No Strange Cristalli Sognanti

(Italian Psych combo legend from the late 70s! Now again together to release a fresh and dreamy sound, moody original new album!)No Strange is an Italian rock group influenced by psychedelic music that combined elements of rock and cosmic music. It was formed in Turin in 1980 by Salvatore Ursus D’Urso and Alberto Ezzu.

At the beginning they play a kind of comedy Punk and they are called NoStrani, but soon they turn to a psych sound and release a demo called ‘Rainbow’ in 1983 and another one in 1984 called ‘Lisergic tomahawk’ attached to the Roller Coaster ‘s fanzine.
At this point the band start their collaboration with Giulio Tedeschi, boss of the Toast Records.
In 1985 No Strange release with his label, their great debut album simply called ‘No Strange’ (known as ‘Trasparenze e Suoni’ as well). Their sound is something absolutely original and they take part in the Neo psychedelic Italian scene whose interest was in the sound but also in the air-cut and clothes of British and American bands of 60s and 70s. No Strange benchmarks included the first Pink Floyd, Brainticket, Soft Machine and Third Ear Band but mainly the early works of Tangerine Dream, Ash Ra Tempel and Popol Vuh, with whom they shared a common musical and spiritual quest.
One year later they release a single "White bird"/"Fiori risplendenti" and then in 1987 they record their second album ‘L’Universo’ and in the meantime they give a song for the historical compilation ‘Eighties Colours’ made by Electric Eye Records and are involved in a double Lp compilation called ‘Oracolo’ recording an entire live side!
Away from any kind of ‘revival’ they prefer to create a new original sound even inspired from the late 60s and the early 70s. This will be confirmed again from their third album ‘Flora di romi’ released in 1991.
No Strange start to work on this album from 1988 with a different line up made from Laura Tommasi (winds), Paolo Avataneo (bass guitar), Sandro Becchis (guitar), Pino Molinari (keyboards), Lucio Molinari (percussions) and Ursus (vocals). Artistic production and arranging will be made by Alberto Ezzu.

In 1992 the band has a long break, except for a mini album released in 1998 called ‘Medusa’ and played from Ursus,Tony D’Urso (Ursus brother’s) and Fabio Maffia at the keyboards… Until 2008, when Ursus and Alberto Ezzu decide to reform No Strange along with Pino Molinari, Lucio Molinari, Tony D’Urso and Paolo Avataneo. That’s a mix of the many line ups the band got in the 80s. Later Rosalba Guastella join them as choralist.
And finally, nowadays, they record this a fresh and dreamy sound, moody original new album!

Our label cares about the Cd digipack version, while Psych Out Rec. will release the Lp version.
Both will be ltd to 500 copies!!

Enjoy ‘Cristalli Sognanti’!!
TRACKLIST:

1. Aria
2. Riscopro i Colori
3. Il Sudore dei Pianeti
4. Respirare il Mare
5. Australopiteco
6. Orion Smile
7. Cristalli Sognanti
8. Echidna
9. Il Colore Sognava
10. Quando Scendemmo dalle Piante
11. Sulle Onde

DISCOGRAPHY:

Demo Tapes

1983 Rainbow (DIY)
1984 Lisergic tomahawk (Roller coaster, Italy)

33 giri

1985 Trasparenze e suoni (Toast Records, Italy)
1987 L’Universo (Toast Records, Italy)
1991 Flora di Romi (Toast Records, Italy)

45 giri
1986 White bird/Fiori risplendenti (Toast Records, Italy)

CD
1998 Medusa (Toast Records, Italy)

REVIEW

Richard Allen – Shindig #5 01-03/12

A sudden rush of psychedelia in the 1980s didn’t pass Italy unnoticed. Bands such as Magic Potion, Steeplejack and The Effervescent Elephants all found a paisley cushion on which to perform. It was however No Strange who really understood the genre and much like Plasticland in America did something genuinely psychedelic, lacing their Italian poetry with space rock, folk sounds, eastern instruments, electronic sound collages and fragile drifting melodies.   The bands brilliant second album L’Universo , from 1987, is one of the best psychedelic records released that decade and the spirit of that recording can be found in this new release, their first since 1991’s Flora Di Romi . Standout track by a Camberwell carrot length is ‘Respirare Il Mare’ which features sitar flute, and a hauntingly beautiful vocal refrain reminiscent of Alan Stivell. Elsewhere the band mix textural synth experiments and guitar led garage psych but always with that Italian style.

Dennis Dalcin – Bucketfull #81 Summer/Autumn 2013

Some 20+ years since their last release, the great Italian 80’s psychedelic band No Strange, from Torino, is back with a superb new album called Cristalli Sognanti (Dreaming Crystals). From the opening track, ‘Aria’, we know something special is in these grooves. No Strange has always played a dreamy brand of psychedelia where all the elements of their sound: acoustic and electric guitars, Hammond organ, bass, flute, sitar, gong and lush vocals come together to create soundscapes that fall smoewhere between Ash Ra Temple and Amon Düül II with a middle eastern edge, and vocals sung entirely in Italian.
This should not put off anyone who doesn’t understand the language. Because regardless of language the music is universal in its scope. ‘Australopiteco’ is more up-tempo with some tasty fuzzy guitar to complement the sound of chirping birds at the beginning and end of the song, ‘Echidna’ is a three-minute masterpiece that reminds one of Jefferson Airplane at the peak of their creativity and power. Newcomer vocalist Rosalba Guastella sings co-lead on ‘Il Colore Sognava’ (The Colour Dreamed) which adds a new depth to their vocals. Salvatore D’Urso (Ursus), Alberto Ezzu, Tony D’Urso, Pino Molinari, Lucio Molinari, Paolo Avataneo and Rosalba Guastella have created a sound and a style all their own on this 11-track release. They tell me that they will be back in the recording studio this winter to work on another album, and I for one cannot wait for its release!