamente vinculado a ‘Part IV’ con elementos adicionales inspirados en el vuelo onírico de TANGERINE DREAM y el VANGELIS de la época de “Antarctica”: fusión contemporánea con base ambient-electrónica, donde la presencia del dueto de cello y violín, una vez más, ayuda a sustentar el aspecto lírico del asunto. ‘Part XII’ concluye el disco al modo de un exquisito viaje sinfónico donde confluyen los legados de GOBLIN, CAMEL y el KING CRIMSON 69-70 bajo la fuerte influencia de los actuales patrones de HÖSTSONATEN y WHITE WILLOW: esta composición ostenta orgullosamente un esplendor musical digno de sus herencias y referencias colaterales, logrando retratar simultáneamente la melancolía y la inquietud con una paleta sónica arrolladoramente crepuscular. En muchos sentidos, ‘Part XII’ sintetiza un selección de atmósferas que se hicieron presentes en varias Partes precedentes, con lo cual se logra un gran final para otro grandioso disco de DAAL: “Dodecahedron” lleva a buen puerto su misión particular de distanciarse de la lógica de hiperbólicas aventuras eclécticas bajo la cual se trazaron los discos precedentes, y de esta manera, nos obsequia un nuevo repertorio donde el grupo reconstruye su propia esencia de manera fresca y cautivante. Dada esta consistencia creativa que DAAL sigue mostrando y afianzando durante el desarrollo de su carrera fonográfica, nuestro diagnóstico sobre “Dodecahedron” es: ¡recomendado!

César Inca

Este dúo italiano ha apostado su reclamo mediante la creación de una hora de música que reúne a un gran número de estilos dentro de su propio esquema, ya se trate de la calidez sentimental del progresivo italiano, la exploración y vanguardismo del jazz fusión, el ambiente de la música electrónica o el crujido de las guitarras pesadas o dulces como el viento, ¿rock sinfónico? ¿progresivo avant? "Dodecahedron" lo tiene todo: exuberantes mellotrones y guitarras emotivas muy a lo Gilmour, en un disco muy cinematográfico, especialmente indicada para el soundtrack de una película de Darío Argento. El disco no basa su potencial en el muestreo de virtusismo de los músicos sino en el desarrolo melódico que siguen sin importar el estilo por el que estén pasando en un momento determinado.
Y los dejo con comentarios de terceros, y en uno de ellos hay una explicación de la historia escalofriante que hay detrás de cada uno de los temas del disco...

Although it differs widely from artist to artist, prog rockers are often driven by some form of artistic ambition greater than that of the norm. Some may choose to channel this hunger through penning a concept album, others by sharpening up their instrumental proficiency, or even by trying something that hasn’t been heard before. Daal is certainly ambitious, although they are not necessarily so for these reasons. Instead,this Italian duo have staked their claim by creating an hour of music that draws together a great many styles from within the prog umbrella. Whether it’s the warm theatrics of Italian prog, the exploration of jazz fusion, the atmosphere of electronic music or the crunch of metal, Daal delivers it all. More impressive still is the fact that they are able to execute each style with relative grace, although in the case of “Dodecahedron”, the whole is not quite as majestic as the sum of its parts.
Without a vocalist to give them a face, Daal are essentially free to transform themselves completely at a moment’s notice. “I” opens “Dodecahedron” in fairly familiar territory, with lush mellotrons and fuzzy guitars creating a sound I most readily associate with the ‘new’ wave of Italian progressive rock. Almost immediately, Daal prove themselves to be a very cinematic band; although “I” enjoys a fair share of hooks, the atmosphere is easier to digest than the music itself. Although “II” is not a mile away from the previous track in terms of its sound, there is a noted change of pace, moving from a driving ‘heavy’ prog rock sound to a more mellowed sort of space rock, not unlike something Pink Floyd might have done circa “Wish You Were Here”.
By “IV”, “Dodecahedron” has shifted into a piece of classical-jazz fusion, led by some beautifully performed violin work. By “VI”, the album hits its electronic phase. After letting listeners lounge in the arts club for a few minutes, Daal pushes them into the mechanical underbelly of a metropolis, one dominated more by electronic ambiance than ‘real’ instruments. “VIII” betrays an influence to the classics of electronic music; Tangerine Dream comes to mind most readily. By the time the album’s over, Daal have retreated back to the old Italian prog rock, ending the album on a note similar to when it began. Suffice to say, “Dodecahedron” is a difficult album to summarize in concise words. While the diverse tour Daal takes us on is relatively consistent throughout however, the overwhelming variety seems to rob the album of a distinct identity.
Taking it on a track-by-track basis, Daal are remarkably solid. Like I mentioned at the beginning of this review, they are in no shortage of ambition when it comes to their craft. Although I do not think Daal would have achieved the sort of generally excellent acclaim they’ve received if they had stuck to only one or two of these styles, “Dodecahedron” could have been a more striking album. As it stands, the music is full of potential, but the album seems content to wander, and ‘window shop’ through a variety of sounds, without picking one and developing it long enough to create something truly magical.

