Grey Origin by Inner Prospekt

5. Le Docteur 04:13

6. Cavie 06:22

7. Special Waste 10:03

8. L'Assistant 02:52

9. The Plague 03:57

10. Ex It 02:43






MICHEL LINKER, DragonJazz


Taking a break from the Canvas series, whose second disc released in 2021 has been reviewed in these pages, Alessandro Di Benedetti alias Inner Prospekt presents a concept album freely adapted from Dianetic Input-Output 5, a drawn from SF, unfinished and unpublished, by Alex Troma. The latter recounts the experiences of a scientist trying to graft a human brain onto androids he has designed, leading him to the discovery of a new form of life he has accidentally created, defective and with disastrous consequences.
Unlike the Canvas works comprising a majority of compositions intended for The Samurai Of Prog or The Guildmaster, these are ten original pieces with a total duration of close to 55 minutes, connected to each other in no precise order. The musician abandoned his complex and characteristic constructions of the progressive genre for simplicity in writing and a rhythm dominated by the 4/4. As in his first album The Musing (2014), Alessandro focused more on contrasts and moods. He uses drums that sound like the 70s and a slightly detuned upright piano, causing trouble and discomfort throughout this repertoire sprinkled with female choirs, vocalizations and sounds and sound effects which, like ghosts, give this music a disturbing and destabilizing character.

While mixing several styles (electronic, ambient, progressive rock, funk, classical, soundtrack), Alessandro maintained a unity in the sounds and the arrangements, providing alone all the instrumentation with the exception of the sixth title Cavie where the guitars of Rafaël Pacha accompany this unique piece which alternates aerial passages and sequences with a light groove. EnTrance, with an ambiguous title, then The Machinery immediately give the color of this repetitive and hypnotic music which extends over the entire repertoire. Gymnoectomie starts, like a variation of Erik Satie, on the minimalist notes of the piano, to then carry us in a soft perambulation electro funk in the dark atmosphere of a surgical ablation. The Plague, the last chapter of this story, a harbinger of an imminent plague, poses a key question, that of the plausibility of total control. Finally, like an original soundtrack by Christopher Franke or Vangelis, Ex It, a double-meaning title like the first piece, closes this repertoire in a very relative appeasement.

The anxiety-provoking and fantastical climate of the pandemic period deeply inspired Gray Origin. In fact, the composer sums up the album as "a journey through turmoil, that of the human soul embodied by a 50-year-old living in a dark era, metaphorized by a vintage S.F story". However, it leaves it up to everyone to have their own reading.


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JAN BUDDENBERG - DPRP.NET


Inner Prospekt is the place where Italian composer Alessandro Di Bendetti (Mad Crayon) shares his musical ideas without any fixed format or limitations. Over the past year or so this has seen the release of Canvas One and Canvas Two, two albums featuring delightfully inspired progressive rock with a huge stamp of The Samurai Of Prog attached to them; not surprisingly as several songs have featured on their albums as well.

With work on Canvas Three underway, involving several Samurai compositions written in the past year, Di Benedetti has also found time to compose the concept album Grey Inside. Written especially for the occasion, it's a step away from the symphonic prog scene and glides elegantly into jazz-influenced, futuristic electronic music, with touches of ambient.

Loosely based on and inspired by drawings by artist Alex Troma, the instrumental narrative tells the story of a scientist who wants to transplant a human brain into a droid. Through trial and error loses sight of his aim, and in the process involuntarily gives birth to a new life form. The imagery of the 60s-inspired SF artwork illustrates the various stages of the story beautifully. Although Di Bendetti states that the songs are connected to each other in no particular order, to me the story is one of linear coherence.

Opening with smooth-touching jazz and feelings of hypnotic melancholy in En Trance, the cold and lifeless beginning of The Machinery illustrates this perfectly. It instantly brings sadness, while the intricate playing captured with sterile warmth, adds feelings of loss. Floating through ambient sounds embraced by shimmering mysteriousness the sensitive melodies then transform into electronic pop structures with dreamy melodies reminiscent to Jose Manuel Medina's Eternity (Machines). Slowly invading incantatory chants brings further life to the composition, which is then engagingly followed by the vibrant and upbeat Brain Sausage.

