La Comitiva

Øye should ring a bell as half of indie-bucolic-pop 00s sensation Kings of Convenience. But having relocated to Siracusa some years ago, Øye has been closing in on classic Italian pop from the 60s and 70s, the sort with light-as-a-feather arrangements which perfectly match his smooth vocals. In 2013, he let us in on this new sound with the release of the song ‘La Prima Estate’. Now the Norwegian musician raises the stakes with La Comitiva. Along with Sicilians Marco Castello, Luigi Orofino and Stefano Ortisi, Øye puts together a delightful collection of original songs (sung in Italian and English) and instrumentals that often take us back to classic Italian film music. ‘Matrimonio di Ruggiero’ is gorgeously Italian and Brazilian in equal parts, ‘Lockdown Blues’ sounds like a Damon Albarn trip to Sicily, and ‘Paradiso’ could have been crafted for national star Ornella Vanoni. A sunny album that extends the joy of Øye jamming with his new friends. A record to remind us that life should be uncomplicated.