Conor Fynes

A very complex album this one. Heavy guitars, classical instruments, great production, and above all a very dark atmosphere. I didn't know what to expect from this band, but "Dodecahedron" is a superb mix of symphonic prog and avant prog. If you are a proghead you should find this interesting, but I warn you - there are none neo prog melodies here, and no vocals, so if you like your prog sweet and not very proggy, avoid Daal. Others from Yes to Zappa fans - this album you'll like!

Waski

"Dodecahedron" is the fourth album by Daal and was released in 2012 on the independent label Agla Records. The project is always led by drummer David Guidoni and keyboardist Alfio Costa and this time the guest musicians who joined the party are Ettore Salati (guitars), Luca Scherani (bouzouki), Roberto "Bobo" Aiolfi (bass), Alessandro Papotto (sax, flute, clarinet), Vincenzo Zitello (Celtic harp, flute), Marcella Arganese (classical guitar), Chiara Alberti (cello) and Sylvia Trabucco (violin). The album features twelve instrumental tracks that were built upon words and the sound is more compact, richer than in the past. The tracks have no title but every one is linked to a short story that you can read in the enclosed poster. In fact, this is a kind of conceptual work: Davide Guidoni and Alfio Costa wrote some short stories, then asked their fans to send them other short stories, chose the better ones and composed the music trying to capture the spirit of the words and their emotional content. In my opinion the result is surprisingly good, the musicians reached their goal and delivered twelve charming, evocative pieces drenched in emotion.
The opener was inspired by a disquieting story of madness and solitude, "Bianco" (White), by an unknown author. The interaction between the piano and the other instruments marks the contrast between an external, apparent calm and inner the feelings of inquietude and fear of the protagonist while threatening shadows are approaching... "My words have no voice any more, my soul has no light and my thoughts melt into the oblivion of this room with padded white walls...". Next comes the track inspired by "Sclerotics Days", by Davide Masciavé. Here malady is compared to an uninvited guest that haunts you, invisible and ever present. Sadness is all over the place, your enemy hides in the dark while your senses frequently confound night and day, dreams and nightmares. A sick, obscure moon lights your way...
The third track was inspired by "La suora nera" (The black nun) by Alfio Costa. The dreams of a little child turn into a nightmare and the Devil comes in disguised, hidden by religious symbols. There are autumnal colours and sinister shadows, a hard rock incipit, a classical inspired passage with piano and violin, another tense, dark section followed by a pastoral one, then the rhythm rises again with a Martial bolero pace. Well, a wonderful track full of nuances and surprises! The following track was inspired by "La bambola di lana" (The doll of wool) a sad, evocative story by another anonymous author where you can see the trauma of the loss of the parents through the innocent eyes of a little children. Here Death appears as a dreadful swarm of moths devastating the house.
The fifth track was inspired by "L'ultimo incontro" (The last randez-vous), a short story by Mauro Marino describing the agony of a man who is not ready to die, not yet! He asks for a last breath of life, a last ray of sun while sax notes soar like desperate prayers in the wind. The sixth track was inspired by "Dodecahedron", a Gothic story by Davide Guidoni about a haunted country house. The music is excellent, it flows away like the soundtrack of a horror film and features a guitar solo that could recall David Gilmour.
The seventh track was inspired by "La Torre" (The tower) by Daniela Cologgi and features Celtic influences and an atmosphere full of mystery. It describes the tower of a medieval castle and the tragic flight of some women haunted by its ghosts. The following track was inspired by "Il bambino e il sogno" (The child and the dream) by Marco D'Andrea, a short story dealing with the fears and the dreams of a child. The music underlines the contrast between dark and light, dream and reality. The child opens the window, the dream is frightened by a scarecrow and melts at dawn...
The ninth track was inspired by "I Can Not Let Go...", a story by Galina Azarenkova about the "thick but echoing emptiness" that the slow agony of a dying man provokes in his wife. The music begins with a sudden surge of rage, then many changes in mood and rhythm follow. Next comes the track inspired by "The Moon Is Pale Tonight" by Miroslav Gasko that depicts a wooden house on a hill where crazy musicians play, then poets who write their poems with their tears and a lonely child unable to live outside his dreams...
The eleventh track is taken from "I Left For Home" by Drew May that describes a cathartic listening experience. The mood is dreamy, almost hypnotic... After a hard day we meet a man on his way home, he looks forward to listen to his beloved music losing the concept of reality, at least for a short time... The last track was inspired by "Il padre che vedevo distante" (The father I used to feel far) by Daniele Cutali. A man sees in a dream his late father. Father and son never got along with each other but now the dead father comes just to say "Thank you" and appears to his son nearer than ever before. The music here features strong classical influences and a very suggestive mood.
After more than seventy minutes of music and emotions the album comes to an end. There are no weak moments nor fillers, everything works. Bravi!

