Lorenzo Masotto is an Italian pianist and composer from a small village just outside Verona. Having started his musical journey at the age of 9 years old and going on to graduate conservatory in his hometown and study abroad at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music Germany, Masotto draws on influences ranging from prog/post-rock to jazz and theatre in his approach to composing. His work has appeared on a variety of independent labels including Whitelabrecs (one of this blog’s perennial favorites) on which Masotto released i=r in 2021 and where he will be releasing a brand-new album next month entitled Earde.
Bearing the name taken from the word for earth in the Cimbrian language spoken in regions of Northern Italy, Earde is a deeply personal tribute to the landscapes that surround Masotto’s home in Giazza, a village situated at the foot of the Piccole Dolomiti (Little Dolomites). Inspired by the serene beauty of its woods, streams, and meadows, as well as his journeys through Icelandic glaciers and the towering peaks of the mountains, the album seeks to channel the power of nature into a rich, harmonic experience that maintains a connection to place and memory.
For Lorenzo, each note is not merely sound but a moment of pure energy that unites musician, instrument, and audience in a shared, transcendent experience.
Whitelabrecs
The music of Earde was brought to life, we are told, through the natural reverb and acoustics of a deconsecrated church where the piano, strings, solo voice and choir were recorded. The intent of this setting is to lend a live and organic feel to the album, reflecting Masotto’s philosophy of music as a “direct, vibrational connection between artist and listener”. He is further helped in his endeavor by Leonardo Sapere on cello and Lorenzo Gugole on violin with additional guest contributions by Stefania Avolio (vocals), Laura Masotto (violin), and the Voce Dei Colli Choir.
We have a here a beautiful introduction to Earde in the form of a video premiere of the first single entitled “Pulse”. The song, which begins with a cascade of repetitive piano notes suggesting drops of rain, opens out into an emotive interplay between piano and strings which dancer Isabella Silvercase channels into her graceful movements against a backdrop of natural settings.
This track is a tribute to the earth, its vital pulse, the rhythm of a rainy day, and the passage of time. Drop by drop, water carves the rock, reminding us of the strength and resilience of nature.
Earde will be released on February 22, 2025, by Whitelabrecs. The album was mastered by James Edward Armstrong and features photography my Michele Dolci an art & design by Andrew Heath. Pre-orders are expected to begin on February 7.
Links: Album preview | Whitelabrecs Bandcamp | Lorenzo Masotto artist page
