Demos

Banjo or Freakout - Demo

Miss Fliss 21/07/2008

Rating: 4/5

More freakout than banjo, this is accidental greatness. While messing around with a laptop when waiting for his girlfriend to come back from work, the Italian Alessio Natalizia started creating electronic soundscapes. Modestly, a CD of his entire work has only ever been heard by one of his closest friends, so this demo CD, brief as it is, feels like something of a gift.

The star track on this triple-tracked demo is saved till last: “42” is a fuzzy cloudburst of humming Elliot Smith style vocals and My Bloody Valentine-cum-Spiritualized-gone-electro jigsaw sound pieces. A vocal refrain whirls in the mix, seemingly saying “I'm not after stardom”, but on repeat listens is more likely to be “I'm not upside down”. Still, it's the former rather than the latter that's likely true, since Alessio states on his Myspace that he will only play with artists/promoters and and at venues that he personally rates.

These songs are a breath of fresh air, and modest with it, you can't go wrong. I've lost count of the amount of times I have been put off acts who angle for the avant-garde like it's some prize in individuality and ego, whereas Banjo or Freakout feels completely free, especially musically where he floats and soars.