Satoshy – ‘Broken Frame (Repeated)’ ft. Athena Kay
Antonio Russo aka Satoshy is a 25-year-old music producer based in East London. His first experiences were with the English rapper Amp Medley in 2018, and then with La Banda Balloon, an experimental Italian band, before he finally delivered his first solo project. Hailing from Calabria in Italy, Satoshy has been heavily influenced by the sounds of London, which changed his musical vision. He describes his ‘ThreeMoonsFighters’ EP, as a collection of demos. The lead single, ‘Broken Frame (Repeated)’ features Athena Kay, a singer of Greek origin also living in London. Satoshy’s music has a gorgeous sheen, often accompanied by flamboyant melodies, which are hard to resist, while his arrangements are filled with flair and originality.
‘ThreeMoonsFighters’ is an oasis of melodic atmospheres and haunting vibes. The record’s structure means that tracks come across like fleeting pleasures. There’s a boldness to Satoshy’s production that gives it something much more than commercial appeal. From the EDM trip-hop swingers to underground electro-fusion heads, there is something for everyone on this recording, which retains Satoshy’s accessibility while also contorting it into many creative shapes.
It makes less sense to pick out certain tracks than to ride all the EP’s hairpin turns and endeavoring expansiveness. Coming from an artist who seeks depth and innovation, ‘ThreeMoonsFighters’ is a welcome step towards somewhere less predictable in the modern music scene. Few projects released this year have opened with a sound as remarkably impressive as ‘ThreeMoonsFighters’.
“Sound Efx” immediately opens up to the ear, at once accessible and then epically cinematic. “Colours” introduces a magnificent vocal that is very reminiscent of the soaring melodies the Canadian artist, Gino Vannelli, would construct during his reign in the 70’s and 80’s. “Marocco” obviously brings the sonic flavors of its namesake, together with driving percussion, as well Moroccan Berber and Ghita Flutes to emphasize its ethnicity.
This EP is definitely one that you have to listen to top to bottom because each song flows into one another, while bringing a diverse sound. The lo-fi crackle of “Ipnarp”, is countered an enhanced by the delicate vibrato of the female vocal, before the song detours into a progressive jazz-fusion aesthetic. “Golden Man” sets forth on a slapping drumbeat, while the male vocal steadily hovers and then explodes into a hurricane of tonal energy.
“Kamark” is an unrelenting barrage of electronic sound from start to finish, as Satoshy unpacks a layer of synths, noises and effects. “Spessospesi” takes us back to the dynamic and frenzied vocals over a hazardous runaway rhythm, before Satoshy drastically switches the template before the end. Tracks like “The Shaman is Back” showcase the trust Satoshy has in his own ability. He takes chances with the production, letting the melodic strings wave in and out of the thumping drums.
The EP closes with the recording’s centerpiece – ‘Broken Frame (Repeated)’, featuring the Greek singer Athena Kay. The track runs on an accessible but captivating beat, while Athena’s resonant voice carries the message. The track is both eloquent and alluring. The soulful vocal elements create an organic feel to this song that gets under your skin. It takes listeners by surprise as it breaks the boundaries of expectation. Originally composed on an acoustic piano, the song has gone through a sonic revolution, to where it is now.
On the whole, ‘ThreeMoonsFighters’ sounds like a conscious effort to carve a specific spot in an already eclectic genre. An immediate indicator of this is the amount of creative variation that Satoshy propels into this recording. It’s really worth picking this record up. It’s assertive in developing Satoshy as a sure-footed, stylistically independent artist.