The production is pristine and spatial, and brings out every musical element. This benefits the whole of the album and especially a song like Gymnoectomie, where classical influences surrounded by enchanting flute suddenly burst forth in upbeat melodies. The subsequent restrained jazzy environment, in which excellent bass play stretches its shapely muscles and connective computer sounds create atmosphere, brings further playfulness. Le Docteur keeps these dreamy melodies methodically in shape with darker, slightly ominous atmospheres as airy piano transports added refinement.

The scene is now set for some controlled experimentation. Cavie ('guinea pig') carries groovy jazz and succulent bass play. Rafael Pacha, the sole participating musician, carefully enters on guitars. Operating with comfortable ease through beautiful melodies, Pacha adds emotive melancholic touches that makes this song an album highlight.

Special Waste signals the return to futuristic soundscapes. Drifting on classical music, artificial breath sounds initially bring amenity of swing jazz. On reprisal, it signals the beginning of a beautifully vivid soundscape saturated by miscellaneous laboratory noises pulsating with lush synth bells and emotive melancholy. Graciously gliding onwards, heartbeats then transform this dreamy passage into ecstatic tingling jazz. It reaches a marvellous euphoric state from excellent interplay between bass and keys, while percussion adds elegant dynamics. The miraculous birth is thereupon, cinematically captured in grandeur scope in L'Assistant. The Plague swings this new species into fully-animated action by mild metal on a bed of emotive violins, ethereal vocals and excellent percussive elements.

A final chapter to Di Bendetti's formidable transporting narrative, Ex It brings blissful affiliation, tenderly designed by sumptuous piano conversing with humanitarian hybrid small talk. It paints a delightful scene of preciously regained unifying love and surmountable affection that slowly steps out of the canvas into the open. An idyllic finale that magnificently rounds off the story.

Overall, Grey Origin is a marvellous "in-between" record. Never once the need for lyrics is felt, as the talkative allurements of the music, visualised by the wonderful drawings, perfectly conveys the tale. Surrounded by masterly arrangements and showcasing sophistication through layered structures and skilled executions, it's once again a splendid demonstration of Di Benedetti's gift to capture one's imagination.


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PROGRESSIVE ARCHIVES
Thomas Tszirmay
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

Remember this name: Alessandro di Benedetti.

Here is a Roman musician/artist of the very highest caliber, became known for his long career with Italian RPI group Mad Crayon, having released 4 albums in 28 years, not exactly the most prolific source of material. On the other hand, Inner Prospekt remains the realm for his solo creativity and as such has offered since 2014, a whopping twelve absolutely original and fascinating releases that have taken me by storm. I am happy to report that I have all 12 of his works and very happy to be so blessed. Starting with the "Dreaming of Tony Banks", now there is a title that shows credentials, the keyboards maestro gets to generate whatever comes to his mind, disregarding protocol or obligation, but nevertheless incorporating heavy doses of electronic, ambient, symphonic, jazz and classical to his progressive muse. Mostly instrumental but occasionally infusing some vocals, the listener is taking on a personal tour, a panorama of cinematic arrangements that aim towards establishing a limitless mood, never boring or stagnant, molding his propensity to blend various levels of synthesizers with dreamy e-piano, occasional blasts of mellotron and shifting drum patters that keep paying homage to the groove. Technically dazzling in his playing, there is also a playfulness that shines through that is probably what hooked me so fully, as the spirit is one of contemplative fun.