Andrea Parentin

A spooky occult-prog symphony which presents a full-length album composition drawing on everything from classic symphonic prog to the darker side of prog metal, Daal's Dodecahedron might not be the new Thick as a Brick - I think it flags somewhat and loses momentum a little towards the end - but it is an intriguing release which provides a notable example of an Italian prog band which isn't trying to recapture (and, indeed, doesn't seem to be enormously influenced by) the RPI scene of yesteryear. Apparently each of the compositions is inspired by a different spooky story, and whilst I'm not always sure the connection is apparent if you aren't already told how they fit together, at the very least the album as a whole represents a high- qualify instrumental prog release.

W. Arthur

The new album by Daal, bizarre Italian musical reality, is a monstrously rich album, articulate, complex, iridescent, these the first impressions! "Dodecahedron" , as the title suggests, has 12 twelve acts, twelve soundscapes inspired by Gothic tales written by friends and fans of the band, a synergy of music and literature appropriate and suitable to the spirit of the noble and intellectual of the group . "Dodecahedron" is an instrumental album infused with a multitude of suggestions, atmospheres and nuances that produce inner vibrations, feelings and emotions that only artists can translate into living matter, as is the case for painters, sculptors, and also musicians. Progressive music mixed in with large brackets folk, psychedelic and ambient with a predilection for melancholy skies, blacks, disturbing, sinister, mysterious although never distressing or frightening. Daal don't want to impress you with easy emotions, always seek the most difficult, subtle, cathartic, then to blow up all the anxiety of those who listen, and intimidated at the same time lulled by the sound of stories, deep and visionary as the outcomes of a night, at the base of absinthe and gothic spiers. An album that is the antithesis of banality.

tatoosha

"Diverse" and "cinematic" are a couple of the words from other reviewers that I will definitely use in my own review of Dodecahedron. Also, "eclectic" in the truest sense of the word. The variety and diversity of sounds, styles, and instruments chosen to create this album are simply astounding. Here are my impressions of the album's song's similarities and familiarities.
I (7:46)--ANEKDOTEN imbued with a little PRESENT (9/10)
II (5:10)--KING CRIMSON's In the Court of the Crimson King blended with PURE REASON REVOLUTION's The Dark Third. (9/10)
III (6:57)--"21st Century Schizoid Man" blended with Beethoven's 9th and THE BEATLES' "She's so Heavy" and then MIKE OLDFIELD's Hergest Ridge/Tubular Bells for the final minute and a half. (8/10)
IV (5:50)--feels like a more chamber rock continuation of the previous song--as if PRESENT or ARANIS had taken on the themes and melodies of the previous song. A bit too repetitive and drawn out, IMO, though the use of all acoustic instrumentation is quite fascinating. (8/10)
V (4:37)--is like a song that fell to the cutting room floor during the making of JAN GARBAREK, ZAKIR HUSSEIN, and JOHN McLAUGHLIN's 1986 "Making Music." (6/10)
VI (8:13)--starts out feeling as if it comes from PETER GABRIEL"s Last Temptation of Christ soundtrack but then evolves into something more akin to early AMON DÜÜL or ASH RA TEMPEL. The final three minutes move more into the territory of Force Majeure-era TANGERINE DREAM (with GEORGE HARRISON playing lead guitar). (8/10)
VII (3:02)--opens with a BUDDHA LOUNGE-like sound and feel. The airy flutes and zitherish instrument are soothing and mesmerizing--like a song by GOBI. A pretty song with a rather obscure/unsettling ending. (8/10)
VIII (4:32)--starts out like a piece from TANGERINE DREAM's 1977 live album "Encore." AT 2:40 there is a radical instrumentation shift, especially in the funk-stylings of the bass play, that take it out of the TD 70s music genre--or rather, combine it with some other group like THE DREAM ACADEMY. (8/10)
IX (5:51)--incorporates some incredibly familiar instrument and sound combinations--straight out of RUSH's classic work. At the one minute mark it softens into more of an ANEKDOTEN moment before rushing back into the "Limelight/Moving Pictures" riffs and sounds. I like the addition of the violin for the solo in the fifth minute. The synth strings' chord progression with whispering voices in the background gives it an eerie ending. (9/10)
X (5:11)--sounds of birds and waves are joined by treated piano, fretless bass, brushed drums and sax on this beauty. Sax plays the seductive melody over the piano's haunting liltings in the background. If this isn't a cinematic classic, then I don't know one. Much better, IMHO, than those delivered by LEBOWSKI on 2010's Cinematic. Perjhaps a bit simple at first listen, but hearing it over and over there is so much depth, so much to listen to on this song that brings forth layers of emotion and unresolved tension. Masterful simplicity. (10/10)
XI (5:14)--begins with a DEAD CAN DANCE feel to it: oddly treated percussives playing some kind of syncopated folk rhythms over which a bowed double bass keens its haunting melody. Random synth 'noises' are also interjected here and there to add to the deep-seated tension of this one. In the fourth minute everybody comes together into a cohesive structure--strings, synths and batterie. Ends with yet another odd, quiet ending. (10/10)
XII (8:15)--piano picks up a melody from the previous two songs and is joined by strings and zither. ARP synth solo takes over the melody from the two minute mark. All other instruments pulse together beneath. Brilliant! A few quiet instruments are allowed to "run free" between the synth and the staccato rhythm being played beneath. Reprise of the RUSH sounds/riffs. FRIPP guitar soloing. This song seems to be trying to gather all of the themes and sounds into one Overture. Very nice.
I love the eclectic gathering of familiar and loved sounds that DAAL have used here to put together a collection of 12 mini-'soundtracks' to some Gothic stories. Great ideas, great execution, great sound, an album that I will go back to over and over. I must say that one lasting impression I have from this listening experience is that I don't think I've never heard the sounds of RUSH used so well. Definitely an excellent addition to any prog rock music collection, perhaps even a masterpiece.
Amazing eclecticism. Perhaps even album of the year 2012.

