Italian prog is more alive than ever. In "Let Them Say" by Notturno Concertante, their debut album with Luminol Records, all the experience and expertise gained over a thirty-year career imbues every note with emotion and precious sonic references.

Notturno Concertante's self-definition of "ethno progressive rock" is apt, encompassing a multitude of influences perfectly reflected in the songs. Their international vocation, starting with their collaborations (Molly Joyce and Nadia Khomoutova on violin, Kaitlyn Raitz on cello, Seto Nobuyuki on clarinet), is strongly rooted in the Mediterranean. "It's our first entirely instrumental album," explained guitarist Raffaele Villanova, "and a significant stylistic shift for us, based as it is on the coexistence of acoustic instruments and electronics, without sacrificing certain musical roots."

The folk influence is extremely evident in pieces like "Finis Terrae" or the title track itself, and then rock, but also jazz and blues emerge (as in "Delicate Sabbath," with an almost Arabian touch) and harmoniously blend with the compositional architecture, enriching each piece with new nuances. The neo-prog roots are also undeniable in the internal evolution of each song, sometimes from one genre to another, with such a fluid continuity that each piece is a jewel in its own right. Defying labels: "Over time, you develop the ability to go your own way, giving other people's opinions the weight they deserve, when they deserve it," said Villanova, explaining the choice of the title. "It should also be understood in a broader sense, as a 'let them speak'..."

Easy and spontaneous to listen to, yet the thoughtful and refined construction of the musical fabric of "Let Them Say" is not lost on you. A complexity so skillfully concealed within the eleven tracks that the atmospheres evoked leave a final sense of lightness.

The figure of Peter Gabriel hovers here and there, and it couldn't be otherwise, considering his close ties to his former band, Genesis: Notturno Concertante has collaborated with Ray Wilson (formerly of Stiltskin), and has performed live with him on more than one occasion (the last performance in September 2019 in Rome).