All human beings are also dream beings

The new album will be titled Dormiveglia and it will come out on November 3rd.

Dormiveglia is the space of time between sleeping and waking. It’s a magic time when you grasp the tail-end of dreams with your fingertips. I don’t think there is an equivalent word in English, at least one that is as strong and fascinating as dormiveglia (half-asleep?). 

After moving out of Italy in 2019, relocating in Brussels, Belgium, there were many dreams to grasp by the tail-end. Unfortunately, Covid spread throughout the world soon after. Such small inconvenient put a halt to everything. I originally envisioned to record the new tracks with a band, in a real studio. Bookings were being made. I had chosen a recording facility in a fairly remote location in Finland, where we could all be immersed in nature for a week and bring the music to life. However, by February 2020, it became clear that we had to change our plans. It was a matter of reinventing the process.

I would lie on my bed at night and get lost in the half-awake state, thinking about possibilities, and possibilities would stretch into dreams — or nightmares. The thing with dreams, is that you can’t control them. You have to live through them. During the dormiveglia, things might get blurry, but you still detain some control. It’s a beautiful time when a fracture unearths between reality and the dream-like state. I would say, despite all, that artists still operate as a bridge between dreams and reality. As a songwriter, I find myself looking for the ideal spot where I can be authentic, making the everyday reality a little more bearable.

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

I got some much-needed help. Tony Levin, Alessandro Inolti, Eugene, Pat Mastelotto (Pat contributed to several tracks and got involved in the pre-production, together with engineer Bill Munyon). Steve Jansen, legendary drummer for the band Japan and currently involved with Exit North, has provided the drum programming and additional textures to a song, and other fantastic musicians (Julia Zenteno, Beth Fleenor, Julie Slick, among others) make an appearance as well. Also, I’m thankful to 28 Arte Colectivo in Mexico City for their invaluable support during the making of the album.

There will be a physical release (CDs). I have decided to work with a label, so I won’t be allowed to sell the music on my Bandcamp site. I won’t be responsible for the digital distribution and selling of the CDs. As much as I would have loved to go the usual Bandcamp route, it is much better for me to let someone else handle the practicalities of the album release. It has not been easy — some compromises had to be made, but it’s for the best I hope. You won’t be disappointed. And the cover artwork by artist Anna Malina is just wonderful.

One more thing — in case you wish to obtain high-quality files of the songs, I plan to have digital codes available. You will have to e-mail me and let me know. I will simply ask for a donation on PayPal. You will name your price. Otherwise, you will find the album on all usual streaming platforms.

More news will follow, and I will share them with you on this very website. I’m not much into social media these days, but I will have to share updates over there, too. So keep an eye out.

Stay well!