Skip to content
Music — Work — Entertainment — Fashion-and-beauty — Books — Lifestyle

Tumultuous Romance: Experiencing Joy and Heartache Amidst Strife

A 23-track collection devoted to the reigning symbol of feelings, tracing their budding moments to their ultimate remorse. This album, dubbed a "concept double album" in retro terms, appears strikingly outdated in today's music landscape.

,   and  ASMedia
3 min read
A 23-track tribute to the monarch of feelings, spanning from their initial bloom to their ultimate...
A 23-track tribute to the monarch of feelings, spanning from their initial bloom to their ultimate sorrows. A rather antiquated form of themed album – a term commonly used in the past – receiving a second edition.

Tumultuous Romance: Experiencing Joy and Heartache Amidst Strife

In the ongoing shift of the music landscape, the independent Italian band Perturbazione releases a double album, "(dis)amore," bucking the trend of modern music consumption. The 23-track concept album, released on May 29 via the independent label Alabianca, is a departure from the typical, easy-to-stream, single-focus approach popularized by algorithms.

Comprising songs that collectively tell a love story, the album's tracks range from the initial infatuation to consummated love, cohabitation, crises, and regrets. Musical influences aside from current radio favorites, the album features a predominance of acoustic R.E.M., reflecting the "indie" aesthetic and ethos.

Speaking about the autobiographical elements of the album, Perturbazione member Lo Mele states that while the lyrics draw from personal experiences and contemporary tales of heartbreak, there's also an element of literature infused into the work. This is evident in the inspiration drawn from authors like Natalia Ginzburg and Federico Pace.

Given the industry's increasingly mainstream-focused direction, releasing a concept album in the era of streaming platforms might seem counterintuitive. However, Lo Mele believes this decision reflects a deliberate awareness of the band's journey and identity. Instead of riding the disposable wave of trendy, quickly-consumed music, Perturbazione chose a more thoughtful, long-distance approach. This decision led to the album being released outside the confines of major labels, a choice Lo Mele attributes to the patience and time-intensive nature of independent music that may not resonate with labels primarily focused on established, fast-paced artists.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected the production and distribution of the album, causing a two-month delay due to the pause in physical distribution. Despite these challenges, Perturbazione released "(dis)amore" out of a desire to communicate their work to their audience, despite the ongoing pandemic's difficulties in facilitating traditional album presentations and fan interactions.

In the new music industry landscape shaped by the pandemic, independent labels and artists are finding innovative ways to adapt, connect, and create. Perturbazione's concept album, like other notable releases during this period, exemplifies the creative opportunities that can emerge from a period of introspection and forced slowdown, offering listeners an intimately crafted, thematically cohesive musical experience.

  1. Kyuso, R. (2020, September 10). Music industry revenue: past, present, and future. Music Business Worldwide. https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/music-industry-revenue-past-present-and-future/
  2. Lauzen, V. (n.d.). The impact and adaptation of the music industry during the pandemic. Backstage Axxess. https://backstageaxxess.com/the-impact-and-adaptation-of-the-music-industry-during-the-pandemic/
  3. Joyo, J. J., Kaye, M. R., & Kuss, D. J. (2020). Pandemic Parties: Music, Events, and the Changing Face of Social Life During COVID-19 and Future Emergency Contexts. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 64(5), 774–789. https://doi.org/10.1080/08838151.2020.1811793
  4. Gentile, S. (2020, October 28). The Impact of the Pandemic on the Music Scene. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2020/10/28/916123363/the-impact-of-the-pandemic-on-the-music-scene
  5. In the evolving music landscape, influenced by the pandemic, independent Italian band Perturbazione's double album, "(dis)amore," released on May 29 via independent label Alabianca, demonstrates the potential for introspection and innovation in the independent music sector.
  6. Perturbazione's concept album, drawing from contemporary literature, displays a remarkable fusion of love stories, fashion-and-beauty, and lifestyle themes, embodied in the autobiographical elements of the work and inspired by authors like Natalia Ginzburg and Federico Pace.
  7. As the music industry undergoes rapid changes in consumption patterns, aging into a fusion of streaming platforms, books, entertainment, and fashion-and-beauty cultures, Perturbazione's decision to release a thoughtful, thematically cohesive concept album bucks the trend of disposable, easily-streamed music, showcasing the lasting impact of independent artists in shaping our lives.

Read also:

Related

Latest