Of Shadows And Lights (OSAL) is the solo recording project of Italian singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Angelo Pitone. The project was first conceived in 2018 and debuted with the 2019 EP “Visions.” Angelo released a series of singles over the course of 2020. His brand of earnest, socially conscious and spiritually in-tune Pop/Rock has connected with fans worldwide. Each release expanded his appeal exponentially until his streaming numbers were counted in the hundreds of thousands. But that was just the beginning. We now know that it was all leading up to OSAL’s debut full length album.
“Almost Prophetic Visions And Thoughts” was released to all major streaming services on January 20, 2021. The ten song collection includes all of Pitone’s previously released material plus a few additional tracks. Although the album is the debut for OSAL, Angelo has a long and celebrated history in the music world. He has been winning awards in Italy for composition and performance for over 20 years. He has years of training as a musician, vocalist and songwriter. And he recently graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Commercial Music with distinction at the University of the West of Scotland.
There is a philosophy at play on “Almost Prophetic Visions And Thoughts.” Throughout the record, Angelo presents the Yin and Yang juxtaposition of the beauty and ugliness of humanity. OSAL is the sound of an idealist facing the reality of a less than ideal world. Whether he is raging against the war machine (“Crossfire”), rising above personal shortcomings and mistakes of the past (“Am I Still Alive?”) or feeling crushed beneath the weight of human history (“10:1”), Pitone presents to us what is and what should be.
It is a grand and ambitious message. He is showing a mirror to the world and saying, “change before it is too late.” However, it’s not all doom and gloom. According to Angelo, the OSAL motto is, “Listen to the darkness to find out your light.” There is hope. On the inspirational song “The Fortress” he sings, “The best is yet to come.”
Musically the album is a wild ride through the popular Rock and Pop idioms of the past three decades. From the cool experimental modern Indie Rock of tracks like “Unaware Passenger” to the 90’s Alternative groove of songs like “Awakening,” OSAL mixes and matches sounds to suit each track. “Cold Shivers” is as 2021 as music gets, while songs like “A Mending Silence” have a timeless cinematic quality.
The performances are impeccable throughout. Angelo has a remarkable vocal range and matches his technical abilities with a sincere, earnest delivery. He plays a number of instruments on the record, each with equally impressive proficiency. When joined by others, they all rise to the occasion. Guitarist Maestro Giuseppe Bolognini in particular is fantastic throughout. From beginning to end, this is just a great record.
Check out the “Universal Things” video below. You can also hear the song on the Deep Indie Dive playlist. Follow the links below the video to connect with OSAL. Get in the know on all of the current and future projects from Angelo Pitone and company. Wanna know more about OSAL? Read 8 Questions with Angelo Pitone.
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8 Questions With Angelo Pitone
The Static Dive: Where are you from?
Angelo Pitone: I’m from Bari, Southern Italy.
SD: How long have you been making music?
AP: Music was flowing in my veins, and I started playing drums when my mother was pregnant with me. It’s such a fun thing because my mother told me that when I was a child, about 2 or 3 y.o., I used to hit the little table of the walker with my thumbs in time to the music. This is why I’m a fanatic of drums. What a beautiful instrument!!
The music I write today results from a long journey made of piano studies at the Conservatory, advanced singing lessons such as the Estill Voice Craft by Elisa Turlà. And again, music production, miking techniques, arrangements, advanced songwriting techniques learned at the UWS, advanced production/mixing techniques from Chris Lord Alge, Vance Powell, Michael Brauer, Andrew Scheps, Greg Wells, masterclasses with giants of the music business like Giovanni Versari (Muse, Nic Cester, Calibro 35, Negramaro), Tommaso Colliva (Muse, Calibro 35), and Marc Urselli (U2).
SD: Who are the musicians involved in your project?
AP: I’ve written this record during the first lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Basically, the musicians that play in the album are three: me, Maestro Giuseppe Bolognini, and my great friend Claudio Giraudo, that has written “Awakening” together with me. Giuseppe has played all guitar parts. He’s a genius because he was able to turn into reality all my musical vision. It’s hard to explain; it’s a sort of chemical or astral connection in which I was the mind and Giuseppe was my hands. He also contributed to supporting my ideas with his, since he’s a phenomenal guitar player.
Last but not least, Claudio played the guitar solo in “Awakening”. I’ve reserved him a “front-row seat” for this song, and I’m thrilled I did. The team also includes two Italian excellences: Michele “The Third Eye” Sassanelli as a photographer and Giovanni Versari as a mastering engineer, known for his works with Muse, Nic Cester, Negramaro, and many more. I’m really thankful for all of them.
SD: Who are your biggest musical influences?
AP: I have always been fascinated by British and American rock music. My favorite artists are really many, but the ones that most shaped my musical vision are Queen, Freddie Mercury, Led Zeppelin, Oasis, Muse, Nothing But Thieves, As Tall As Lions The Dear Hunter, just to cite some.
SD: What is your greatest non-musical influence?
AP: That’s a good question. Although I feel more like a singer, the passion for recording, advanced mixing, and technicalities pushed me to dedicate myself, body and soul to this project. My studies at UWS complete the picture.
SD: What inspired you to create this project?
AP: As I mentioned before, my studies, but also life, influenced my musical path. I started this project for academic purposes, and since it involved related-music and non related-music actions, I thought to continue developing it. Everything started with “Am I still Alive?” a song I wrote for an advanced songwriting exam.
SD: What are your plans for the future (musically)?
AP: The pandemic has shocked and locked the world, and we’re still living in crazy times. I wish to complete my band and start playing gigs and spread my music. The only thing I can do now is to promote my music online and get some exposure. I don’t know if it’s right or wrong, but I feel like a digital rocker, nothing more. When you’re pushed to manage everything yourself, the most significant risk is to lose energy and focus on what you’re doing and where you’re going. I found my equilibrium, and I’m trying to be far-sighted. Beautiful things need time and care.
SD: Is there anything else you would like to say?
AP: Definitely! If you like what you hear, please, spread the word, follow my social, Spotify and so on!