His latest release "Grey Origin" follows on the heels of the masterful "Canvas Two" (2021) release, an album that has rung the bell, way up there, as the hammer hits the launchpad. In typical Inner Prospekt style, the "Entrance" (3:20) lays down the rules, stirring e-piano modulations on a funky beat, flush with jazzy colorations and as a bonus, a ripping fretless bass rumble. This continues on the epic "The Machinery", a 10 minute 45 second behemoth that astounds. As Alessandro states on his site:" he focused more on contrasts and moods. He uses drums that sound like the 70s and a slightly detuned upright piano, causing trouble and discomfort throughout this repertoire sprinkled with female choirs, vocalizations and sound effects, like ghosts, give this music a disturbing and destabilizing effect". Indeed, the bopping bass solo does it for me. Spectacular kick ass music. The sneaky "Brain Sausage" has another bass lead, with a shuffling marshaling beat, gliding along like a breeze. Electro-jazz that keeps the pot stirring and intensively setting down more pleasure markers. This is in stark contrast to the initially placid "Gymnectomie", flush with classical influence a la Eric Satie, ponderous piano etude that explodes into a more forceful arrangement, a trippy drum and synth chill leads the way, like driving a fast car on a nocturnal autostrada, beaming headlights the only succor. Once parked, the jazzy shuffle begins anew with that devilish bass craftily carving away (Alessandro probably found out about my bass fetish), the final stretch all this is combined to rev the engine up and head out on the highway, as the choirs kick in. Fascinatingly delicious.

The eerie "Le Docteur" has bubbling synths as if in a laboratory (see the cover art) , a mad doctor at work on some hapless android patient , doom expressed in the form of clanging sounds and shrugging beats , as if some scene from a Bond movie. A hint of childlike carnival sounds, and the majestic theme marches on, hallucinating choir vocals not withstanding, gearing up to a bombastic finale. Bravo. "Cavie" has famed Spanish guitarist Rafael Pacha on board, with who Alessandro had collaborated on the magnificent medieval-tinged The Guildmaster project. Once again, the powerful bass bruises unashamed, charging forward like the spirit of Mick Karn (a bass guitar legend of the highest order) before collapsing into a serene pool of melancholia which finally leads to the exotic and quixotic guitar solo. Imagine a jazzy melange of Santana and Japan without any vocals, surging into the blazing sunset. Pure finesse.

The magnificent "Special Waste" is the other colossus here weighing in at just over 10 minutes and once more, highlights the recipe for sonic success. A brief piano intro, spiced with atmospheric drones, slashing synths and a fretless groove, the pace is a contrast of blurry confusion and yet there is structure and definition. The extended breathing sequence is pure Sci-fi glory, where the ominously rising polyrhythmic beat, the theme drowning in sorrow and the melodic shifts come and go, only to return, finished off by a fretless rip and some cool e-piano meanderings, what a recipe for pleasure! Well, this is bliss.

Three shorter pieces to lay this patience -laden patient to bed (or gurney) , the quirky Igor-esque "L'Assistant" , a synthesized mood piece with wide swaths of cloudy electronics, a forlorn voice in the distant horizon, playing the somber piano. "The Plague" is perhaps even more sinister, a rattlesnake shaking its tail not faraway, tough goose- stepping binary beat and that slinky e-piano doing serious damage. The virus enters the system via the violin synth and the unforgiving disease spreads uncontrolled. This is truly genius stuff. A finale "Ex It" is as contemplative as it can get, a lounge lizard piano shuffling a smoke gets in your eyes melody, a world where fatigue, stress and surrender seem to coalesce, perfectly capturing our last 2 years in a doom-filled cocoon of sound.

A sure fire masterpiece.

Easiest 5 Foggy Foundations


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Alain Massard - ProfilProg.com


INNER PROSPEKT est le projet du claviériste de MAD CRAYON, Alessandro Di Benedetti, qui a également travaillé sur SAMURAI OF PROG avec des tonalités inspirées de celles de Tony BANKS pour les synthés et dont il a sorti un album en son honneur, mellotron et claviers en avant. Son ‘Canvas Two’ de l’an dernier jazzy-symphonique-bluesy m’avait bluffé, qu’en est-il de son dernier opus, le 12e qui sort sur un retour de BD fantastique d’Alex TROMA avec greffe de cerveau qui ne va pas dans le bon sens du chercheur. Il utilise tous les instruments, d’une batterie sèche au piano en bois désaccordé auquel on a tous joué un jour. Bref, plongeons !

