Album Notes

Janus is an archaic italic god represented with two faces, each looking in opposite directions. He was the double-face headed god of gates, doors, doorways, beginnings and endings and transition times. Two faces, one looking to the sunrise the other to the sunset, one to the past the other to the future. Janus: two opposite sides of the some reality.
JANUS, well represents the musical path and the search of this new album which tells, so intense and personal, both the tradition and the reality of our days.

The new album can boast the participation of some very special guests like Alim Qasimov “The Master of Mugham”, the most illustrious interpreter of the traditional music of Azerbaijan, considered a living legend and one of the most beautiful voices of every time of the Middle East.

"Janus" reflects the cultural crossroads that the city of Naples has been over the centuries.
The music of the new songs is written by Antonio Fraioli, who continues the search towards new sonorous plots, which sometimes are further from tradition to emphasize the images and the meaning of the texts of the song.
The lyrics of the new songs are written by Annapia Ferrara and Pasquale Russo (the latter already the author of “Cala ‘a sera” soundtrack of the film “Le Rose Del Deserto” of Mario Monicelli), and deal with different issues.

The album contain also some traditional songs (Spata r'oro, Uellì uellà, Lu ruciu te lu mare, Ahi lu core meu, Montemarano dream) that are revamped, some times also rewriten, through refined arrengements that improve traditional feeling.

The album was produced by Antonio Fraioli, a musician from long time involved in musical search between modernity and tradition and founder of the group Spakka Neapolis 55 with Monica Pinto, the singer of the band.


The mixing of the 13 songs of the album have been carried out by three different sound engineers: Marco Messina ex 99 Posse, Luigi Turaccio that carried out the recording sessions, and Enzo “Soulfingers” Rizzo, producer/engineer of Mano Negra, Manu Chao, Les Negresses Vertes, Modena City Ramblers, which took care the mastering, too.

Listening to this album you can meet the sound of pulsing drums, impassionate voices, rage and protest, soft atmospheres, exciting melodies and rhythms from ancient Italian dances and the sound of a band parade.

JANUS
Produced by Antonio Fraioli.
Recorded at “ST.RI.M” Studio by Luigi Turaccio.
Mixed by Marco Messina (99Posse), Enzo “Soulfingers” Rizzo, Luigi Turaccio.
Mastered at “Soulfinger Mastering Studio”.
Executive productions by Monica Pinto and Antonio Fraioli for Ass. Cult. Spakka Neapolis