W. A. Fisher

It's always a pleasure when you discover a new band you like, even more so when it's unexpected. Such a discovery for me is Daal, an Italian duo comprising of Alfio Costa on a wide range on mainly vintage keyboards and Davide Guidoni on drums and percussion. Dodecahedron is their fourth album which is divided into twelve tracks simply titled Dodecahedron parts I to XII.
The twelve compositions are all instrumental with the duo being joined by a diverse range of guest musician's contributing everything but the kitchen sink including guitar, bass, sax, flute clarinet, violin, cello and even bardic harp and bouzouki. I find the dark vibe of much of the music particularly appealing, the composition's covering a wide base from classical influences, symphonic prog, jazz, electronica with ambient touches. Daal make much use of light and shade which complement the more bombastic moments to great effect and create plenty of musical tension. Highlight for me has to be Part 1 for its brooding mellotron work but don't be mistaken into thinking it's all downhill from here as the album is best digested as a whole rather than picking tracks at random. The musicianship is strong throughout and the composition's well thought out and constructed to create a strong and cohesive whole with only the occasional lull where it loses its way just a little.
Overall Daal have produced a winner, likely to appeal to fans of fellow Italian's Hostsonaten despite its darker feel and even King Crimson lover's. Well worth checking out.

Paul Fowler

Daal's third opus shows clearly the evolution of the Alfio Costa and Davide Guidoni tandem's style of organic ambient music, creating a massive soundtrack for the body and the mind. The keys and drums are certainly up front and center, the guiding light through a dense jungle of eclectic sounds, special effects, deep melodies and colossal orchestrations. Comparisons are nearly impossible; the music is highly original and cinematographic, layered with sweeping coats of mellotron, pulsating bass synthesizer patterns and solid non-electronic drumming. The guest list is equally impressive, as we find the sterling Ettore Salati (The Watch, SoulenginE and The Redzen) absolutely shining on electric guitar and keyboardist Luca Scherani (Höstsonaten) playing bouzouki, while Roberto Aiolfi (Tilion) lays down some mean bass , double bass and fretless motifs. There are also nimble sprinklings of sax, flute, clarinet, celtic harp, violin and cello. This is the type of progressive soundtrack that requires intense concentration and the listener will be thus rewarded with varying senses of pleasure, always picking up a different vibe that may have gone unnoticed previously. Obviously depending on the circumstances, environment, mood or time of day, the interpretation will be completely creative and original. That is a rare and most commendable achievement, reached here in spades!
Finally I get to deviate from my usual blow by blow, track by track account and just swelter in the profound glow of this most complete work, really meant to be played in one full sitting, like a soundtrack to an hourly moment in your day. The moods can flutter from one end of the sonic spectrum to the other, almost at will and without any advance notice. One second we are amid deep electronic ambiances and the next, things suddenly get ominous and depressive (almost like vintage Goblin, L'Ombre della Sera or Morte Macabre). At other times, the atmosphere can be exotic, romantic, seductive, ambient, or as on "III" outright King Crimson-esque, circa Red. Luxuriance and disturbance hold hands, winking at each other with glee! Cello and violin make impromptu visits that ultimately disturb and confound, forcing the listener into shadowy realms that have a slight labyrinthine feel, contrasting veils of shimmering light and obscure gloom vying for position. Tinges of classical music cocktailing with jazzy segments ("IV") keep the challenged ears constantly on edge, unaware of what can be coming up next. Primal jungle sounds coalescing with some free jazz sax blowouts also affect the nodes ("V") and veer one's mind into elsewhere. Doom- laden Hitchcockian weirdness is also on the menu, the duo unafraid to toss in some Jamie Muir-like percussion insanity (He was with KC for a brief Lark's Tongues period and then went into a monastery!) within the bubbly synth whirlpool, the chaotic meeting the poetic and having a sip of Campari together on the piazza. Salati blows off some espresso steam with a whopping electric guitar solo, screeching for the stars unrepentant. When you least expect it, a superb electronic lullaby full of Nutella sweetness delects the sonic palate, sweltering electro-symphonics and pulsating frantic bass soloing and a tick-tock reference. Taking a glimpse into their earlier "Disorganicorigami" style, where the snarling Mini-Moog and lugubrious bass synth patterns combine to startle and shudder, like a mellotron-led symphonic holocaust, the "IX" track dispenses occult meanderings amid the torrent of power. Halloween music for a few minutes, just to scare away the disguised little angels. Boo! The sax, dulcimer and clarinet revert to a jazzier mood, solemn and yet heartfelt, sonically painted by some blue melancholia that is crushingly effective. Like two spent lovers still woozy from their intertwining lovemaking's crescendo, deep within their mutual afterglow, the lonely and shared cigarette turning slowly to ash! Ballsy and genial! Some profound electronics again, mournful cello, cannonading drums and synth waves unite in icy rapture, like Tangerine Dream meets the Penguin Café Orchestra in a Budapest coffee house only to finish off the masterpiece with a classic symphonic prog workout that harkens back to the RPI and Brit-prog glory days. The majestic finale is achingly gorgeous, the mighty mellotron again leading the charge, carving out a grandiose melody of the finest pedigree, these lads know their musical heritage and are audacious enough to express it with the sheerest intensity.
This is a hallmark album of the highest quality, one of 2012's very very best, a future classic and an absolute must for the discerning prog music fan, always on the lookout for the unexpected and the ultra-original. Well, this is in so many ways! Every spin has been an experience to remember and cherish.

