Written by Maria Arroyo
Milan-based band Novanta released their EP, Some Are Stars, on November 21st! The Sicilian musician Manfredi Lamartina, uses everyday devices to create music that pays homage to the music of the nineties. Featured on this 4-song EP are vocalists Dario Torre from Stella Diana, and Marco Brzetti aka True Sleeper. The 3 plus year creation of this EP was meant to change the direction of Novanta in a way that had a cleaner sound and even bigger impact. Lamartina calls Some Are Stars “ceiling-gazing: a mix of dream pop, post-rock, and synth-wave to listen to at very low or very high volumes. No middle ground.”
Kicking off the EP is “Outside Noise.” Right away, you are pulled into this free-flowing and carefree atmosphere that sets the tone for the rest of the EP. There’s a lot of tension within the parts of the song from the washy vocals to the enticing instrumentation. There are so much movement and fluidity that makes this such a great opener for this EP.
“The Plot Thickens” is all instrumental and encapsulates feelings of R&B vibes and shoegaze pop/rock with the use of synthesizers and a hefty drum solo. The track “To Realize (ft. True Sleeper)” brings back the same washy vocals similar to the first song, but with a stronger emotional conviction. There is a lot more rise and fall with the higher intense parts and the softer ones. There is also a stronger sense of their rock and alternative influences that play really well with this song.
The last song “Lovers” is my favorite off the EP. There is a ton more buildup within the instrumentation which made for a very active listening experience. I love how much I felt transported into their world, really living through their songs. Their choices of ambiance, synths, and a hint of some horns really made this song stand up above the others.
Overall the band has a very cohesive sound and image that they do well, but I’d be interested in knowing what other elements they could bring in to change up their sound. Their sound is a great one, but I want to know what else they have up their sleeves because I foresee them only going up from here!
Give a listen of the EP Some are Stars down below!
https://open.spotify.com/
