nu guinea: nuova napoli
Francisco Espregueira
Nu Guinea (Massimo Di Lena and Lucio Aquilina) decided to go back to square one. Back to the place where they were born and raised. They watched their city from a distance reconstructing its energy from a studio in Berlin. Nuova Napoli is the result of a long musical research on the sound that shaped Napoli during the ‘70s and ‘80s, mixing the prevailing genres (disco, jazz-funk, African rhythms), which ended up in Nu Guinea’s DNA.
The synthesizers fill the spaces, bringing together acoustic instruments, electronics and voices in Neapolitan dialect. It is the first time that the duo has worked with such a large group of musicians, some of whom are exponents of the contemporary Neapolitan scene. This is best exemplified on the album lead single, "Ddoje Facce" that sounds like a sinister party afternoon.
Reading about the album, we get a recommendation from the artists: "Nuova Napoli can be appreciated at its best while walking in the alleys of Napoli’s historic center, around wet clothes hanging and street vendors on tiny three-wheelers". More than a recommendation, we think, it is an invitation.