Moon And Cloud Dancing (Celeste, 2025)

If you read even occasionally this blog, you should know how much I appreciate Celeste and their mastermind Ciro Perrino, a gifted composer and musician that never stops his artistic evolution. When it comes to Celeste, once a quintessential Italian prog band, since the late 2010s he's trying to expand the musical boundaries of such a glorious act. Their 2025 album, titled "Anima Animus" continues this effort and offers a varied palette of sound solutions that range from jazz to melodic without even neglecting ethnic suggestions. That said, Maestro Perrino will maybe forgive me if I choose the most Celestial (in all senses) of the album's songs, the closing Moon And Cloud Dancing, a delicate but never boring 12 minute instrumental (with some vocalizations) track. 

This is the sixth Celeste album overall.

First things first, I love the main theme here, a melody that is only apparently simple, which enters the heart and brain of the listener. Then please listen to the perfect fusion of the instruments: mellotron, of course, and then winds, piano, acoustic guitars... everything is designed to immerse us in slow and unstoppable natural movements. Even if this is probably the most symphonic rock song from "Anima Animus", you'll find in it several hints to Perrino's previous experiences, and that's why this track always grows in me and never cease to surprise me.

Pigmenti (Celeste, 2024)

Celeste doesn't need any introduction: Ciro Perrino's brainchild has its own place in Italian prog scene and since their reunion back in 2019 they never abandoned their melodic, fairy, charming sound. That said, some of the songs in "Echi di un futuro passato" 2024 album (meaning Past Future's Echoes) open up to some exciting new landscapes. That's the case with the opening track "Pigmenti" (Pigments),where Maestro Perrino and his friends successfully merge the band's traditional melodies with jazz-rock passages. 

Degrassi and Mazzeo created this stunning cover art.

Sure, Perrino isn't new at such a taste: he was part of one of the most underrated Italian fusion bands, namely Il Sistema, between 1969 and 1971, but he never dared to import those sounds into Celeste's music. He dares here and that's a very big and welcome surprise! You'll find the same theme going through different treatments: the opening jazz arrangement, a melodic rendition and even an orchestral, symphonic version followed by guitar, sax and keyboard solos! Well done... and beautiful. Not to mention the sweet  sung section and the perfect performances of each musician. Once more, thank you Celeste for being there!

Cascate di cristallo (Celeste, 2023)

The few readers I have in this blog, already know Celeste and their master mind Ciro Perrino. If not, feel free to browse my previous reviews. The band's return in the late 2010s confrmed their skills in weaving and perfecting the sweetest and most refined melodies. This song comes from their 2023 release introducing a new and welcome feature: an entire orchestra formed by more than a dozen members and including winds, woods, strings and, of course, a piano. 

The CD cover painting is by Mara Catelani. It is perfect for what'is inside...

...and this is the LP painting by Ciro Carlo Antonio Perrino. Another beauty!

"Cascate di cristallo" (meaning "Crystal Falls") is simply perfect to me. Not only it enhances the suitably called Celestial Symphony Orchestra potential, but it includes some of the best and most inspired compositions by Ciro Perrino. The exquisite intertwinings, the elegant themes and the manifold arrangements are a treat for any musical sweet tooth. This instrumental track is not the only pearl in such a beautiful album, but it surely catched my attention on first hearing and proved itself more and more profound during the subsequent listenings. Don't miss this one, my prog friends!

L'ultimo viaggio del Principe (Celeste, 2021)

This 24 minute suite is a perfect treat for any Italian prog fan. More than this, it's one of the most beautiful tracks ever written and performed by Celeste's creative mind Ciro Perrino. If the band's 2021 album titled "Il Principe del Regno Perduto" (meaning "Lost Kingdom's Prince") explores many different ways and styles considerably expanding Celeste's musical world, this epic surely refers to the band's core mood and traditional inspiration. And they never did it so well. How many beautiful changes, fairy atmospheres and magical landscapes you'll find here! 

Larry Camarda is responsible for this celestial cover art.

Perrino knows how to blend  Vero's acoustic and electric guitars,his own  keyboards (including, of course, piano and Mellotron), Moro's wind instruments and Caputo's violin in a shiny, relieving musical pot. Bertone (bass guitar) and Cioffi (drums) farly provide a discreet and breezy rythmic background to Celeste's graceful tale. Last but not least, "L'ultimo viaggio del Principe" includes some of the best musical themes Perrino ever penned for his progressive act. Sensitive and dainty, these melodies also have a nearly spiritual aftertaste reverberating on the fanciful  lyrics of this track, sung by three different and well assorted voices. A prog gem I highly recommend to you all, an emotional trip on a higher dimension or maybe inside yourself.

With the kind permission of the band, please find here an e-mail for any infos on how to purchase their CDs: ciroperrino1950@gmail.com

Fonte perenne (Celeste, 2019)

Celeste released their first album in 1976 (see the post titled "Favole antiche" in this blog), a record that gained increasing reputation after its re-release in CD format, thanks to Mellow Records. The fairy, gentle and mainly acoustic style of Celeste perfectly embodies the melodic side of Italian prog and their long awaited new album, "Il risveglio del Principe" ("The Awakening of the Prince") resumes in 2019 the same charming features. "Fonte perenne" ("Perennial Source") is a good example of the delightful way Ciro Perrino, the mind behind the band, has to paint Celeste's sensitive universe.

Laura Germonio provided this beautiful artwork for Celeste. 

It's a clean musical watercolour, both vivid and delicate, flowing all around the listener's ears, exploiting a good deal of instruments such as sax, violin, cello, piano and flute, carefully arranged and beautifully blended. A very special mention goes to the keyboard sound carpet (oh, that Mellotron again!) and the delicate percussions, providing the common ground for such a diversified instrumental palette. Last but not least, Perrino's very nice voice gently outlines the main theme of the song, giving the final touch to the big picture. Believe me, this is magic. Progressive magic, that's to say.

Favole antiche (Celeste, 1976)

What a strange destiny was Celeste's! This Italian band (not to be confused with the French same named one) realised for a very little label their debut album in 1976, the only official one, without any commercial success, so that they disbanded very soon. But when prog rock came back during the early '90s their old work became sort of a cult album, widely known and appreciated and even their never released songs surfaced (released by their leader's well known prog label) getting more and more international acclaim.

 

This album was self named, but it's also known as

"Principe di un giorno" by its opening track title.

This song, "Favole antiche" (Ancient Fairytales, in English) perfectly represents their style, made of mellow melodies, acoustic arrangements and  dreaming low tempo moods. Their main inspiration was PFM's early albums, but you'll find a more delicate and melodic taste, a quiet, inner musical touch, a sweetest flavour I like so much. Never too intricated, this song is based on plain melodies and a stunning succession of classical solutions featuring flute, sax, guitars, gentle percussions and violin. A treat for an old méli-mélo guy as I am...