« En Trance » intro en la matière sur une sonorité sombre de notes de piano mélangeant l’ambiance feutrée jazzy et intimiste, le tout sur une rythmique à deux temps. « The Machinery » avec un son me rappelant les DEAD CAN DANCE du début, monotonie et redondance de l’air idéal pour une écoute mantra; ça monte...progressivement aidé par la batterie en avant, tout en mettant l’accent sur une ambiance minimaliste épurée où la basse vient faire son gig; répétitif, ensorcelant, hypnotique, spleen dans la lignée des compositions cinématiques actuelles. « Brain Sausage » change de ton avec un titre ambiant électronique où le son jazzy vient se glisser rapidement mettant le rythme, un peu aussi sur les derniers errements personnels de Mariusz. Singulier.

« Gymnoectomie » nous embarque sur une rêverie de chambre, SATIE en ligne de mire; bande de film, espace cinématique contemporain par le piano; break soudain dans la lignée d’un CAN ATILLA, d’un Jean-Michel JARRE associé aux expériences d’un ENO; c’est doux et déroutant, la basse jazzy encore bien présente, les notes s’égrènent comme s’écoulant d’une cascade et le cello associé à des voix divines finales interloque encore plus. « Le Docteur » sic! Intro sombre aux sons réverbérant, douceur similaire à un E5-150 des BLACK SABBATH; on reste sur cette atmosphère cinématique intime et l’apport de nouvelles voix angéliques renforce ce côté religieux, mélancolique tout en douceur.

« Cavie » basse en avant, la surprise vient de l’apport de Rafael des SAMURAI OF PROG à la guitare; un lent crescendo hypnotique ponctué d’un break minimaliste ambiant. La guitare prend le devant dans la partie finale, fluide, émotive, chargée d’émotion avant la fin en outro. « Special Waste » pour le 2e long titre, ambiance de création ou de fin du monde, sur les réminiscences cinéma de Peter GABRIEL. Évolution archaïque avec basse, batterie imposante associée à la flûte divine qui dénote et amène l’émotion à son comble, entre souffles diablotins et scie d’éventreur; le piano de notre enfance utilisé pour nous faire sombrer dans ces méandres glauques sans oxygène qui te forcent à garder ta respiration bloquée; break avec une déclinaison jazz-rock qu’affectionnait en son temps Alan PARSONS. De loin le meilleur morceau de l’album pour les atmosphères dégagées dont l’oppressant final. « L'Assistant » sic! Qui replonge sur les BOF de science-fiction telles ‘Avatar’ ou ‘Birdy’ un instant, celles qui aident à comprendre que l’on est bien dorénavant dans un autre monde; titre court, bluffant et superbe.

« The Plague » sur un air au riff heavy dark au départ, en quatre temps, mes souvenirs me ramènent à certaine intro des ALAN PARSONS PROJECT avec le synthé caractéristique; cello électrique angoissant, rythmique sombre, inquiétante qui dénote et qui fait du bien; voix du Paradis qui rajoute à la dramaturgie musicale, là je pense, mais je pense seulement à la magnifique Lisa GERRARD. « Ex It « pour le final et Satie pour ce piano évanescent, cristallin, chaleureux et apaisant; un peu de VANGELIS, le titre à écouter des heures sans modération sur un magnifique dram, passion quand tu nous tiens. Le pied de nez progressiste à ‘EnTrance’.

INNER PROSPEKT a bien travaillé, proposant un opus bien différent, composant un album d’ambiance où le piano peut se jouer divin ou maléfique, sombre ou cristallin, le côté classique de MAHLER se dégage, un voyage au-delà de la musique conventionnelle progressive ; des atmos à la pelle, des crescendos avec peu de dextérité pour permettre de tomber dans les méandres sonores sinistres de ces deux dernières années, pied-de-nez à l’angoisse galopante. Un album singulier qui sort des sentiers battus idéal pour se poser un soir et réfléchir à notre futur, bref du très bon pour info.


