LARA MARTELLI - Cerridwen

According to Celtic mythology, Cerridwen is a powerful sorceress who brews her potions by mixing infusions in a copper cauldron. Cerridwen blesses poets and singers and is the protector of fertility, death and rebirth. We don't know whether Lara Martelli has ended up under the protective wing of the mighty sorceress, but one thing is certain: "Cerridwen", arriving five years after her previous "Orchidea Porpora", gives us back a renewed and unprecedented artist. Having abandoned her grunge-rock influences, Martelli has firmly set her sights on an international sound, introducing a substantial amount of loops and beats into her music, flirting with minimalist electronica and trip-hop, with particular attention to the innovations brought by the finest female songwriters of the last two decades. It's no surprise that this shift coincided with her decision to abandon Italian in favour of a more exportable English.

A childlike voice introduces us to "Death Of A Siren", the opening track that at times evokes the atmospheres of Joanna Newsom. "Alarm" wouldn't look out of place on a Bjork record, while "Stupid Desires", with its acoustic embroidery and brilliant vocal interweaving, takes us back to the happy territory of Cocorosie's debut. "Four Women" combines Amy Winehouse's verve with the trip-hop pulse of Portishead, while the well-judged arrangements make "White Fly" an exercise in fresh, tasteful pop.

"Panic!!!", probably the best track, instead betrays Martelli's passion for Radiohead (the arrangements and the vocal sampling recall the golden era of "Kid A" and "Amnesiac").

The final part of the record is an attempt to explore other musical horizons: "N.Y.C. Sunset" flirts with dance, while "The Bees" is trip-hop enriched by bursts of jittery electronics, where Martelli's crystalline voice can stretch out into small psychedelic flights. The album closes with the delicate ballad "Suomi Rain".

Ultimately, "Cerridwen" is a largely successful attempt to forge a new musical path. True, the Roman singer-songwriter doesn't hold back from revisiting some already well-worn clichés, but her undeniable vocal qualities, combined with a certain care in the arrangements, reveal a savvy artist in search of a well-defined identity. We look forward with curiosity to her next efforts for a more in-depth assessment.

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16/12/2007