Thomas Szirmay

DAAL are back once again with their fourth album in four years. The dynamic duo of Costa and Guidoni offer an array of keyboards and percussion respectively as guests help to fill out the sound. Once again we get Papotto from BANCO on wind instruments, while Salati (THE WATCH) plays guitars. Trabucco (HOSTSONATEN) adds cello and violin while other guests play classical guitar, flute, bass, harp and bouzouki. This is an instrumental concept album divided into twelve chapters. Each track is based on a Gothic short story that has insprired the music. So yes the music here is much darker than what we've heard in the past from DAAL and I for one welcome this change.
"Dodecahedron I" opens in a very spooky manner then the sax comes in as the atmosphere continues. It turns fuller just before 1 1/2 minutes as drums and mellotron storm in. How good is this ! Very ANEKDOTEN-like. A calm 3 minutes in as this haunting guitar takes over with other sounds. Then it kicks back in just before 4 1/2 minutes with that same ANEKDOTEN-like soundscape. Nice. That calm with piano returns just before 6 minutes. The final minute is this spacey but haunting mood as the water drips. "Dodecahedron II" is scary with sounds that echo. It's slowly buiding as other sounds contribute. It kicks in before 2 minutes including mellotron. It's like the melody is going in circles like a merry-go-round. It settles back after 4 minutes to the opening soundscape to end it.
"Dodecahedron III" almost sounds KING CRIMSON-like to start as we get a powerful intro before it settles with piano and strings. Not for long as it kicks back in before 1 1/2 minutes. Back to the calm 4 minutes in as contrasts continue. "Dodecahedron IV" has this melody of piano, drums and strings that goes round and round. "Dodecahedron V" is spooky with sparse sounds until we get some woodwinds. The woodwinds stop as the mellotron comes in. I like this better. Back to the woodwinds 3 minutes in for about a minute when it calms back down to end it. "Dodecahedron VI" is haunting with wind and woodwinds as the sounds of footsteps join in. It turns darker as sounds come and go. The sound starts to pick up after 2 minutes. Great sound a minute later. A haunting calm settles in at 5 minutes then it kicks in with the guitar soaring around 5 1/2 minutes. This lasts until after 7 minutes when the guitar stops and eventually the piano joins the dark atmosphere to end it.
"Dodecahedron VII" sounds cool to start with the mixture of various sounds. This is the shortest track at 3 minutes. "Dodecahedron VIII" is haunting to start with lots of atmosphere. Scary stuff right here. A beat before 1 1/2 minutes joins in. It sounds like an electronic beat. A change 2 1/2 minutes in as chunky bass, drums and a dark atmosphere lead. Excellent stuff. "Dodecahedron IX" has a heavy "Rock" sound with atmosphere and mellotron. A calm with flute before a minute then it kicks back in as contrasts continue. Strings later. Great sounding track.
"Dodecahedron X" opens with the sounds of waves and birds chirping. Music just before a minute as the waves and birds continue. Jazzy sax here in this relaxed soundscape along with piano, drums and bass. Mellow stuff. "Dodecahedron XI" has these different intricate sounds coming and going with a dark atmosphere. Strings follow then horns. "Dodecahedron XII" opens with sparse piano and strings. It builds from there. It settles back 2 minutes in. I like this. Angular guitar before 4 1/2 minutes then a calm with piano and strings. Organ joins in then we get a calm with wind and piano only 6 minutes in. Strings are back 6 1/2 minutes in, flute too.
This is certainly different than their "Destructive Actions Affect Livings" record in that we get more strings, guitar and darkness but both come highly recommended by yours truly.

John Davie

Imagine if you took one of Pink Floyd's instrumentals, extended it to full album length, and then crossed it with a band of traveling gypsies who were roaming the far corners of the earth putting on a tale of tragedy and loss. If you can't imagine that, well, then it's your lucky day because Daal can play it for you. There really is no other way to describe Dodecahedron but as a complete trip. This is music you can get lost in, that you can let your mind wander through as it lilts and pulses and dances through spacy soundscapes and emotional melodies.
More concretely, I would describe Dodecahedron as falling somewhere between Krautrock and fusion, with additional forays into a more classically influenced sound and even some brief contact with avant-prog. Many of the songs are built around a repeating motif that is gradually developed and elaborated on. The playing is superb throughout; there's a fantastic blending of ambience and chaotic performances, and the variety of sounds used is incredible. There are healthy doses of winds and brass, but vintage synthesizers are also used to great effect, as is the occasional blistering guitar solo.
Perhaps surprisingly, though, for an album that relies so much on ambience, the melodies are also phenomenal. They're incredibly varied as well; Part VI closes out with a somewhat gothic, classical sounding outtro and Part VII immediately picks up with a light, almost bubbly dance of melody that still manages to thematically fit with the track before it. This of course is followed up with the nearly Musique Concrete introduction to Part VIII, yet never does the album feel lost or listless despite the vast range it covers.
If I tried to describe every musical style that appeared on this album it would end up a 2000- word review, so for the sake of the reader I'll abridge those comments somewhat. Rest assured, though, if you can think of a style of progressive rock, it probably appears somewhere here. This album by turns rocks, whispers, groans, drifts, and occasionally even grooves. I have to emphasize again, however, that not once does it ever lose its way. If I had to delve into unwieldy, over-wordy, pretentions metaphors again (and, since I already brought it up, I may as well), I would describe listening to this album as walking through a dark, abandoned castle and finding that it had displayed paintings of the entire universe. The closest (actual) comparison I can find for this is Estradasphere's masterful album Palace of Mirrors; there are stylistic similarities, to be sure, but the real similarity comes in the scope. If you liked that album then don't hesitate to pick up this one.
In short, this album is a wonder. It is exceedingly rare for a purely instrumental album to hold my attention for over an hour, but Dodecahedron is that rare album that not only holds your attention but forcefully pulls it in an immerses it. Words can't really capture everything that this album has to offer, and in fact I fear some of my attempts to connect it to concrete genre labels have been woefully inadequate, but at this point I suppose they're as good as they're going to be. Just know that this is a beautiful, beautiful album that should satisfy even the most distracted of prog fans. Astoundingly good.

