Irama, the new album: “Music needs time and study”
“Anthology of life and death” is the title of new album by Irama, arriving three years after his last studio work, “The day I stopped thinking”, and two years after the collaborative album with Rkomi, “No stress”. The new recording project, out today 17 October, it is a set of storieswhich they explore themes related to life and deathfollowing a narrative path.
“The album was born before the title‘Anthology of life and death’”, explains Irama: “The title partly derives from my admiration for Fabrizio De Andréthinking about when he drew inspiration from the ‘Spoon River Anthology’ for the album ‘Not to Money, Not to Love, Not to the Sky’. It is also partly due to a logical consequence: the album is a set of stories, of life and death. It is an eternal dualism, which is part of man, which crosses cultures and symbols: the scales, yin and yang, light and darkness, good and evil. The album contains many songs that deal with life and many that deal with the nuances of death”. For the artist, born Filippo Maria Fanti, the new studio work is therefore born from a personal journey linked to loss and memory: “Like everyone, it often happened to me – unfortunately – to say goodbye. But I never really learned to do it. Perhaps due to age, perhaps because on a personal level I was never ready to let go”, narrates Irama: “I’m also having a hard time letting go of this record: It took me many years and for me it was a process. But it was nice, because it was a long journey, also shared with those who came to my concerts while I continued to tour.”
On the three years’ work to complete the albumin the midst of the Sanremo Festival and tour, the singer then states:
“It was difficult to make this record cohesive. Writing while on tour is complicated, you live constantly on the move. For ten years I have never stopped and this sometimes alienates, as well as deprives me of everyday life. To find myself I had to look for moments of escape: travel, disappear for a few days, live different experiences. All this gave me fuel to write. Furthermore, I wanted to study, compare myself with musicians, understand sounds. We live in a very fast market, so taking three years seems crazy. But for me taking time is essential. To make music you have to study, it’s important to enrich yourself. Of course, maybe it’s also my insecurity: I’m afraid of disappointing those who listen to me. But at a certain point I decided to open the door and let people into my home, with sincerity.”
Preceded by the singles “Ex” with Elodie, “Galassie”, “Lentamente” and “Tu no”, also including two other collaborations with Giorgia in “Buio” and Achille Lauro in “Arizona”, the album “Antologia della vita e della morte” rIt reflects a sense of nostalgia linked precisely to memories. After opening the doors of your own home to the public of the Verona Arena last October 2nd, waiting to take the stage at San Siro in Milan on June 11thwith “Anthology of life and death” the singer welcomes listeners inside 14 songs. “The house is perfect for representing the concept of memory: it is an archive of memories, a place where memories remain, where a smell or a painting is enough to review one’s life”, underlines the artist, born Filippo Maria Fanti: “It is an intimate space, which gives you time to cultivate memories. There are many artists or albums that have inspired me to evoke a feeling of nostalgia and remembrance. Music is made of memoriesAnd he adds: “Already on the stage of the Verona Arena, the house was like a sentient being. The concept of home was precisely about entering my personal and private life. And also present the guests as sacred guests, therefore as people who were part of my life. Now, from the cover of ‘Anthology of Life and Death’, there is the whole concept of the house. The photos you can see on the cover are actually photos from my childhood.”
In this house, even with the new album, guests are obviously welcome. Together with Achille Lauro, with a track described by Irama as “very sexual, raw, a little crazy, with rock and also country sounds”, the singer opens the album through rhythm and brightness. “The song ‘Arizona’ was born in Los Angeles and then developed together with Lauro”, underlines Filippo: “There is respect and friendship between him and me. In my opinion, ‘Arizona’ has always been a perfect opening for the album, very arrogant. I liked the idea of entering with a straight leg, to then tell the whole story of a much more intimate, and perhaps much deeper, album”. For “Anthology of life and death”, moreover, for the first time Irama brings into his own project not one, but two, female voices: “I collaborated a little with female voices, but in general I didn’t collaborate much”, reflects the singer: “It seemed right to me to do female collaborations, it was a very natural thing. I really liked it a lot, also because Giorgia and Elodie they have splendid voices, and also a very strong personality”. Focusing on the interpreter of “Gocce di memoria”, the singer adds: “In Giorgia’s case it is nice to hear her sing this song, I hope it reaches people: I like the song very much and I have always thought it was perfect for her”. He continues: “As for Elodie, in my opinion, we met in a world that is the territory of both of us. This is why the song ‘Ex’ was also released as a single.”
Linking to the concept of “home”, the same songs from “Anthology of Life and Death” almost seem like roomseach with the own sound environment. However, the project is crossed by a logic of dualism and music played, which also guides the narrative construction of the individual tracks, composing an anthology. In this regard, Irama underlines:
“In my opinion the common thread of the album is organicity. There is a lot of music played: piano, strings, real instruments. The more I grow, the more I move away from the beat form. It’s beautiful, but as for my works, I really like the idea of hearing the instrument and bringing it closer to a live form”.
Also recounting the listening sessions that have accompanied him most recently, the singer adds: “There is research in all areas, both at the level of musicians and at the level of genresof sounds, of melodies, of texts and stories. I recently fell in love with a Spanish artist called Camarón de la Isla. I then discovered a record that I love, ‘Lágrimas negras’ by Bebo Valdés and Diego el Cigala. I listen to it and study it all the time. My favorite is ‘La Bien Pagá’. I always continue to search, to be inspired.”
Going deeper into the musical and artistic direction he has undertaken and continues with “Anthology of life and death”, the singer says. “I think I’ve been taking a shape, a musical direction for a few years now. And this album is able to consolidate it, it’s a bit of a seal.” For Irama, the idea of music is that of a living body, of a physical gesture that takes shape in real time and which will give character to the work for the concert at the San Siro Stadium in Milan next year: “This album is perfect for the live form. I’ve been in this direction for some time now and in these three years I’ve dressed up the pieces in a thousand ways, I’ve played more and more, I’ve added more and more musicians to the band. I really like the live form, and I feel closer and closer to the musicians”, underlines the artist who laughingly adds: “I’ll end up having thirty people on stage, I think! I think it’s the most beautiful way to express live music, at least for my taste. I already have in mind what to do, I’m starting to plan itI’m starting to prepare it. They’re trying to keep me grounded because if it were up to me I would do crazy things. I hope it’s a show that people remember.”
