Odissea

The intrepid BandAdriatica have produced a sort of pan-Mediterranean album here, exploring the theme of migration, very visible in their home of southern Italy. Hailing from Salento (the ‘heel of the boot’) they blend their region's sounds with others such as Balkan brass, Moroccan Gnawa and desert blues, all underpinned by rock drums and guitars. So you'll find organetto (diatonic button accordion) joined by brass throughout much of the album but most prominent on tracks such as ‘Kalypso’. There is spacious, Tinariwenesque guitar on ‘Focu’ and saz (lute) makes a cameo appearance on ‘Argo’. While most tracks are up-tempo and based on Balkan-inspired melodies, there is the odd slow tune such as ‘Stella della Notte’, in which the Italian influence is signposted with tremolo mandolin.

Despite my almost non-existent Italian, I could understand the general theme. The blend of influences from both sides of the Med has a poignant significance these days and, combined with the title-track, they help to tell the story of someone undergoing an epic journey to improve their lot in life. A brief translation of the lyrics uncovers a subtle use of irony, underscoring the indifference so often shown to the migrants' plight.