Biography
Hailing from Palermo, Sicily, Homunculus Res cultivates a lighthearted sound that echoes the melodic wing of Canterbury scene recordings from the 1960s and 1970s along with contemporaneous early Italian progressive experiments, all while incorporating period-appropriate vintage touches yet also the intricate arrangements and studio refinements typical of a contemporary release on Milan’s forward-leaning AltrOck imprint. The Sicilian outfit revolves around a stable lineup of guitarist and vocalist Dario D’Alessandro, who additionally handles keyboards, alongside fellow keyboardists David Di Giovanni and Federico Cardaci, drummer Daniele Di Giovanni, bassist Domenico Salamone, and flutist Dario Lo Cicero. A chief reference point remains Picchio dal Pozzo, the Genoa-formed ensemble that appeared in 1976 and is widely viewed as one of Italy’s foremost Canterbury-inspired outfits. In common with Picchio dal Pozzo, Homunculus Res sidesteps the most grandiose aspects of progressive rock, mirroring the restraint favored by the earliest incarnations of Soft Machine, Kevin Ayers, and Caravan. The group simultaneously absorbs cues from additional Italian bands of the 1960s and 1970s, so that resemblances to the initial output of Le Orme and Premiata Forneria Marconi surface in the congenial vocal blends set against hints of neo-psychedelia and intricate yet frequently buoyant and forward-moving instrumental passages. Homunculus Res issued its debut album, Limiti All’eguaglianza della Parte con il Tutto, on AltrOck in the middle of 2013; the title roughly translates as Limits of Equality of the Parts to the Whole and includes guest contributions from Yugen keyboardist Paolo “Ske” Botta across several tracks.
Albums
