Alessandro Meroli begins, with a track called Nightfall. Notturni is a concept album, one that needs to be played sequentially in order to achieve its full intended effect. Notturni are, of course, nocturnes – musical pieces that evoke the night, so naturally Meroli cites Chopin as an influence, although in truth it’s rock and jazz that come through most strongly. The first track, in which the birds are roosting, represents dusk, the last track, dawn. And in between are all the eerie, sepulchral but beautiful stages of the evening and the night.
We’re in the city, so the vibe is noir-ish, as Meroli indicates with a track titled