Prometheus is a fascinating project by Jacopo Ferrazza and his 5tet. Based in Italy, the group consists of Ferrazza (composer, double bass and synths), Enrico Zanisi (piano, synths, live electronics), Alessandra Diodati (voice), Valerio Vantaggio (drums and synth) and Livia De Romanis (cello). According to an ancient Greek myth, Prometheus was a god of fire and was credited with defying the Olympian gods by taking fire from them and giving it to humanity in the form of technology, knowledge and civilization. This album presents a new version of the story told from a modern musical and philosophical perspective. Quoting Jacopo Ferrazza:

"Contemporary man is in danger of losing his critical spirit just as he is hardly able to organize himself in societies that are not harmful and no longer knows how to be autonomous from external factors such as social, drugs, false information and various forms of addiction. Man's search and curiosity is shifting more and more to what is outside himself and less and less to the inner self, forgetting the infinite potential that distinguishes him.

"That's why I imagined that never before has there been such a need for a
Promethean figure, a strong and decisive Christ-like image, who can help
mankind regain the fire of his own nature and recover, or develop anew, his
gifts of intelligence and sensitivity."

Vibrant and experimental, there is no way to put this music into one specific genre - something I always appreciate! Within the music itself, there is a search for a balance between acoustic and electronic genres as well as between rock, contemporary classical and modern jazz. The five musicians are all top-notch, as is the production. All five musicians are conservatory-trained and have strong musical voices of their own. Sometimes very gentle and melodic and sometimes almost chaotic, Prometheus is a musical adventure as well as a unique listening experience. My only criticism is that the lyrics are very difficult to understand. They are in English, but often get lost in the midst of all of the other instruments and sounds.

Prometheus begins with "Prologue," a short introductory piece that lets you know immediately that you are listening to something really different. Dark and mysterious, it's an intriguing start! "The Cave" begins with a quiet piano prelude before becoming much more dramatic as the other artists join in. Combining jazz, modern classical, and a variety of other styles, it's a fascinating adventure that goes in a lot of different directions! The title track is equally experimental and musically diverse with passionate vocals, piano that ranges from gently melodic to lightning-fast fingers, smooth cello and bass, energetic drums and some interesting synth effects - quite a musical tour de force! "The Rediscovery of Fire," very powerful and dramatic for the first few minutes, quiets to a soulful vocal solo. "Pillory" is also a relatively quiet track and features a pizzicato bass solo backed with piano and light percussion as well as heartfelt vocals. There is a fascinating video of "Titan Rises" on YouTube that shows the 5tet performing together, giving insight into how the music was created - especially the rather chaotic middle of the piece. "Oceanine" calms substantially, before "I Am Everywhere" brings the album to a close. It's an adventurous piece that covers a lot of musical territory and ends with soaring vocals and instrumentation. Wow!

If you are looking for a unique musical project, Prometheus is a great choice! It is available to stream or download from Amazon and Apple Music/iTunes as well as from many streaming services including Spotify and Pandora. Check it out out!