Möbius Strip is a young Italian band that offers a mix of sounds halfway between Progressive Rock and Jazz, with two albums to their credit. The second full-length “Time Lag” was released for AltrOck Productions on July 11, 2021 and distributed via Ma.Ra.Cash Records and contains 6 long tracks. The band is supported by several guest artists on vocals, winds and guitar, completing and enriching the sound of the album. The album opens with “Chand Baori” which from the very first notes shows the marked Jazz influences of the band, and then develops with fine interweaving between winds and piano. As foreseen by the union of Prog and Jazz, the track is enriched by continuous tempo changes, intricate passages and solo intertwining thanks to the long instrumental sections. The individual technique is enhanced in the more elaborate passages, while the intensity increases with the passage of the piece, which does not hide but rather brings out the whole Jazz soul of the group. The next “Iblis’s Hybris” starts with a festive atmosphere and with a very percussive and rhythmic drum, the piano adds positive melodies to the theme. The bass creates deep and load-bearing lines, the piano is the protagonist and the wind inserts add stylistic solutions to the piece. As in the best jazz tradition, the development of the piece allows the artists to perform in pleasant and elaborate solos, showing technique and quality. Funky winds and bass lines introduce us to “Mateka’s Speech” which increases in intensity as the other instruments enter. Here, too, the matrix is more Jazz than Prog, with elaborate tempo changes and high-level solos, such as that of the paino in the central part. Each musician is given a good space to express their technique and talent and with the return of the initial theme the track closes. “Old Tapestry” opens with a pulled piano melody on which winds are inserted and a solid rhythmic session in continuous evolution. The organ gives a Prog touch to the piece, reminiscent of the tracks of the more markedly Jazz groups of the Canterbury Scene. Here the winds are highlighted with a very interesting prolonged solo, it is the longest track and for its entire duration the intensity is very high. The tempo changes are very well constructed, and as the theme evolves it develops into intertwined solo organ and wind inserts, with connotations somewhere between Prog and Jazz. “Möbius Cube” opens with a dreamy arpeggio on the piano, and then develops on a softer and less intricate but always well-constructed rhythm. Here too we find some Progressive references and in the second part also the bass lends itself to a short solo. Calmer than the previous ones, it dampens the tones and softens the whole work, even if in the final with the electric guitar it ends with a crescendo. We are at the final track “A Theme for the End” which begins with a very rhythmic drum, electric guitar, winds and keyboards, perhaps the most Prog of the album. It is also the only sung track, where the union between Rock and Jazz is enhanced, with sudden tempo changes and a sung with 4 performers with very warm and expressive voices. The vocal experiments give a Zeuhl touch to the sound, at times frenetic, but very engaging and that closes this work in the best possible way. An elaborate album, where the Jazz matrix is predominant and showcases a good compositional and executive technique, enhancing the skills of the artists involved. In the final of the disc we can hear the tracks that contain the most Progressive facets, approaching the Zeuhl in the final. The sound of the band recalls the more markedly Jazz groups of the Canterbury Scene, where virtuosity and technique are put at the service of the band creating a very varied and engaging sound. A listening recommended for lovers of the most voted soborities towards Jazz, all the songs are instrumental except the last one which contains very interesting vocal plots. A young band that certainly has talent and technique and that will be talked about now and in the future.
Tracklist
01. Chand Baori (08:57)
02. Iblis’s Hybris (07:52)
03. Mateka’s Speech (08:29)
04. Old Tapestry (10:06)
05. Möbius Cube (07:32)
06. A Theme for the End (06:34)
Lineup
Lorenzo Cellupica / Piano, Organ, Keyboards, Vocals
Nico Fabrizi / Tenor Sax, Alto Sax, Soprano Sax, Percussions
Eros Capoccitti / Electric Bass, Percussions
Davide Rufo / Drums, Percussions
Special Guests:
Fabio Gelli / Trumpet (tracks 2 and 3);
Romeo Venditti / Trombone (tracks 3 and 3);
Simone Marcelli / Electric Guitar (track 5);
Caterina Sebastiano / Vocals (track 6);
Debora Camilli / Vocals (track 6);
Andrea Martini / Vocals (track 6);
Giacomo Serino / Trumpet (track 6);
Massimo Izzizzari / Electric Guitar (track 6)