Shio-Z has been rather prolific in 2013 with his collaborative work with artists like Plaisance and Vincenzo Salvia. His style seems very muse-like in his ability to conjure new ideas and directions for others and with his new full length album he's allowed that muse to shine over ten original tracks. The Shio-Z experience has it's own personality and crosses many themes and styles in it's journey.
The ten tracks on Science Of The Night move from traditional synthscapes into hybrid atmospheres of tones and colours. There is no doubt this album is drenched in 80s love, and that shines through in every track, however the full Shio-Z sound incorporates many avant garde/cyber-tech elements that create a futuristic air to all his pieces. The familiar and alien blend into a melange of futurism and nostalgia which is a delight to be in the presence of.
The Science Of The Night opens with a haunting instrumental entitled 'Night Flight'. The scene is set for interplanetary contact as non terrestrial tones are form a blinking light pattern of that signals to life in a distant galaxy a message beyond humanity's comprehension. Melodies are built with clean and powerful strokes that are full of inquisitive instrumentations and gravity defying percussion. The mood of 'Night Flight' is completely adventurous and bold in presentation and this idea is continued in track two 'Goodbye On Night'.
This second chapter is a heady mix of cosmic italo and heavy dimensional elements mixed at a languid pace that rocks and rolls with the flow of the galaxies above. 'Goodbye On Night' is a classic example of the Shio-Z experience in all it's interplanetary glory with our earthly italo making creative combinations with sentient life from other worlds.
The Shio-Z experiences of late have been incorporating more vocals into the synthscapes and track three introduces the first of these with 'Italo Night'. There's a superb European machismo to Shio-Z's vocals, but there are elements of tortured, unrequited affection that seems to provide a great undercurrent to the lyrics. The music in 'Italo Night' compliments this style of vocal wonderfully well as Shio-Z pleads his lust to the night on a cosmic dance floor orbiting a sun that can't warm a cold heart.
The sparkling italo gold continues into the next track, 'Night Dancing'. Melodically perfect, this takes traditional italo structures and breaks them down into baser forms that are then rebuilt by alien robots and formed into a universal energy of star powered beauty. It's on this track especially that the Shio-Z production really begins to stand and define itself as different worlds join as one and rock the galactic disco through aeons of night.
When it comes to the other sides of Shio-Z one needs only look to 'Nightmare' to experience the darker forces at play in this composer's creative process. Dramatic arrangements are injected with panic and sinister forces but the action is held tightly within the Shio-Z synthscape and the sounds of distant alien life pulse within the distraught earthbound constraints of humanity. There is hope forged from this experience in the much brighter 'Starry Night' which takes the panic and replaces it with intense exploration of incredible new ideas. The absolutely pounding percussive track combined with the delicate background piano in this piece is enlightening on every level and adds fathomless depth to the narrative of the composition.
'Hero Of The Night' rocks into view next and this anthemic chug-a-thon is tempered by the fires of passion and vengeance. The melodies sweep and dive while the engine room powers along in unstoppable force of synthual brilliance. The layers of sound introduced in the final parts of this experience add even more interstellar flavour to the story and it's final refrain is full of juggernaut momentum. Definitely the most brutal track on the album it is then followed by the highly entertaining 'One Night In Romagna'. The twisted vocals and ultra catchy melodies highlight another side of Shio-Z that is wholly endearing and absolutely hilarious. It's great to see that Shio-Z knows he's a rockstar but he also knows having fun is just as important.
More nocturnal adventures are explored in 'Tears Of The Night' which is possibly the most 'traditionally' formed track on the album. Stunning synth melodies are nurtured with love and passion in arrangements that feel devoid of the alien elements previously experienced. This track is full of humanity and emotion and it's position on the album adds even more weight to it's reflective and contemplative nature.
The grand finale of Science Of The Night is another space italo gem titled 'Space Night Girl'. The synthscape is clear and sparkling with refractive melodies that dance with crystalline clarity. Without a doubt its the thumping bassline that ties this experience together and in the process allows these delicate melodies to exist in fragile beauty that is entrancing and inspiring.
Shio-Z's musical journey continues into genuinely individualised worlds of his own creation on Science Of The Night. His experimentation combined with his experiences working with others has made for a massively entertaining record and sound matures with each new release. The thematic vision of this record is what shines the brightest, however, and I think Shio-Z has a massively promising future in the universe of evolved 80s sounds.
Future City Records presents Shio-Z's Science Of The Night album on their Bandcamp page here and Synthetix.FM very highly recommends this album to all fans of 80s synth who look to the stars for inspiration and possibilities and yearn for the excitement of these hidden other worlds. Through Shio-Z's music you'll feel the power of the cosmos and it's inhabitants rockin hard every night to his italo flavoured space synth jams in planets and dimensions far beyond or earthly bonds.
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