Drift Lab: Moonlight

Drift Lab is a new music project from a group of Italian musicians that I discovered through following YouTube guitar sensation Matteo Mancuso. Mancuso has been lighting up YouTube with his amazing fingerstyle approach to guitar, and I have been fascinated with his videos. Moonlight is a full length digital only release that fusion lovers should enjoy. This instrumental quartet delivers the goods, hot soloing, melody, and a solid impressive rhythm section.

The title track kicks things off and lays the groundwork, as both Mancuso and keyboardist Manuele Montesanti take turns carrying the melody and soloing. I’ll admit that Mancuso is the draw for me; his effortless and fluid playing is the main attraction for my ear. “King Of Nothing� catches my ear as Mancuso deftly leads the way, and this really has him ripping for the first time. Once he gets going, the band grooves underneath, and the bass playing of Federico Malaman draws my attention. “Chatterland� has a 70’s feel with its slow groove, strings, and overall feel. I love the piano here too, and Mancuso absolutely blazes over the changes. “Japanese Experiment� clocks in at just over 7 minutes, and is the longest track showcasing each member.

Moonlight is a very enjoyable debut; I really like the vibe of this album, although they could use a track or two that really explodes. They tend to stay in a mid-tempo pace, I would ask for a little more firepower on the next release. These guys have the goods, tight musicianship, good songs, and just enough flash to drop your jaw when the moment is right.

Track List:
1. Moonlight
2. Murano
3. King Of Nothing
4. M-I-M-M-A
5. Chatterland
6. Japanese Experiment
7. My Os
8. Rebirth

Added: March 14th 2023
Reviewer: Eric Porter
Score:
Related Link: Band @ Bandcamp
Hits: 1313
Language: english

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