For those not in the know, rock band Nanaue, which was founded in Italy in the early 2010s by two friends Emiliano Deferrari and Matteo Nahum, has finally graced the world with a long awaited follow-up album, entitled 28IF.

This sophomore album is a collection of older and newer songs that the band have amassed over their ten years of existence.

Deferrari and Nahum built this album around the strong narrative of taking time to discover one’s own path amidst an increasingly fast-paced world tempting us to settle for smaller targets, an uplifting idea for which this album serves as a perfect example.

With growing pressure from society, 28IF (released on November 26th, 2021) advises us to trust the process and allow ourselves to use our limitations to our advantage. This reflective journey is chaperoned by funk, jazz, tango, blues, Nordic electronics, chamber music, orchestral arrangements and good old unapologetic rock.

Furthermore, the album title 28IF contains clear nods to music history; one where the band show a deep affection for the studio tricks of the Beatles, the cathartic stories of Genesis, the dramatic cries for love and freedom of John Coltrane, the road stories of Joni Mitchell, and, amongst others, the ice-cold tremors of Björk.

Even the title of the album is a sneaky homage to the Beatles and their stint in Abbey Road.

Ergo, Nanaue makes the conscious choice of walking in their footsteps and welcoming the distinct impact of each and every one of these musical legends, so expect versatility, sophistication, musical paradoxes and timelessness galore.

Part 1:
1. Summwhere
2. Sumac Said
3. Down the Rabbit Hole
4. Che Boludo
5. The Shortest Story
6. Lancashire

Part 2:
7. Daybreak
8. Devil’s Lighter
9. What is Left
10. Instrumental
11. Confident Boy
12. The Blind, the Deaf
13. 28IF

This quite stunningly orchestrated, wholly ambient, and tremendously effervescent new album opens on Part 1, and both the pop-prog roll of Summwhere and the languishing beauty of Sumac Said therein and follow those up seamlessly with the transcendently euphoric of Down the Rabbit Hole, the rock ’n’ roll of Che Boludo, and then comes the low brow, almost spoken word stillness of The Shortest Story, and the gently countrified (save for the upturn ending) Lancashire.

Part 2 opens on the free flowing Daybreak and the atmospherically-charged Devil’s Lighter and they are in turn backed by the cinematic What is Left, the aptly-named Instrumental, then comes one of my own personal favorites here, the playful and perky guitar work found within Confident Boy, the album rounding out on the heartfelt storytelling within The Blind, the Deaf, coming to a dutiful close on the choir-like forty-nine seconds that come together to form the title track 28IF.

“It’s unreal that the album is finally here,” reminisce Matteo and Emiliano. “We’ve been working on this music for so long that it’s been weird imagining 28IF as a completed record, a finished product. This project has tested all our skills; composing, arranging, orchestrating, conducting, editing, mixing, … The conditions weren’t always ideal but it was worth it. We’re very happy with the final result; a collection of truly beautiful songs, respecting the fundamentals of solid song-writing.”

Deferrari and Nahum have been musical partners for more than a decade now. After the release of their first self-titled album in 2013, both musicians moved elsewhere, to Belgium and Spain respectively.

Although this made it harder to collaborate, they were able to release a few separate singles and even co-wrote the soundtrack for the British film Hanging in there (2017) together.

Beside Nanaue, Matteo composes music for film and music libraries, and teaches guitar and music production classes. Deferrari divides his time between his solo career and the fight for inclusion of people with disabilities.

He also runs his micro label Rattsburg Records, spanning from art-pop to non-idiomatic improvisation.

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