Music Review: Armonite – ‘The Sun Is New Each Day’

Italian progressive duo Armonite released their progressive and instrumental rock album The Sun Is New Each Day in June 2015 with Jacopo Bigi on the electric violin and Paolo Fosso on keyboards, bass, and drums. The overall effect of the duo’s efforts is one of joyful lightheartedness, even during the album’s most serious moments, which, to be fair, come off as calming.

It all starts off with “Suitcase War”; the band jumps straight into it with a hectic beginning. It includes thrashing double kick drumming, electric violin solos and has a tidier resolution by the end.

A couple of international flavours make their way into The Sun Is New Each Day. One of the mellower tracks, “Connect Four”—built on keyboard and strings—has a Celtic feel to it, while “Die Grauen Herren” has a bit of a Latin one. The diversity of the auditory landscape it traverses gives it a soundtrack feel, further enhanced by the sound of a ticking clock and maniacal laughter.

Another tune that could be part of a soundtrack—albeit one for a game this time—is, unsurprisingly, the playful and fun “Insert Coin”. A keyboard and strings create an audio version of arcade games with a melody that seems to require the use of every key on said keyboard.

The band also explores various moods. In the ballad “Slippery Slope”, it goes into a melancholic one, using a piano, percussion, and a violin to create a sorrow-laden and somewhat mysterious atmosphere. The piano and strings in “Le Temps Qui Fait la Rose” also create a melancholic ballad, but in a soothing, mellow, welcome kind of way.

“Satellites” is both mysterious, yet joyful, energetic and mellow; there are a lot of changes throughout its run, but they ultimately tie together quite well. There is a main set of notes that are repeated throughout with different elements and sounds, giving it a non-boring, repetitive feel. The short “Bastian’s Happy Flight” is an energetic and enthusiastic number, featuring keyboards and strings that seem to be flirting with each other, slowly building on a potential that can be heard from the get-go.

Ultimately, The Sun Is New Each Day is a well-composed, well-arranged, and well-performed collection of songs that are highly entertaining after one gets used to the lack of guitars and vocals in a progressive rock album. Tracks are available for streaming on SoundCloud. More information is available on the band’s official website and on their Facebook page.