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Giorgio Poi: “A record to amortize difficult moments”

Singer-songwriter who grew up between Lucca and Rome, moved to London to study Jazz, a hidden protagonist of the Roman indie scene that lends itself well to feat. From Missiles by Frah Quintale, Camel Blu by Carl Brave, until the partnership with Calcutta, Giorgio in recent years has made himself known for his light, delicate voice, which makes his songs dreamlike. Author for himself, author for others (or others, as for Francesca Michielin in Leoni), Foam rubber is his third album (Bomba Dischi / Island Records) and comes after two years of writing at home, with the first words born in March 2020 when Italy was experiencing its first lockdown. His thoughts enter the songs that for the first time he does not play alone. Drums, strings, a pianist, Giorgio continues to choose the music he plays, the only way he knows to do it. The result is eight tracks, one of which is instrumental which gives the title to the album, which aim to lighten a moment that was difficult for everyone. Reality joins the poetics, the optimism that things can go better is realized, as well as the hope of being able to return to play in February, on the two dates in Milan and Rome.

Because Foam rubber?
«I realized, after writing and recording these pieces, that what accumulated them was the work they had had when I was writing them to amortize this rather hard period. To file the edges, mitigating the difficulties. It’s a word that reminds me of lightness ».

It is also the title of the instrumental piece on the disc.
«I like to leave just an instrumental track, I’ve always done it, even on the two previous albums. I like to choose a word unrelated to the lyrics, without taking the title of a song, choosing what I want, giving it the function of common denominator ».

The album comes two years after Smog. How have they been?
“This period weighed on me as much as it did everyone, each in his own way. I took the opportunity to take more time than usual to work calmly on these new songs ».

It now seems exceptional to listen to music played in a world that prefers digital sounds.
«I have never done anything else, I come from the music played, I studied jazz, I have always played the guitar. I have a close relationship with instruments, I like to touch them, I wasn’t born as a producer, I didn’t start making music with the computer. I could not do otherwise ».

How did you work on the record?
“He was born in the house. I always start from the music, the text comes last. In the recording studio I involved other artists, which is something I usually don’t do ».

Did having written it at home influenced the writing?
“Writing was more difficult because everything was more difficult. The fact of stopping completely, not seeing anyone, not my friends, or my family or my brother, apart from my girlfriend who lived with me, weighed on me. It’s not so much not having been able to travel, but not seeing the people I love. We were all suddenly very far away. Traveling is not essential, even if it does me good to change the scenery from time to time. But having the void around you complicates things tremendously ».

When did Elisa arrive?
«Bloody Mary it is one of the first songs I wrote, in March 2020. I was already feeling with Elisa, we had to meet, we already had an appointment, I was very happy, but it jumped. I was sorry, so much so that I still wanted to write new songs. I had our meeting in mind so in the end I wrote a piece that led to her, to get closer to her language. I loved her spirit, she is a curious person, she really made me enjoy spending time with her ».

In your songs, real images, from shopping at the supermarket to normal afternoons, alternate with a dreamlike atmosphere. Are you a realist or a dreamer?
“I believe I am both. A little realism is needed to be able to realize what you have in mind. You can’t fully realize yourself as a dreamer if you don’t have a realistic side ».

At one point you sing Even if you start blowing winter comes the same. Is this your way of handling problems?
“There are things we cannot act upon, over which we have no power. I think sometimes it’s better not to focus on those, but on what’s around. Personally, every day there is something over which I have no control ».

Is music an escape?
“No, I don’t think so, because it is part of my daily life. I don’t think it’s an escape, on the contrary, it’s when I don’t play that I’m running away from what can make me feel better. Or even worse at the same time. I feel fine after I write, but if I’m writing and I don’t have a solution, I only have one problem. ”

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