Alec V.

I have finally made myself familiar with this CD I was sent to review months ago. DAAL is a project of Alfio Costa (keyboards) and Davide Guidoni (percussion), both with a long CV including earlier bands in Italy. This album has several guest musicians (reeds, guitars, bass, harp, strings) and it's all instrumental. The twelve parts are untitled, but actually they might as well be titled after the miniature stories they are inspired by. I was also given the poster with those stories, sadly most of them are in Italian which I can't speak. Three of them are in English; they are ghostly, impressioniostic horror stories and very economically told in just a couple of hundred words I suppose.
The closest in sound I have heard is probably ANEKDOTEN from Sweden. The atmosphere is dark and thick, and there are lots of mellotron. I don't think DAAL can be blamed of unoriginality at all. Of course one can name KING CRIMSON (albums such as Lark's Tongues in Aspic) as the starting point of all this kind of sinister and experimental [instrumental] prog. What I appreciate in DAAL is the way they carry on the long prog tradition and sound modern at the same time. The wide variability in instrumentation brings a lot of unpredictability in the listening of this album. There are some strong highlights, e.g. the electric guitar solo in the 8- minute title track (it faintly reminded me of the solo in CAMEL's instrumental 'Stationary Traveller').
The playing is really fine and with lots of nuances. The music is eclectic: you get some ambient, electronic music, jazz and art music. Sometimes it is rather heavy - not aggressive - but it's balanced by more fragile and delicate soundscapes. 'La Torre' is among them. Over 70 minutes of dark instrumental prog can be a demanding task, and I believe I won't put this CD very often into the player. But it could work excellently as a companion to some reading - horror fiction especially!

Matti P.

Italian duo DAAL was formed back in 2008 by Davide Guidoni (drums) and Alfio Costa (keyboards), with the latter the main person as far as crafting material goes. They've contributed to a number of thematic albums instigated by the Finnish Colossus organization, and from 2009 and onwards they have steadily released studio albums as well. "Dodecahedron" from 2012 is their fourth album.
Diversity is the key word to describe Daal's "Dodecahedron", a dozen of instrumental compositions covering sometimes subtly different and sometimes vastly different musical grounds. A certain affection for keyboards, synthesizers and cosmic, electronic flavoring may be needed to be able to enjoy this album, an overall eclectic and fairly broad interest range probably a necessity. A rewarding journey that comes highly recommended to progressive rock fans who enjoy fairly demanding and diverse productions in general, and in particular those who prefer their music to be instrumental.

