PERTURBAZIONE - Canzoni allo specchio

"Se faccio il grande passo/ che succederà?": so went the chorus of a gorgeous b-side from the single "Agosto", taken from the previous album by Perturbazione.

And in some way that big step really did happen: after leaving Audioglobe, the label for which they had recorded two albums and an EP, Perturbazione moved to Mescal to record this "Canzoni allo specchio", with artistic production by Paolo Benvegnù and some prestigious guests such as Jukka of Giardini di Mirò and Rachele Bastreghi and Francesco Bianconi of Baustelle.

Compared to the previous record, the first thing that stands out is the disappearance (with a couple of exceptions) of the irony and freshness that used to define both the lyrics and the music: whereas "In circolo" was full of wordplay, bold and playful rhymes, brief instrumental interludes and sudden shifts in rhythm, here the twelve songs are flattened into a single register, the most nostalgic one.

But while the nostalgia of the band's earlier work was conveyed through a masterful, perfectly balanced blend, here some songs slip into the banal and, at times, into whininess (as is the case with "Spalle strette" and "Se fosse adesso").

On the plus side, there are also a few well-crafted tracks: the single "Chiedo alla polvere", the "anthropological" (yet so flowing) "Animalia", the irresistibly adolescent "Se mi scrivi" and "Canzone allo specchio", perhaps the best balanced between music and lyrics.

The more ambitious tracks, on the other hand, seem only half successful: "A luce spenta" could have come off a singer-songwriter record and, thanks to Rachele Bastreghi's female vocals, echoes the refined work of Cristina Donà or Ginevra Di Marco, but one wonders how sincere it really is and how much it benefits a band that has made simplicity and modesty its strong points to venture into territory that isn't its own; the closing "Il materiale e l'immaginario", meanwhile, is musically well done, but lyrically lingers on some rather easy and predictable observations.

It seems Perturbazione didn't want to attempt the big turning-point album, but at the same time didn't feel like carrying on with the fresh, intelligent and utterly unique approach that had earned them considerable success over the years: maybe it's maturity, maybe it's Benvegnù's production, or maybe it's simply a shift in direction they felt was right for them.

The fact remains that we're light years away from that little masterpiece "In circolo", and extremely close to far too many introspective Italian records: Perturbazione have lost part of their stylistic signature, while holding on to another part - perhaps the less original one.

Aside from a barely-veiled disappointment, which may stem from overly high expectations on my part, "Canzoni allo specchio" remains an enjoyable, sincere record, with a few moments worth remembering.

As for the real great leap forward, we can wait a little longer for that.

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30/04/2026