Homunculus Res - Come Si Diventa Cio Che Si Era (2015)

Based in Palermo, Italy, Homunculus Res is an often breezy group whose music harks back to the pop side of the '60s-'70s Canterbury sound and early Italian prog of the same era, with suitably retro elements but also the compositional complexity and production touches one would expect from a 21st century release on the Milan-based avant-prog AltrOck label. The Sicilian band centers around a core of musicians including guitarist/vocalist Dario D'Alessandro (who also plays keyboards), keyboardists David Di Giovanni and Federico Cardaci, drummer Daniele Di Giovanni, bassist Domenico Salamone, and flutist Dario Lo Cicero. One of Homunculus Res' primary antecedents is Picchio dal Pozzo, formed in Genoa in 1976 and regarded as one of Italy's preeminent Canterbury-influenced groups. Like Picchio dal Pozzo, Homunculus Res avoids the most bombastic side of prog, just as the original Canterbury artists Soft Machine, Kevin Ayers, and Caravan did in their earliest days. But the band also draws influence from other Italian groups of the '60s and '70s, and some similarities to the earliest music of Le Orme and Premiata Forneria Marconi can be heard in Homunculus Res' amiable vocal harmonies amidst the touches of neo-psychedelia and complex but often light and propulsive instrumental experimentation. Homunculus Res' first album, Limiti All'eguaglianza della Parte con il Tutto (which roughly translates as Limits of Equality of the Parts to the Whole) was released by AltrOck in mid-2013, and featured guest appearances by Yugen keyboardist Paolo "Ske" Botta on a number of tracks.

~ Dave Lynch, All Music