For those not in the know, Emiliano Deferrari was born in Genoa, Italy, in 1977 and started playing guitar at 6 and recording his own music at 11. There he played and sang jazz, rock and world music with different bands.

In 2005, after settling in Rome, he produced his first solo album SO_LO with Rattsburg Records. Since then he has started touring Italy with his solo show; one that incorporates his voice, his incredible guitar work and other such effects.

Between 2007/2011, Emiliano toured as THE LOOP DUO with Adriano Arena, with guitars, voices and live loops, producing an album (THE LOOP DUO/BMA and Rattsburg, 2009). In 2009/2010, he produced new e-EPs (O.S.T./Rattsburg, 2009 and LIGHT EARS/Rattsburg 2010).

Indeed, since 2008, and extensively after 2011, he's been working on the project NANAUE with fellow musician Matteo Nahum. Between 2011 and 2017 they published 8 singles (Rattsburg Records and Gutenberg Music) and 1 album (NANAUE/Gutenberg Music, 2013) plus 3 recordings for tribute albums of Italian prog label Mellow Records.

In 2014 Emiliano moved to Brussels, Belgium. In September 2017 he re-published his seminal album Small Engines (2002, Rattsburg), and he has plans afoot to finalize the second long-awaited Nanaue's album too.

But, for right now, it's the year of Monty, Deferrari's brand new nine track album. Mixed (in Valencia, Spain) by Matteo Nahum (music composer, film scorer and aforementioned musical partner of Deferrari's re: Nanaue), and mastered (in Brooklyn, NY) by internationally acclaimed drummer, bass player and sound engineer Nate Wood, the album was recorded between November 2016 and September 2017 at his Monty Studio.

1. 'Aria'
2. 'Essere'
3. 'Ecco'
4. 'L'altroverso'
5. 'Vuoto'
6. 'Get It Right'
7. 'White Life'
8. 'Monty'
9. 'Fuoco'

The haunting, spiritually awakening echoes of 'Aria' are the first sound to reach out to you and that is backed by the stoic, precise piano and drum lite 'Essere.' The mid-tempo, slow saxophone snap of 'Ecco' is one my my favorites, and I know it will be yours too, and that's followed by both the interesting soundscape of 'L'altroverso' and then comes the dedicated, strained even at times, piano work of 'Vuoto.'

A jaunty rhythmic beat returns for 'Get It Right' and that's backed by the majestically coursing gem 'White Life.' The quietly building, always ambient title track, 'Monty' is next (complete with what sounds like a smoke detector going off in the background), and then the album is rounded out by the longest track on the album, the techno lite melodies of 'Fuoco'.

Listening to each track as they creatively waft out of the speakers, it's also good to know that all the songs are written by Deferrari with Italian lyrics. Indeed, he plays all the instruments heard on the tracks (piano and keys, fretless bass, drums, classical, acoustic and electric guitars, violins, pocket sax, voices and programming), as he also does on all his solo releases.

As for the album's concept, Deferrari himself explains: “The album describes a slow descent into hell, followed by a slow resurgence in search of a balance between the diverting forces, attitudes and wills of a man. It is evidently an autobiographic representation of common states of mind of mankind."

"As always the place in which the album is recorded affects the music. The recording studio is placed inside the old Brussels cinema studios Sonart, in a room which still keeps the original audio isolation and some of the equipment."

"It was a great place to concentrate and listen to your deafening silence, in search of some of your monsters. After an experience like that, it is crucial to find your balance, to reset your mind and body."

"Meditation helps, but the tendency of building infinite layers of superstructures makes your exercises hard and frustrating. The last resort is surviving in light of this indispensable instability."

In closing, the cover photo for the album was shot by celebrated Italian visual artist Pietro Fortuna.

Digital Purchase Link

www.EmilianoDeferrari.com