LARS FREDRIK FRØISLIE – Quattro Racconti

RELEASE YEAR: 2025
BAND URL: https://larsfredrikfroislie.bandcamp.com/album/quattro-racconti

The splendid and gloriously appealing Fire Fortellinger opus from 2023 by Wobbler keyboard maestro Lars Fredrik Frøislie is one of those all-around remarkable experiences that I return to at least once a week, and new layers and nuances are discovered every time I do so. With its warm, vibrant, and analogue feel and vibe, it drew heavily on the pioneering prog of the seventies without sounding like pastiche or devoid of soul. Melancholy, mesmerizing, and melodically unique somehow summed up what was a beautifully crafted piece of work with depth, meaning, and perfect cohesion to it. Now, what we have here is a reworked version of said LP in the sense that the lyrics have been arranged and written in Italian while Frøislie’s original vocal tracks have been replaced by those of the highly skilled and inimitable Stefano “Lupo” Galifi who is primarily known for his stunning work with Museo Rosenbach. While the source material is known and familiar to the ears (if you have come across Fire Fortellinger before, that is), listening to these four relatively lengthy but by no means mundane compositions with Galifi’s superb and charismatic singing on top of Lars Fredrik’s utterly memorable and organic music is pure bliss and a proper treat to the ears. Stefano adds a touch of class, sophistication, elegance, and rich emotional heft to the songs, and the result is just to die for. This 2025 version is arguably even more spellbinding than its 2023 counterpart, which is saying something.

Quattro Racconti is exactly what my vision of prog rock nirvana looks like, and there is so much passion on display throughout that it beggars belief. Frøislie must have felt like he was in heaven himself when he saw and heard Galifi add those incredible vocals to these inspired tunes.