Giuseppe Cucè – 21 grammi
Hailing all the way from Sicily, Italian singer-songwriter Giuseppe Cucè released a cathartic, intense album called 21 grammi. The album title, which translates to 21 Grams, refers to an old theory about the human soul: during the exact moment of death, the human body, according to legend, would drop 21 grams in weight. This loss of exactly 21 grams is apparently the soul and all that cannot be measured – memories, faith, love, and so on – escaping the body when one reaches Death’s Door. 21 grammi, released by TRP Vibes and produced by Riccardo Samperi, relentlessly attempts to explain the human experience, with Cucè himself stating, “Within those 21 grams there is everything: what we have loved, what we have lost, and what still keeps us alive.”
The album begins with the sprightly “È tutto cosi vero.” Immediately coming to mind is the work of Forro in the Dark, however, the album seems to deviate from this happy-go-lucky attitude at times. The emotional core of 21 grammi is Song 2, “Ventuno.” Cucè’s voice whispers the beginning of the song before electronic drums and a mellow electric guitar spill over into your ears. Cucè’s baritone aids the song forward, though the instrumentals lead one to feel lonely, yet hopeful. The Sicilian enters a sort of swung rap, seemingly about the weight of the soul. “Ventuno” as a whole is very sentimental, understanding, and can be appreciated emotionally via shared experiences and across genres, cultures, and even languages… The feelings here depict the esoteric in-betweens of life and death, perhaps even capturing the moments before one passes.
Song three offers an instrument that sounds like a wurlitzer as well as deep, lo-fi drums, while song four makes use of a thin piano and 808 drums. “Fragile equilibrio” (Song 4) reminds one of Coldplay’s uplifting arrangements – see the excellent drumming, bass plucking, and guitar playing around the 1:20 mark. Follow up song is “La mia dea,” which sees Cucè yet again return to the bittersweetness behind the theory of this album, though the song ends with vigorous triumph. Next, “Cuore d’inverno” welcomes the use of a disengaged snare in combination with smooth, sometimes echoing vocals, and swells across the entire arrangement that mimic extremely slow breathing. Songs seven and eight have awesome drum chops, and genuine coos, respectively. Finally, closing track “Di estate non si muore” utilizes tambourines and arcane synthesizers to achieve sonic unison with Daft Punk, ending 21 grammi on a high note.
All in all, Giuseppe Cucè’s follow-up to his 2017 Attraversando saturno is a fantastic effort that feels and sounds akin to the lore that supports its songwriting and lyricism. Despite the language barrier, 21 grammi is very listenable and is for fans of Amos Lee, Brett Dennen, and Jack Johnson. Check out the new album on Spotify here and on Apple Music here. The music video for the heart of the album, “Ventuno,” is available on YouTube, along with several others!
Categorised in: Album Reviews, New Music
This post was written by Jake Sessanna