‘Adorati Spiriti’ offers a careful examination of identity at a time of great social and cultural change. The authors, Massimo Donelli and Paolo Rossi, base their idea on Native Americans from the Great Lakes area, focusing on Chayton, an old Cheyenne man, and Tokala, a young man from his tribe, in order to look at the situation that arises when traditional ways of understanding the world come into contact with modern life.
Chayton is aware that Tokala has come to be in a completely different environment from the one he was familiar with; instead of viewing this difference as a conflict that had to result in one side winning, the album presents a more thoughtful kind of exchange between the two generations. He discusses with Tokala the subjects of values, religion, culture, society and politics, thus giving Tokala a wider insight into the world which shaped his people.
The narrative is especially compelling since it does not require Tokala to simply abandon modernity; instead, it enables him to stay involved in the changing world around him while at the same time taking account of the principles that have shaped his identity. As a result, “Adorati Spiriti” acquires greater relevance and the subject of the story extends beyond the particular setting to deal with questions of cultural identity in a society that is becoming more transformed.
This ambitious idea is underpinned by the musical influences drawn from progressive rock, jazz fusion, and world music. Donelli is responsible for composing the music, the compositions being then altered by the use of artificial intelligence, whereas Rossi writes the lyrics and also co-produces the musical aspects. The way in which they work together gives the album a well-defined creative structure, and the narrative offers a continuous element running from the initial idea right through to the final perspective. “Adorati Spiriti” is an thoughtful album concerning identity, change, and the difficulty of finding a place among different worlds.
