Good things come to those who wait, and some of us have been waiting for years to buy Francesco Galano’s physical format debut. This Italian artist, who records as When the Clouds, was introduced as one of our Rising Stars back in June 2008. A year later, we were pleased to learn that he’d been signed by Drifting Falling. A few months ago, “The Dawn and the Embrace” graced our 14th compilation. And now, finally, The Longed-for Season has arrived.
The only disappointing thing about this EP is its length: six songs clocking in at under half an hour. Thankfully, the selections are all of high quality, and the album flows smoothly from beginning to end. Better a solid half-hour release than a padded eighty-minute monster, or even worse, a market-glutting plethora of releases.
The fact that Galano records in his home studio likely has much to do with the EP’s length. Many solo artists sound like solo artists; When the Clouds sounds like a band. Much time was spent making sure that every sound was placed just right. The artist layers his instruments to create a lush bouquet, plucked from the same garden as The American Dollar, Rhian Sheehan, and The Moving Dawn Orchestra. Keyboards, bells, and bass hold sway over a backdrop of programmed drums. Often a song will end in a manner befitting a music box, with all other instruments dropping out, lending the music a lulling, comforting tone. And yet, The Longed-for Season is no Rockabye Baby. Songs such as “Rise On” take their lead from the Morr Music side of techno, while “The Dawn and the Embrace” and “Flooding River” borrow their cues from post-rock. Closing piece “The House of Sleep” makes good use of the sound of a needle passing through an empty groove, a further reminder that previously discarded sounds can be intensely musical, and that even “mistakes” (in this case, vinyl crackle) can have lasting value.
The best word to describe The Longed-for Season is clean. The mastering is as crisp as the snap of a carrot, and the sonics are as precise as Jimmy Johnson’s hair, with nary a strand out of place. Even the guitars sound percussive, and while some light electronics are occasionally allowed to wander, they do so on a very short leash. If this EP were water, it would be so pure one could bathe in it without the need for soap.
It’s always gratifying to have faith in an artist and to see him make good on his promise. Two years was a long time to wait, but the results were worth it. Normally I’d say, “Don’t take so much time off next time,” but in this case I’ll say, “Don’t rush it.” If time is needed to create such confections, then I’ll be content to wait, as fast food can’t hold a candle to a home-cooked meal.
-Richard Allen