Olav Martin Bjørnsen

The fourth DAAL album from 2012, `Dodecahedron', sees this talented Italian band take their varied compositions to the grandest heights possible, resulting in their most richly detailed and defining musical statement to date. Despite hailing from Italy, DAAL, or rather the two main musicians Alfio Costa (with an army of vintage and modern keyboards, check the detailed list above!) and Davide Guidoni (all manner of acoustic and electronic drums/percussion), rarely compose in the style of traditional Italian progressive rock (although this one has more of those moments that previously), instead favouring a varied mix of very modern sounding dark electronics, classical sophistication and avant-garde experimentalism, all soaked in oceans of the grand ol' Mellotron. The duo have also recruited guest players from numerous other Italian bands such as Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, The Watch, Hostsonaten, Soulengine, Trama, Tilion and Archangel to achieve their ambitions with this work.
Despite being fully instrumental, each of the twelve tracks here are represented by a mix of stories or poems, not only written by the two main musicians, but also from submitted pieces by fans of the band and elsewhere. Generally of a darkly supernatural quality (this is also highlighted by the uncomfortably occult themed artwork on the album cover and inside the CD sleeve), the words offer the duo ample opportunity to present their eerie soundtracks, and, taken as a continuous whole, the work seamlessly moves through a wide range of shifting moods, emotions and atmospheres. Other reviewers such as Andrea have already offered a definitive look at this project relating to the words of the various poems and stories provided, so I'll mostly focus instead on the music, especially considering it's a purely instrumental work.
`Bianco' opens with an howling distorted wail, truly the sound of a soul in torment, and the music that follows perfectly captures the words of solitude offered in the CD booklet. A gently maddening storm of flute and saxophone from Banco's Alessandro Papotto, pitchy electronics and spooky piano is contrasted with almost an heroic or victorious Mellotron theme over purposeful drumming that King Crimson and Anekdoten fans will quickly love. `Sclerotics Days' is mostly a grand extended slide guitar solo from Ettore Salati in the proud David Gilmour tradition over glorious intimidating Mellotron, highly emotional and overwhelming. `La Suora Nera' is a brooding heavy stop/start guitar stomper that offers some more strangled Crimson menace, but also steps a little closer to traditional Italian prog with moments of classically inspired violin, somber piano and militaristic drumming. Some spiraling Moog solos almost give little moments a Rick Wakeman touch as well. `La Bambola di Lana' is a sorrowful tale of children who have lost their parents and the form that death manifests itself as, it's presented as a spectral waltz, full of drowsy drumming, reflective cello and ghostly piano that frequently brings an R.I.O flavour.
