All human beings are also dream beings

My new album will be titled Dormiveglia, and it will be released on November 3rd.

Dormiveglia is that state of mind between sleeping and waking. It’s a magical moment when you can still catch the tail end of your dreams with your fingertips. I don’t think there is an exact equivalent in English – at least, not one as powerful and evocative as dormiveglia (maybe “half-asleep”?).

After leaving Italy in 2019 to relocate to Brussels, Belgium, I found myself with plenty of dreams to catch by the tail. Unfortunately, COVID-19 swept across the world shortly after. That “small” inconvenience put a halt to everything. Originally, I had envisioned recording the new tracks with a band in a proper studio. Bookings were already being made; I had even chosen a recording facility in a remote location in Finland, where we could immerse ourselves in nature for a week and bring the music to life. However, by February 2020, it became clear that we had to change plans. It became a matter of reinventing the entire process.

I would lie in bed at night, getting lost in that half-awake state, thinking about possibilities—possibilities that would often stretch into dreams, or nightmares. The thing with dreams is that you can’t control them; you just have to live through them. During dormiveglia, however, things might get blurry, but you still retain some control. It’s a beautiful moment when a fracture opens up between reality and the dream world. I’d like to think that, despite everything, artists still act as a bridge between these two realms. As a songwriter, I always look for that sweet spot where I can be completely authentic, making everyday reality just a little more bearable.

These are songs about music—in fact, it’s almost meta-music. In a sense, it’s a personal reflection on the meaning of music itself. A spiritual outlook on the relationship between sounds and words, and an exploration of imagination and life.

I received some much-needed help along the way from Tony Levin, Alessandro Inolti, Eugene, and Pat Mastelotto (Pat contributed to several tracks and was involved in the pre-production alongside engineer Bill Munyon). Steve Jansen, the legendary drummer of Japan and currently a member of Exit North, provided drum programming and additional textures for one of the songs. Other fantastic musicians—including Julia Zenteno, Beth Fleenor, and Julie Slick—make an appearance as well. I am also deeply grateful to 28 Arte Colectivo in Mexico City for their invaluable support during the making of this album.

There will be a physical release on CD. Because I’ve decided to work with a label this time, I won’t be selling the music directly through my Bandcamp page, nor will I be handling the digital distribution or CD sales myself. As much as I would have loved to go the usual Bandcamp route, it’s much better for me to let someone else handle the logistics of the release. It hasn’t been easy, and some compromises had to be made, but I hope it’s all for the best. You won’t be disappointed. Plus, the cover artwork by artist Anna Malina is just stunning.

One more thing: if you’d like to get high-quality audio files of the songs, I plan to have digital codes available. Just send me an email to let me know. All I’ll ask for is a PayPal donation—you can name your price. Otherwise, you’ll be able to find the album on all the usual streaming platforms.

More updates will follow, and I’ll be sharing them right here on this website. I’m not much into social media these days, but I’ll have to post updates over there too, so keep an eye out.

Stay well!