On Dec. 12, Covisky, a South Florida band now based in Brooklyn, NY, released its debut album, “Watercolor Skies.” The album combines different styles and emotions to give listeners a feel of the energy of the cosmos while in an earthly medium.
Covisky is a psychedelic-spiritual funk band led by Giuseppe Storniolo. For “Watercolor Skies,” which was made 50/50 between both Miami and Brooklyn, Storniolo wrote, played, produced and mastered all instruments and vocals except for the drums, which were done by his brother, who also inspired the album’s name.
“The inspiration [for the album] rises from life itself. The album is a sonic collection of my experiences and emotions… I guess the original spark or idea came to me on a random day through a breeze, or maybe, it was brought by a wave in the Atlantic Ocean. The name came about on a beautiful clear Thanksgiving morning when my brother, Francesco, said, ‘Wow. The skies look like they’re made of water,’” said Storniolo.
“Watercolor Skies” consists of eight beautifully written songs. Meant to be interpreted by each listener individually, here is my experience and interpretation of this cosmic album.
The album opens with “Slightly Off,” a jazzy psychedelic piece that will have you swaying and dancing in your seat. Everything about this song, from the bass to the guitar and vocals, sends you to a different plane and puts you in a good state of mind.
“Left Eye,” the second song on the album, is actually spoken word poetry, which is a beautiful and original touch to the album.
According to Covisky, his favorite song on the album to make was the third track, “Spirits,” which begins with a sort of meditational music and journeys into entrancing guitar, drums and vocals.
“It was a cold New York February morning, one of those days that all feels off, riddled with self-doubt and feeling like a shadow on the wall. I grabbed my guitar and headed to Central Park, [as] the spirits were calling me outside on that day. Within the darkness, the muse found its way to me and the progression of the verse came out of my guitar as if it has been played by somebody else. In that moment, a beautiful song was born. Maybe, that’s why I wrote that ‘darkness is just another type of light,’” said Storniolo.
“Torresiela” is the fourth song on the album, which begins with Covisky speaking and then transitions to smooth and jazzy synths, guitars and drums. This instrumental track lets the music speak for itself, sending the listening to another musical dimension.
“Conduit Skin,” which was originally released as a single in October, is another psychedelic piece that features only music and is filled with synths and a groovy bass line, transporting the listener on a trip through time and space.
The sixth song on the album, “Airborne Piroutte,” is one of the shorter tracks, but has a melody that relaxes listeners with its instrumentals as the album begins to wind down. The song also leads into “Shape of a Pocket,” the seventh track and most different sounding out of the album.
“Shape of a Pocket” reminds me of a sort of Mediterranean beat as well as Pink Floyd while other songs on the album, like “Slightly Off” and “Torresiela,” are reminiscent of artists like Jimi Hendrix and Tame Impala. “Shape of a Pocket” ends with more spoken word poetry, which is a trancing addition.
The album ends with “Cloak of Divinity,” a song that mixes meditational music with funky synths. It’s the perfect song to end the album as it sends listeners on a journey through the dreamland. It’s a great song to play even while you actually meditate.
“Watercolor Skies” is an album like no other. It’s a journey for all listeners, and a journey each listener will experience differently.
“I want the listeners to have their own personal experience when they listen [to the album]. My goal is to teleport you to another realm in which you can have your own epiphany, or maybe, just to have a nice trip on a different plane. Once the music is out, it’s no longer mine, but ours. Everyone can now make them their own and live, love and experience through these songs. I’d love to hear the stories of what listeners experience when they listen to the album,” said Storniolo.
If “Watercolor Skies” leaves you wanting more Covisky, don’t worry. Storniolo says there will be more music coming soon.
“I’d love to do an acoustic representation of a few songs very soon and I’m also happy to say that the seed for a follow-up album has been planted, so there won’t be a long gap until the next project,” he said.
Listen to “Watercolor Skies,” out now, on Spotify and other music streaming platforms.
