I CANI - post mortem

“The surprising return of I Cani” opens with a dialogue from Andrei Tarkovsky's “Stalker”: yet the film that comes to mind the moment I hit “play” and “io” starts is “Once Upon a Time in America“. Partly because I find it hard to shake off Sergio Leone no matter what he's working on, and partly because of that epic line: “What have you been doing all these years?”. Niccolò Contessa provides part of the answer in the very track mentioned above. After all, despite never actually stopping – between productions, soundtracks and collaborations – the frontman, with a title like “post mortem”, almost lets slip just how close I Cani came to the end of the road. Indeed, even back when “Aurora” (2016) came out, in the review within the artist profile on our site, there was a temptation to read that project – given its mood and themes – as a final chapter.

And for nine years, that's exactly what it was. The end of the road, however, was rerouted at the very last minute, out of nowhere, in much the same way the album itself was released – with no promotion to speak of, and the music placed front and centre.

Fine. So, without getting lost in memories of how great Italian indie was back in 2016, what does the music on “post mortem” actually sound like?

Niccolò Contessa – assisted on production by Andrea Suriani – is the one-man band behind every track. After the aching lived experience of “io”, this “black hole” of acidic, convulsive electronics reveals glimpses of everyday life and existential reflection.

Every word is distilled from life and from silence, and the result is lyrics that swing between introspection and caustic reflection, alternating gentler moments with more agitated ones. On the gentler side, “felice” stands out, its shy vocal carried along by a galloping bass line. On the more agitated side there's “f.c.f.t.”, opened by cinematic synths, “nella parte del mondo in cui sono nato”.

The arrangements and melodic choices are first-rate: just listen to the way “colpevole” breaks free, or the trauermarsch (as Tutti Fenomeni – also produced by Contessa – would put it) of “carbone”, while – on colpo di tosse or madre – Pop, with a capital P, is embraced with wry self-awareness.

Nearing the close, with the almost darkwave “buio”, one can't help but wonder – as at the end of the first season of “True Detective” – whether darkness or light will prevail. And with the closing of “un’altra onda”, with that so delicate guitar, “the light’s winning”.

Ride the wave of great music

Add OndaRock to your favorite sources on Google Discover. Don't miss our reviews, milestones and latest news straight in your feed.

Follow on Google

14/04/2025