reviews
cess and in its being enlivened by almost
angelic singings. It closes with Lullabye,
last piece rich in melody and sweetness.
The Neuromant stand a kind of show of li-
ghts and shadows, showing a certain awa-
reness of their means, considering that it is
a debut. The melodic declination of some
pieces highlights the band’s pop talent,
however compensated by more complex
structures in other songs of the album.
neuromant
“cyberbirds”
Cyberbirds is the debut album of the
very young Umbrian quartet Neuromant.
A work of balance between alternatives,
post-rock and psychedelia, strongly inspi-
red by the title from the Cyberpunk cul-
ture. The opening is Trees or Teeth, see-
mingly quiet passage in dark woods and
loads of new wave suggestions. Penguin’s
parade starts from
what appears to be
a chime, but then
introduces volu-
minous electronic
percussions, and
the pitch becomes
a cadence step and
a rather theatri-
cal song. Placises the waves of Dreaming
water, which has melodic and almost pop
profiles. Much more nervous Emptiness:
in its three minutes just abundant adopts
accelerated and frantic ways. Cold wind
fat world, on the other hand, welcomes
psychedelic inspirations to a tune of va-
riable structures and exposed to winds.
Leaving soul resumes the melodic level
with a particularly intense singing and an
elongated, almost lyrical tail. Theatricality
is confirmed in a song like All the crazy
voices, led by an interesting play of bass
and influenced by substantially progressi-
ve ideas. The short I feel provides a piano
pad before new adventures. So here’s Cy-
berbirds, the title track, gentle in its pro-
syncage
“unlike here”
22
New Syncage record is called Unlike here.
Consolidated in Vicenza around 2008, the
quartet stabilized a few years later, first
publishing the single Hellound and then
the ep Italiota, with an idea of coexisten-
ce between various influences ranging
from fusion to art-rock, to 70’s sympho-
nic rock. Inevitably landed at Prosdocimi
Recording Studios, the realm of analogue
recording under the auspices of producer
Mike 3rd (and Pat Mastelotto, Tony Levin,
Benny Greb, ExKGB
etc.) and mastering of
Ronan Chris Murphy
(King Crimson, Robert
Fripp, Steve Morse ).
School is the first
track, carrying a
boundary to prog-me-
tal sound in math, between the ancient
decades, especially the 70s, and much
more contemporary feelings. Violin and
percussion open Uniform, which has Me-
diterranean footprints, enriched by some
vocal play. Still Unaware faces the side of
the progressive melodic, with vast use of
keyboards and vocals rather “free”. Acou-
stic guitar and drumming are the starting
point for Skyline Shift, then backed up
by a rather free bass and keyboards, and
finally by an electr