Angelo Noce Santoro :: For You
Most folks may know of Angelo Noce Santoro and his past work occupying a spot as bassist and backup vocalist in the heavy psych outfit Cosmic Dealer, whose lone LP entitled “Crystalization” dominated the minds of the Dutch and the endless community of collectors worldwide for decades to come. But like most from his generation, they got older and moved on. Started families, careers, and other memories in music. Changing like the seasons, while eagerly expanding their musical horizons, it’s a unique situation to be celebrated, or atmospherically acknowledged for past efforts in creative culture. However, it’s wise to grow alongside musicians and their artistic anatomy if you truly wish to understand the intimacy of their individualism. While I type this out, I’m aware that this review’s sonic subject is an album dating back to 1979. Still, no matter the era or metaphysical material at hand, if you haven’t heard it, it’s brand new, and this should always spark that curiosity nerve. After Cosmic Dealer dissolved for a second time in the early to mid-1970s, Santoro quickly began to stretch his radical remiges, while simultaneously embodying the tropically treasured spirit of the Psittaciformes, or parrot if you wanna be even more specific, and headed towards the sounds of the sea. Towards the end of the decade, the multi-instrumentalist, sound soldier began laying down the fabulous foundation of what would eventually become his solo debut entitled “For You.” A breathtaking blend of funk, prog, island intimacy, and jazz, the album’s contagious core is harmoniously honest and sincerely ahead of its time. Hanging out in the consistency of the cosmos, the album connects listeners by teleporting them to a precious place filled with rhythm, dancing, and cultural contemplation.
Maturing from the adolescent world of the all-out psychedelic paralysis that came with the territory of his generation, Santoro began to steer his spiritual ship into wishful waters that wholesomely embodied the future of sound, and its futurist frontier. “For You” captures the electrifying entanglement of an exotic trip worldwide, where the romanticism of the human spirit soars through the salty skies of a world painted blue. Showcasing the epic sprawl of instrumentation, Santoro breathes new life into the world of ritualism while simultaneously adding crucial colors by taking elements from one lyrical location and blending them with an entirely different destination across the album’s easy listening ecosystem. Where land meets the sea, Santoro would later connect with the legendary frontman of the Dead Kennedys, Jello Biafra, who reached out to the musician after discovering some of his records at a second-hand shop during the reign of punk rock in the 1980s. With songs such as “Odessa - Part 1,” “Arroz Cubano,” the album’s epic 11-minute title track, and “Tapajos” floating in and out of the salty swells, Santoro captured the sincerity of the vibe in all its holiness. Reissued for the first time on the Spain-based archival label Guerssen since its initial release in 1979 on Santoro’s very own imprint (ANS), the album features two unreleased tracks: “Raindance - Part II” and “Undiú” that tie together the tonality of the album before sending it off into the sophistication of watery sunsets someplace sacred, and far.
