Atopia

Tommy Talamanca

From their EPK, the album is described as "a work suspended in time and, as […]
Tommy Talamanca - Atopia album cover

From their EPK, the album is described as "a work suspended in time and, as suggested by the title, in space, which crosses different sound territories between contaminations ranging from Hard Rock to Progressive, passing through new age and world music." The album contains eleven tracks. The title track leads off the album. It opens with keyboards running up and down the scale. Some smooth leads come in and the melody opens up. This short track flows through dark and light passages. "Darkling Glades" is a bit darker and more ominous, but features the sultry voice of Gloria Rossi. That guitar solo smokes so hard it leaves a trail behind long after it's gone.

"Get in, get through" is a more traditional track with smooth, catchy melodies and a care-free feeling. "The Flow" is another short track with more emotion and feeling. Clean guitars open the song along with Rossi's poignant vocals. The melodies here are subtler and more smooth. Like the song title, it flows through you with ease. "The Crack" begins with darker tones and thumping bass notes to go along with the eerie keys. The rhythm guitars usher in bit of a heavier sound, while the leads interact nicely with the drums. "Narrowing World" begins with Rossi's vocals and some clean guitars. The mood is melancholy and begs you to take in the lyrics.

"Grace in Heaven" is a peaceful and gentle song as the title suggests. Perhaps my only complaint to date so far on the album is that many of the songs are very short, and once the melody gets going, the song is over. "Anapestic Dimeter" opens with a playful mid-tempo riff that segues into a harder attack soon after. The leads in this instrumental are both jovial as well as a bit brooding. "Fog" is both darker and more foreboding. The vocals are hummed and come from a place of despair. The music matches the mood here. "The Floating Space" is an instrumental that explores a bit from both the guitars and keyboards. Turning darker with eerie keys and acoustical guitars, it flows through and over some of the space with tense tones.

"Holy" closes the album. A more solemn outing, the song drips with legato leads and vocal "ahhs" that push this feeling more into the forefront. This is a pretty personal collection of eleven songs from Tommy. Artists often seek a creative outlet for their music that they can't always get in their bands, and that is what this album is. One interesting note here is that if you listen closely, you can feel many of the song titles come to life in the music. That is a pretty tough trick to pull off. After listening to the album, I have a clearer idea of the artist that is Tommy Talamanca.

8 / 10

Excellent

Songwriting

8

Musicianship

8

Memorability

7

Production

8
"Atopia" Track-listing:

1. Atopia
2. Darkling Glades
3. Get in, get through
4. The Flow
5. The Crack
6. Narrowing World
7. Grace in Heaven
8. Anapestic Dimeter
9. Fog
10. The Floating Space
11. Holy

Tommy Talamanca Lineup:

Tommy Talamanca - Guitars, Keys
Gloria Rossi - Vocals

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