- Leopoldo Rosa is an Italian expatriate living in that notorious cradle for house music...Dublin. OK, so the city may not rate on most people's radar, but it has fostered the work of Chymera and Donnacha Costello among others. The city's D1 imprint also released Rosa's debut back in 2005, entitled Maike. Now it's Uzuri's turn. With three 12-inches already completed for the London label, it was the logical choice for the 39 year-old's debut album. The long player takes its name from a Japanese sweet; a product he encountered while touring the Asian nation. "The concept of associating a sweet thing like confectionery with sadness came about because at the time, I was emotionally all over the place," Rosa said in a recent interview, referencing the crumbling relationship with his then wife.
That doesn't mean that Amanatto is full of sadness though. At least not in an obvious way. The first of three vocal tracks, "In My Mind" isn't brimming with lyrics about loss and despair. Nor are its burnished synth strokes overly melancholic. It sounds pretty much like standard Lerosa; the same kind of spotless Chicago-influenced house he's produced for past EPs like Night Radio. The difference being that up until this point, Rosa had never worked with vocals. In this case they're written and sung by Oliverwhofactory, a couple from Detroit. It should be noted how well the pair's dulcet voices work with this style of music. Especially when one can compare the finished product with the source material. "Ordinary People" offers this, in that it's an updated version of last year's "Facade," and likely to revive the track in a big way.
In saying that the album sounds like "standard Lerosa," it shouldn't be taken to mean that Amanatto isn't special—only that it shares few surprises, emotionally or stylistically. With the exception of final tune "Reflections," everything hovers around the 120 BPM mark, hitting much the same targets as before. There is subtle variance within, however. "Constant," for instance, plays out around jaunty percussion and mildly uplifting synths. The following track—"Substitute"—has a rather militant cadence, which is later tempered by dreamy key notes. Then there's the tellingly-titled "You Said Forever," a bass-laden cut which wallows in deepness, garnished by twinkling chimes and buzzy yet unabrasive notes. It's earnest music which will deter only those with the hardest of centres.
Tracklist01. In My Mind
02. Constant
03. Substitute
04. You Said For Ever
05. Ordinary People
06. Horizons
07. Blind Alley
08. Hope