Daystar Nocturnal – Gianfranco Pescetti (reviewed by Dave Franklin)

Gianfranco Pescetti might come from the world of EDM, a place normally associated with quick sonic hits and euphoric, beat-induced trance highs, but his latest album, Daystar Nocturnal, shows that he is a much more imaginative operator than most of his competitors.

Sure, there are moments when he travels along the more tried-and-tested musical lines. The opener, Clownspunk, for example, offers a throbbing and groovesome invitation to dancefloor indulgences, and Be My Ghost blends supple pop poise with neo-soul smarts. But even when he takes us down such a sonic path, these tunes are wrapped in gorgeous electronic tones and graceful digital textures.

But it is in songs such as Maccia, I’ll See You… that we see his more adventurous and experimental side. Here, he moves beyond the confines of groove-based moves and weaves lush electro-scapes that drip with subtlety and sophistication. There are drifting, shimmering soundscapes that lean slightly into darkwave realms with The Wake and tracks such as Capraia, which ebb and flow between the two worlds, wandering from that of the groovesome to the graceful.

If you think that EDM and the people who make it are stuck in some neon-lit, beat-heavy version of the past, Gianfranco Pescetti is here to broaden your mind and show you how things really are—or at least how they are when they find their way into the right pair of hands. And Gianfranco Pescetti is definitely the right pair of hands.