Genre/Influences: Shoegaze, Dream-Pop, Dark-Wave.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Italian formation Stella Diana has been active since 1998. They’ve already released several works and now strikes back with nine new songs.

Content: The sound universe of this formation is getting us back to the 80s Dream-Pop and Shoegaze universe. Dreamy, evasive guitar playing are leading the listeners into a dark, dreamy vision which is accompanied by the dark, sensual vocals.

+ + + : The work brings no innovation nor surprise but it’s a fascinating experience in sound. It smells like the good-old 80s and has been delicately built up. I like the sphere created by the typical guitar playing and accentuated by the slow, dark bass lines. The vocals have a dreamy, wafting effect.

– – – : Stella Diana sounds like a lot of other bands in the genre but who cares when the result is that efficient.

Conclusion: This album stands for nostalgia reminding us of the magic of the 80s.

Best songs: “DZM”, “Beleth”, “Matthew”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: www.stelladiana.com / www.facebook.com/StellaDianaBand

Labels: www.vipchoyo.it / www.facebook.com/vipchoyo

“Nothing To Expect” was released on 22 February 2022 through Vipchoyo Sound Factory and A State Of Flux Records. It was recorded in December 2021 and January 2022 at home and at the band’s own studio, recorded and mixed by Giacomo Salzano, produced by Stella Diana and mastered by Marco Morgione at Micromaltese Studio in Barcelona. The single “Sleepless Girl” preceded it.

Listen to “Nothing To Expect”:

About Stella Diana

Stella Diana formed in 1998 in Naples, in southern Italy, around Dario Torre on vocals and guitar and Giacomo Salzano on bass, with Giulio Grasso on drums. The band works a mix of shoegaze, dream-pop, new wave and dark post-punk, and Salzano doubles as the group’s engineer.

“Nothing To Expect” is the album under review here. Sessions ran through December 2021 and January 2022, split between home recording and the band’s studio, and the record went out on 22 February 2022 on Vipchoyo Sound Factory and A State Of Flux Records. Side-Line named the band among the Italian shoegaze acts listed in Italian shoegazers act In Her Eye announce new album ‘Change’.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Background/Info:

About Stella Diana

Stella Diana is an alternative rock and shoegaze band from Naples, Italy, founded in 1998, led by Dario Torre alongside Giacomo Salzano and Giulio Grasso. Earlier releases include “Supporto Colore” (2007, Seahorse Recordings) and “41 61 93” (2014, Vipchoyo Sound Factory). Former member Raffaele Bocchetti later joined In Her Eye, part of the same Italian shoegaze movement dubbed Italogaze.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Out 1st of June is the newest album by the Italian shoegaze act (or Italogazers as they call it) In Her Eye, “Change”. Small but important detail, “Change” will feature Antonia Chiara Ciancaglini (The Mystic Morning) on backing vocals.

In the last few years, the original band members (Aldo Bernuzzi, Giuseppe Galotti, Stefano Schiavella) passed through a lot of changes, from relationships, new births, life philosophies and so on. Not surprisingly that “Change” turned out to be a concept album dedicated to movement and transformation.

The line-up has changed as well with Raffaele Bocchetti (former Stella Diana) joining the band.

Shoegaze festival ‘In A State Of Flux’

You can corner In Her Eye in the new Italian shoegaze movement dubbed Italogaze with representative bands like Be Forest, Stella Diana, Clustersun, Rev Rev Rev etc.. Not surprisingly that there is also an Italian shoegaze festival, ‘In A State Of Flux’. The second edition is scheduled for Friday 4th of May at Circolo Ohibò (Milan), with a line-up consisting of Yellow Traffic Light, The Mystic Morning, In Her Eye and Novanta.

Check out the band below.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com