The moody ambient jazz of `L'Ultimo Incontro' features an increasingly desperate and suffocating clarinet solo from Alessandro until Mellotron's cut their way through to bring a slightly malevolent quality. Despite another grand Pink Floyd inspired electric guitar solo in the finale, the title track is a droning ambient middle-eastern flavoured desert-blown flute and electronic experiment that reminds me of a more successful marriage of the different styles that Agitation Free attempted to mixed results on their `Second' album. Guest harpist Vincenzo Zitello has a standout moment on `La Torre', a delicate medieval flavoured acoustic interlude (with hints of Andreas Vollenweider), while `Bambino e il Sogno' is a dreamy and disorientating electronic sound-collage that creates a very hypnotic mood, almost like something off Gong's `You', with some nice thick bass work from Roberto Aiolfi of Tilion.
After a couple of those more sedate and thoughtful pieces, the relentless space-rocker `I Can Not Let Go' kicks back to life with swirling electronics, scratchy Mellotron and searing violin. `The Moon Is Pale Tonight' returns us to the earth, a sweetly gentle yet melancholic jazzy come-down with sublime saxophone playing again from Papotto. The next two pieces are especially a showcase for violinist Sylvia Trabucco. The experimental `I Left For Home' is a vioin-led lonely gothic lament, with subtle use of Mellotron, metallic looped effects and a variety of repetitive percussion to wear the listener down. The classical album closer `Il Padre Vedevo Distante' is a sorrowful piano and violin-led epic that almost takes on a glorious orchestral majesty, with Moog soloing full of longing, regimented drumming and what feels like a slab of Mellotron bearing down on the listener with a stalking wicked glee.
Make sure to give this album a listen on a good pair of headphones to get a better idea of the depth of Alfio and Davide's playing and the clarity of their compositions. Each album from the pair sees them revealing new qualities, and despite being over 70 minutes in length, there's not a filler track to be found, each piece successfully creating a mood that stays with the listener long after the disc has ended. No doubt, `Dodecahedron' is truly sumptuous, and without question, it's the most complex, intricate and sophisticated work to date from the Italian duo. Where they go from here will be hugely thrilling to discover.

Michael H.

Doce encantadoras piezas, evocadoras y empapados de emoción, para un tipo de rock progresivo diferente... que resulta difícil de definir, lleno de emoción, climas, melancólica oscuridad y teatralidad. Pero sin complicarnos con las etiquetas, simplemente llamemos a ésto rock progresivo y dispongámonos a disfrutarlo.

 

Lista de Temas:
1. Dodecahedron Part I
2. Dodecahedron Part II
3. Dodecahedron Part III
4. Dodecahedron Part IV
5. Dodecahedron Part V
6. Dodecahedron Part VI
7. Dodecahedron Part VII
8. Dodecahedron Part VIII
9. Dodecahedron Part IX
10. Dodecahedron Part X
11. Dodecahedron Part XI
12. Dodecahedron Part XII

Alineación:
- Alfio Costa / Hammond M100, Leslie 125, Leslie Simse "Space Master", Minimoog, Mellotron M400sm, Fender-Rhodes Mark II, piano Kurzweil SP76, Furstein-Farfisa piano, analog sinth Korg MS10, Hammond-Suzuki XB2, Harmonium and VST Instruments (Moog Modular, Synthoscar, Arp2600, Pro5, Minimonsta, Ivory Piano, Colossus etc)
- Davide Guidoni / Tama Hyperdrive Plus drums Roland V-drums TD6, Roland V-drums TD12, Synhestesia Mandala Drum Pad, Roland Handsonic, KORG Wavedrums, rotoloops, cymbals, gongs, metal octobans, percusion, samplers
- Ettore Salati / electric guitars, itchemba and kehru
- Roberto Aiolfi / electric bass, double bass
Guest musicians:
Luca Scherani / bouzouki
Alessandro Papotto / sax, flute, clarinet
Vincenzo Zitello / bardic harp, bass flute
Marcella Arganese / classical guitar
Chiara Alberti / cello
Sylvia Trabucco / violin