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Reviews 130: Roberto Lodola

Roberto Lodola’s Marimba do Mar overflows with seaside magic and is perhaps one of the most balearic records ever made. The 12” was originally released in 1986 on Academy Records and contained a fusion version and vocal version of “Marimba do Mar,” both of which feature funk exotica grooves overlaid by glistening pianos, synthetic flutes, emotional sax solos, heart aching strings, and powerful vocals. Now, Best Record Italy have stepped in for a loving and official reissue that nods towards the original ’86 release in terms of style and presentation (with a great job by Riccardo Corda as always) and also includes two extra tracks presenting further variations on this sunshine romance anthem. And though Best Record can always be counted on to bring the heat, this is an undoubted high point in their catalog…the kind of fantasy music that sweeps the listener away to a luscious island paradise where everything glows with a warming tropical light.

Roberto Lodola - Marimba do Mar (Best Record Italy, 2018) The fusion version of “Marimba do Mar” has futuristic and synthetic marimbas cascading above springy funk basslines and gliding drumwork, while sun soaked guitar riffs are blurred at the edges of the mix. Celestial synth flutes ascend before being replaced by co-composer Alessandro Bertozzi’s heart melting saxophone and all the while, shimmering jazz piano waterfalls from Ennio Ronchelli bathe the mix in a lustrous incandescence. And then comes the sultry sexy “ba da ba” singing, with Antonia Coda’s wondrous wordless performance floating on sunset orchestrations that flow aside island bongos and saxophone and piano lines that journey towards the heavens. But the vocal sections are all too brief, with the focus staying on the sparkling instrumentation…the whole thing so full of life and balearic magic. And after marimba and fusion percussion solos lead to a funky disco drum march accompanied by sliding slap bass schmaltz, Roberto drops us back into the mesmerizing vocal passages with majestic string orchestrations that overflow with sunset romanticism.

For the vocal version, splattering kick drum and vibrant piano chords are joined by tropical marimbas. Eventually the full suite of instrumentation arrives, with flute and sax casting their twilight spells. Aside from this beginning, the rest of the introduction is much as in the fusion version. But things start to differentiate when the vocals enters, as there are now lyrics rather than wordless dream spells. The cinematic emotionality is pushed to the very limit, as Antonia weaves euphoric tales of seaside romance…the feeling like a warm salt breeze blowing through palm trees lining some exotic ocean paradise. As the vocals drift off, there is an extended instrumental passage that recalls the vibe of the introduction, with everything building back up towards Antonia’s breath-taking lyricisms and melodies of faraway enchantment. And deep in the mix, Roberto Barocelli’s twanging guitar solos can be heard intermingling with atmospheric flutes as his hypnotic jangle riffs keep bouncing ear to ear.

“Feeling of the Sun” is a futuristic rework of “Marimba do Mar” and starts with propulsive electronic drums accented by reverb bongos. Cymbals swell and heady synth basslines dance around sci-fi clavinets and fluttering flute whispers, while interstellar synth sequences work their way into the inner mind. Then following a delirious pause, we smash into a gliding electronica dreamscape, as Antonia’s vocals fly high alongside house organs echoing into hypno-percolations and incredible e-pianos adventuring towards the heart of the stars. There are kosmische sections where the lysergic space sequencing takes over as well as passages where transcendental strings and melancholic tapestries of acoustic and electric piano back the soulful smooth vocal flow. And the track ends on an extended outro of starscape romantics as the flute journeys ever upwards through future island clouds of pink and orange. We conclude with “Hey George!”, which pays tribute to the understated star of “Marimba do Mar,” George Aghedo. It’s a humid jungle of hypnotic percussion, soaked in reverb and accented by sparkling chiming tones and cerebral cymbal swells. Hand drum echo trails drift into the cosmos and occasional laser zap synths pan through the mix, while rainforest shakers join the kaleidoscopic and intoxicating body movements to create a sunshine paradise of rhythm.

(images from my personal copy)