Guitarist and producer Davide Rizzo lets pure creativity drive – arranging original compositions around dreamy guitar tones, light rhythms, and a genre-free kind of playfulness that’s endearing, and a pleasure to let play.
To introduce that approach, Looper marks a fine example, layering smooth guitar melodies – one that’s particularly distinct – over an ambient and colourful groove.
Then to follow this with a little more diversity, Opinions is sensational. While Looper set a foundation noting a hint of trip hop influence, Opinions dives more notably into that, with featured vocals and intriguing, mysterious lyrics, another smooth guitar lead, and an atmospheric arrangement that’s vast and ethereal. A personal favourite, the sound is both familiar and unexpected, and that’s a quality found through the music of Davide Rizzo.
Things continue to get more creative and impressive, catchy in an alternative, addictive kind of way, while holding true to the spacious arrangement and guitar style of Rizzo.
Lose Myself is light and dreamy, high vocals and acoustic guitar creating contrasting wings that help the central groove take flight. The lyrics and the voice again feel poetic and intimate, and the overall sound seems reminiscent of Morcheeba to me.
Artistry grows further throughout the seven original compositions of this playlist. Upside Down is retro electronic, but with a deep-house groove and ambient, atmospheric qualities, helping the sound fully consume its listener.
Davide is a fan of working with interesting singers and rappers, and the diversity of voice throughout these tracks is really refreshing and interesting. Despite the varied sounds from each singer, they all fit beautifully within the story and sound of their chosen track, and this again reminds us of the likes of trip-hop legends Zero 7, and their collaborative, creative charm.
Cometa Fugaz (distorted version) is gorgeous, a mellow sway of a groove, raw and high-pitched vocals nearly whispered, a rise and fall vibe that’s hypnotic, and a title and artwork that quickly get the mind wandering to other worlds. Then we get the stark contrast of electronic pulsating tones and snappy rap vocals, for the outlandish and characterful, faultlessly rhythmic and distinct Detonarte.
To finish, what feels like a new song, is actually just a non-distorted version of Cometa Fugaz. Acoustic guitars sound like gentle rain, and that voice, up front but uncertain, is melodic and lightly raspy, in its tired desire to dream and observe. The song again has a hypnotic quality, and blends the familiar and the unorthodox quite beautifully.
Humility is a big part of the Davide Rizzo sound – no showing off, no shock factor, just lush music. While there are complex layers found throughout each of these tracks, the building blocks remain the beating heart – a live guitar, a modest rhythm, a quirky but evocative voice, and a sense of movement and calm that’s enchanting and soothing.
Modesty is rare these days, and when it comes with playful creativity and talent, the music softly speaks volumes.
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