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Carlo Spera - Electric Sky Music - album review

Carlo Spera – Electric Sky Music – album review

Electric Sky Music is the second album from the Italian music artist, Carlo Spera.  The album begins where the Miles Davis classic Bitches Brew ends; an experimental journey to the outer limits of jazz for the 21st century.

The slow dub electronica beat, reminscent of Burnt Friedman & the Nu Dub playas, is a perfect accompaniment to Carlo Spera’s jazz guitar and Mario Massa’s hypnotic Davis-like trumpet in On The Grass.

I would be happy if every track was in a similar lazy dub jazz style but Electric Sky Music includes other twists and styles.

Swinging Blades and Incoming Storm introduces, tangles and fuses Arabic influences.

There’s even room for a rock riffing lead guitar.  But just as I’m thinking this is going to spin out of control it’s back to the more peaceful surrounding of track 5 – Red Sky.  A smooth meandering jazz piano, the return of a floating trumpet and all on a bed of electronic waves.

There is a thin line between genre-hopping and genre-merging.  Both can be lead to fascinating experimentation that works or somewhat disappointing attempts that make the end result too rich and complex.

Electric Sky Music works.  I would have been happy if the whole album kept within the boundaries of the dub electronica jazz vibe set by On The Grass.  But the constantly twisting 11 tracks keeps you on your toes, not knowing where the next track will lead you.

Carlo Spera is attributed to playing piano, samplers, live electronics and some guitars.  What the album doesn’t tell you is, after studying jazz and blues guitar and computer music Carlo Spera has spent time experimenting and fusing a melting pot of ideas and sounds.  But once you hear Electric Sky Music you will probably realise that for yourself.

To listen to tracks from Electric Sky Music,  visit www.MySpace.com/CarloSpera