The programmed drums kick in at 132 bpm and then out of the blue come the Scottish war pipes -- not exactly what you'd expect from a North Italian band. But on their debut (lightly-rejigged for U.S. release from the homeland version),
Fiamma Fumana often find connections between their native Emilia region and Celtic music, not only on the title track, but very noticeably on "Walking Song," whose rhythms and melodies owe a great deal to the Scots waulking tradition. Singer
Fiamma has a strong, often seductive voice in her tales of strong women, while there's a warm gentleness and tenderness in her handling of the lullaby "Hypnananna." Bandmates
Bertoni and
Cottica work marvelously well together, balancing ancient and modern textures, never allowing one to overwhelm the other, while the additional guests offer instrumental coloration for the music. The highpoint, though, has to be the traditional "4 Piedmontese," as rife with bandits as any Western, where the village song and new beats blend seamlessly into an intoxicating whole that stands outside time. One the few occasions when rhythm swamps melody, things get lumpy, but for the most part they succeed in their efforts to create a new Italian folk sound, with the Celtic connection (a perfectly valid one) offering accessibility to the listener. The remix of the title track, tagged on at the end, is very club-friendly, while popping it into your computer brings up a video for "Tre Sorelle."