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Como balance final, solo queda agradecer a INNER PROSPEKT que nos haya brindado un disco tan refinado como “Grey Origin”, renovando su senda musical con respecto a la línea de trabajo plasmada en los dos discos precedentes, a la par que conserva un espíritu de aventura y exploración dentro del multicolor mundo progresivo... y más allá. Un disco tan pletórico de orfebrería modernista solo puede recibir palabras de elogio y de recomendación.

Autopoietican - Apuntes de Musica Progresiva Contemporanea


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Lazland.org - Steve Lazenby

INNER PROSPEKT - GREY ORIGIN

12th album by talented Italian multi-instrumentalist Alessandro di Benedetti.

Grey Origin is incredibly the 12th album released by extremely talented Italian multi-instrumentalist Alessandro di Benedetti, the keyboardist and vocalist with Mad Crayon, since 2014. A phenomenal work rate, to be sure.

I am fairly late to this particular party. A friend recommended to me the classy Canvas Two last year, and from there I went on to Canvas One and its instrumentals companion piece. Alessandro’s Bandcamp page is at https://innerprospekt.bandcamp.com/ and I thoroughly recommend that you go along and sample his works.

As with so much of the music we are listening to now, the lurgy pandemic was a huge prompt for this album and Italy was, of course, very much at the frontline of the initial European outbreak. This is an instrumental concept album, and on the aforementioned Bandcamp page, Alessandro explains that the concept is taken from an unfinished Sci-Fi novel in which a scientist tries to graft a human brain onto androids he has designed, leading to some disastrous consequences. Taking together Covid and the repeated stories we read in modern times about how AI will take over much of our lives, this is a topical work. The Plague is the most directly recognisable Covid-inspired track. It features some clever sound effects amongst mournful strings and keys before a voice aching with sadness and death brings us to a close.

What this album manages with aplomb is that most difficult of feats for an instrumental album, that is not only capturing the listener’s attention, but crucially retaining it. Without any words, the album tells a story, and tells it extremely well. It creates moods. For example, on the marvellously quirky L’assistant, I see in my head the strange little bloke who used to run errands for the mad Doctor Frankenstein in those classic 1930’s movies.

You also hear throughout just how talented this artist is. He plays all the instruments, with the exception of the rather lovely Cavie which features a superb guitar solo by the talented Rafael Pacha.


The instrument that above all grabs your attention is the bass. Throughout, we have the bass played as lead or setting jazz, groovy, or rock foundations. Not many people can do this as well as di Benedetti.

The moods, soundscapes, and themes are also very eclectic. The opener, En Trance, is about as good a jazz/prog fusion you will hear. This is also the first incidence of a common theme throughout the album, that of voices rising above the core music to create moods. In The Machinery, the longest track here at 10:45 minutes which captures the sci-fi theme very well, that bass underscores all, with an evocative acoustic guitar before the background voices at the close rise above a fine drum roll to create an early Floydian atmosphere. On Gymnoectomie, the female voice at the close soars above a rather menacing passage thus creating a real diversity of moods.

Brain Sausage is an early contender for title of the year, and the keys and bass grooves here are a joy in what is more of a traditional prog electronica track.

On Le Docteur, if you close your eyes, you can see the surgeon whose face adorns the album sleeve groping about inside the bonce of the unfortunate machine. Synths, sound effects, all evoke a pretty eerie scene.


The other 10-minute plus track is Special Waste. Amongst an embarrassment of riches on this album, this track is rather special. The beginning is beautifully ambient with a delicate piano solo before we move into a menacing phase, then a jazz bassline pushing along synth effects. At three minutes in, the piece features a meandering section before we hear a very clever percussive melody, and this then develops into an overt orchestral passage with wind and string before proceeding with another jazz-laden groove beneath the gorgeous woodwind melody closing with a symphonic chorus of sound. This really is about as eclectic as it comes and is all the richer for it.

This album is highly recommended and deserves to succeed. It is rich, diverse, moody, and a very clever work by a very talented artist.

My name is Alessandro Di Benedetti, I'm the founder keyboardist of RPI band Mad Crayon, composer for Samurai of Prog, member of The Guildmaster, and founder of my solo musical project called Inner Prospekt.

aledibenedetti.wixsite.com
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