Hailing from Milano, Italy, the band Novanta, led by founder Manfredi Lamartina, creates self-described “ceiling-gazing” music; a mix of dream pop, post-rock, and synthwave to listen to at very low or very high volumes. No middle ground.

Novanta is no longer a solo project, but a duo that also includes drummer Agostino Financo Burgio (Nicolò Carnesi, Hank, Moque). They will be releasing their four-song Some Are Stars EP soon via Italian label Seashell Records.

Highlighted by the contribution of Stella Diana’s Dario Torre (vocals in “Outside Noise”) and Marco Barzetti, AKA True Sleeper (vocals in “To Realize”), Some Are Stars is a record whose creation took no less than three years. During this time Lamartina radically changed his composition approach.

The band’s sound is no longer lo-fi; it’s cleaner, with more impact, also thanks to the work of Lucantonio Fusaro, Claudio Piperissa, and Luca Ferrari, who recorded and mixed the EP at Faro Recording Studio in Varese, Italy.

The EP opens with the crystal-bright, ascending “Outside Noise,” that swirls with sheering guitar distortion and reverberating synth notes, lowering bass line, and a crisp drum beat. Torre provides brightly wistful vocals that also look to the sky in longing hope.

“The Plot Thickens” starts off with echoed globular notes that are tinged with high-pitched noise and a measured drum beat. Wavering guitar lines and bouncy synth notes approach and follow the beat with a casual ease.And then, ahem, suddenly the plot does thicken with luminescent and graceful shooting star guitar lines and richer synth textures add to the mix.

True Sleeper contributes his searching and slightly melancholic vocals to the restless an dreamy “To Realize.” His hazy, yet sharply emotive voice jettisons into a space occupied by ringing guitar lines and lively drum-work.

EP-ender “Lovers” marches with an emphatic drum beat and spacey, horn-like synth bleats. Delicate guitar chime materializes, adding a gleaming sheen and contemplation to the musical piece. More and more sonics build up the sound as the song progresses, creating a kaleidoscopic illumination.

The band delve into some details about the EP, revealing, “Some Are Stars is like a short story, but it took us three years to write it. It’s a new start for Novanta, because it’s not a solo project anymore; it’s a full band. There are two special guests as singers: Dario Torre (from Italogaze heroes Stella Diana) and the talented dream pop artist True Sleeper. All the songs sound wider; you can hear more guitars, more reverb, and awesome drumming. We like to call these tracks “punk for introverted people”. Hope you like this record. And please: Turn it up!”

Pre-order Some Are Stars at Seashell Records

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