Band: L’Ombra | Album: Soli | Genre: Progressive rock, Art rock | Year: 2024
From: Chambéry, France | Label: Independent
For fans of: Harmonium, The Strawbs
Back in 2019, L’Ombra’s debut EP took the top spot on my inaugural Top EPs list. Their music was relatively accessible, but it still featured plenty of artsy, inventive playing and arrangements. One of the things I liked most about it was how it used language. The five songs were in Italian, French, and English. The Italian and French songs had influences that drew from the classic eras of Italian and French progressive rock.
Five years later, they’ve come back with their debut full-length album, Soli. It stays in a similar overall vein as their self-titled EP, but the obvious linguistic-musical dynamics are less pronounced here. The Italian bits aren’t as reminiscent of classic Italian prog, and the French bits don’t necessarily feel all that French. The overall tenor is jazzy and rather relaxed, and it winds up being pretty solid.
Soli opens with the first half of its two-part title track. It’s laid-back, and twangy guitar contrasts against a warm, indistinct bass throb. The production is pleasant and full. Vocalist Giulia Romanelli delivers a strong performance, and the backing vocals contribute a floating, pastoral feel. In contrast, “Tissu” is darker and a bit more ominous. There’s something of a film noir vibe to this piece, thanks to the ample jazz flavors deployed by the band. Near this song’s end, things get heavier. Distorted guitar provides storming, metallic contrast to the band’s usual relative levity.
“Soli II” picks up on a similar note to its first half. Echoing, expansive jazz-folk guitar rings out as skittering percussion keeps the momentum. It builds up to a satisfying, sunny climax of interlocking guitar and vocal lines that channels certain strains of post-rock.
After a gradual fade-in, “L’Hirondelle” again remains relatively sedate. The arrangement is sparse and darkly jazzy. Following that slow burn, “Amigdala” is a bit jumpier and more anxious. I really like the guitar playing this track; it fluidly shifts between tense staccato and rich, rolling chords. Layers of wordless vocals again provide rich textures.
“Plume” sees the band dip back into a more relaxed mood. There’s an easygoing flow, and the instrumental backing is light and plucky. “Maman” stirs slowly as it begins, but it eventually comes through with some delicate but impactful moments. The chorus is rich and dramatic, but the band manages to keep a sense of restraint, too. This song is much darker than L’Ombra’s usual fare, and I really appreciate that tonal contrast. “Nonni” continues along the band’s usual path, but I like it. Certain acts with a clear “sound” can become tiresome, but L’Ombra’s jazzy art rock is relaxing, engrossing, and thoughtful.
Soli ends on “Pas à Pas”. The opening arrangement is spare and haunting, and I love the vague warmth provided by the bass. It takes a while to get going, but the song eventually culminates in a beautiful climax of glimmering guitar and ethereal backing vocals.
L’Ombra’s first full-length release is pretty good. The sound is consistent, but it varies enough from song to song to keep itself engaging to the listener. Soli offers plenty of interesting, complex music with strong melodies and intricate jazzy bases.
Score: 79/100
The Elite Extremophile 