IoStoConIlDiavolo – La paura di essere liberi (Album)

The album of Cristiano Neila and Danilo Congiu creates its own vibe, it’s on mood set. Better yet, it creates its own new genre. This, ladies and gentlemen, is what I’d like to call “Diavolo Folk”.

Opening with “Tema a scuola”, the album uses only handmade elements that sometimes feel almost minimal, yet the created atmosphere of the song feels emotional and even vulnerable to a certain degree vulnerable. The roomy setting helps the song tell its story, feeling a bit of a time capsule in the process.

“E’ qui” puts on its energetic suit, delivering the tune with a confident smile. For me, the tune tells about things you cannot change but they are happening anyway. There’s a really intriguing mix of positivity and melancholy present within the song. With a very positive drive, the song deals with humans being in the passenger’s seat in the end. Shifting gears is “Valvonauta”, a cover of a track originally done by Italian rock trio Verdena, which puts things into perspective. While the original has its own signature drive, for me personally the soft and sensitive cover done by Neila and Congiu transmits goosebump-textured emotion through the defensive backing along the calm and dark vocals. One of the absolute strong suits of the duo is their ability to transmit this ultra-effective moody vibe that settles in a wide range of fun and sad, with every nuance in between. And they do so with their small arsenal of handmade tools.

Next in line is “La paura di darsi” (“The fear of dedicating yourself”), a slow moody ballad that lyrically defines the band’s understanding of feelings and thoughts. It is not just “happy” or “sad” for them, nor is it only “easy” or “hard” for them. The melodic aspects of the track, as well as the lyrics, indicate a deep struggle going on in the mind, deep thoughts circling in a brain that never holds still. Followed by “Non c’è”, these two tracks are probably one of the calm centers of the album. Both of them are going beneath the surface of simple thoughts, both are searching for answers in the end, and both of them are doing so in this signature-styled calm and relaxed fashion which is typical for IoStoConIlDiavolo.

One of my favorite tracks on the album is “Sogni appesi”. And it’s because of the simple fact that I can feel it without even understanding the vocals. Being a rendition of the original done by Italian pop singer and rapper Ultimo, the track feels like an aged and refined version of the original. The beauty of this lies in the fact that for me, the tune feels like it was re-recorded thirty years after the original. It feels like both songs are divided by a lifetime since the vocals carry more experience, more texture, more context, and more hard-learned lessons. Due to their interpretation, the duo added wisdom and tripled the emotion to the original tune.

Another thing that amazes me about the work of IoStoConIlDiavolo is their way of implementing descriptive language. “Finalmente Liberi” (“Free at last”) is no exception to this rule. The song transmits its message not only through the melodic approach along the expressive harmonized vocals but also with lyrical pictures that leave a mark. The tune showcases the lyrical approach the band often has, you’ll find “memories like resting stones on the shore”, “tons of water as the weight of consciousness”, and “rivers of tears” to name a few. I love a lyrical approach like this because it leaves the listener enough room for interpretation. It enables you to think while getting lost in the music.

Closing the album is a live version of “La paura di darsi”, an exciting piece of evidence about how a tune can change depending on the context it is done in. A roomy dark environment adds even more loneliness and an even deeper layer of context to the thoughts mentioned before. This time, the tune doesn’t feel ultra-polished, but it’s exactly because of this that the track feels even more honest and accessible.

Overall, the album is a great testament to what the band is all about. They transmit emotion and passion, but not in the superficial pop style that can be found everywhere out there. They add substance and meaning to their music by going the extra mile with a well-honed song concept on one hand, and their dedication to their own style on the other. As a listener, you can feel that it’s not about the big numbers for them. They want to reach out to your mind. Their music isn’t just something you can consume with your ears. You can take it in with your soul as well.