Review Summary: Remember that totally contented feeling in your eyes?
Stepping into adulthood definitely has its upsides. I have more independence now than I ever have done; I can eat what I want, stay up until any time I like and go to whatever place takes my fancy. Only, of course, I don't. The temptation to have pizza every other night is crushed by the need to remain healthy, I still have to be out and about by 9 in the morning, and the combination of having no passport and crippling train fares means that I'm lucky if I get away to the next town. The idea that I can be whoever and whatever I want to be fades more with each day, becoming lost in a mire of financial necessity and scepticism, and the realisation that the blitheness of childhood is irreversibly a thing of the past is something I find myself fighting with on a daily basis. That's why I'm so grateful for albums such as Malmo's 'Palloni Aerostatici', an airy, carefree post-rock number that for just over half an hour allows me to see the world outside with some of the childlike wonder I used to.
Daniele Ruotolo's vocals are a major component in instilling the dreamlike aesthetic found throughout the album. Frequently sounding similar to an Italian Greg Lake, a lightly chorused Ruotolo puts in a beautiful performance which is largely down to his appreciation of dynamics; opener 'Jules Verne' shows his ability at belting out empassioned choruses whilst lullaby-like verses are treated with the appriopriate level of delicacy that they aren't inappropriately loud or laughably soft. Although a lack of range is evident by the time 'Palloni Aerostatici' reaches its end, its brevity just about keeps him from staling despite the greater emphasis on vocals than many in the genre.
On paper, this is unlikely to create waves in the post-rock world; no unusual instruments, peculiar chord changes or time signature wizardry can be found here. It should be noted, however, that what is played is played very effectively. The piano is used absolutely brilliantly from start to finish, either alongside the glockenspiel at the start of 'Polaroid' where the two combine to make a beautiful but increasingly bittersweet sounding setting, or complementing the repeating, swirling guitars which themselves paint vistas of long summery days. The rhythm section is impressive as well, with the bass in particular standing out as an important part of all 5 tracks' progression. What is done particularly well across the length of the album is ensuring that each song doesn't become too bogged down in repetition, which ensures that it feels generally fresh even across the longer tracks. This engaging approach is possibly the strongest part of 'Palloni Aerostatici', and ensures that on repeated listens it's not only interesting but also offers more to the listener.
Although this is by no means a groundbreaking album, it's obvious that Malmo are not trying to make one. Instead, they have made an album which succeeds in everything that post-rock should - one that makes the listener feel, which takes them out of whatever setting they may be in and places them in theirs. And in a world as beautiful and hopeful as theirs sounds - where I can rediscover those feelings of wonder as a child - is that such a bad thing?
