Despite being her debut album, Fabiana Palladino has enough vocal and writing chops to create an alluring and impactful emotional reach. ‘Fabiana Palladino’ is a lonesome midnight musing of romance executed wondrously with multiple tender melodies that yearn straight to the moon.
On the stroke of midnight, Fabiana Palladino uses its lunar space to muse on her lonesome. It took a while for Fabiana Palladino to shed and make her way to making this debut album as if she was waiting for the right time to strike, given that she has been a part of Paul Institute since 2017, the label handled by Jai Paul and A.K Paul. It does not mean that she has not made any loosies during those times, however, as she did put out a few songs that do impart her curiosities in the veins of synthpop with hints of alternative R&B given the way her voice that glides through those simmering electronics. Yet, years since then, her experience as a vocalist and songwriter gave her the confidence she needed to start putting up singles that lean on 80s soundscapes as well as a musical progression that is quite reminiscent of Jessie Ware’s early years - makes sense as she worked as a session musician for SBTRKT and Jessie Ware back in the 2010s - that now carved the path to her debut album, ‘Fabiana Palladino’.
In this self-titled, there’s a well-realized sonic flair that Fabiana Palladino taps into, more specifically the retro sides of synthpop and sophisti-pop that carry varied tones and textures, an aesthetic taking that Fabiana Palladino just commands really well from her pretty vocals that can pull in the atmosphere when it’s subtle or get pulled along for the ride when the instrumentation picks up sharper grooves. It makes for a record that’s incredibly easy to get into as the tracks keep opening up with melodies that just pops, whether that be groovy rollick of ‘Stay With Me Through The Night’ that comes from the pianos and bass lines and ‘Closer’ where the shuffling rhythms open up to the gorgeous layered vocal harmonies, the 90s pop rock sparkle of ‘Shoulda’ where the melodies that brisk through with ease, the synthetic bombast of ‘Deeper’ with its rumbling synth melodies that Fabiana just blazes through and the synthetic gongs and crunchy beats on ‘In The Fire’ give way for the woodwinds, warped guitars, and ominous backing vocals to just simmer through, and the solemn subtle atmospheres that pops up on ‘I Care’ with its waves of synths and reverbs creates an affectionate yearning that Fabiana Palladino and Jai Paul just encapsulates wondrously and the ballad closer ‘Forever’ with its graceful heavenly strings and pianos that allows Fabiana’s magnetic presence to close out the chapter of this romantic musings.
Just like the music itself, there is a richness in the poetry that manages to click strongly. Essentially portraying a post-break-up situation within the lonely stasis of midnight where the yearning sentimentality has a sense of hesitancy in it, with Fabiana unsure if there is a chance to return to this ex, but the self-reflection regarding regret and fear that she might stumble on this relationship once more does scare her. As midnight pulls through, her opportunity to pull her ex back into her arms unfortunately fails, and Fabiana uses this lonesome space to do the work to break away from that desire, and finally move on from her ex as she manages to find comfort with being alone. It might be a bit simple, but Fabiana Palladino’s lyricism allows the arc to nestle as much subtle anticipation, dreamy imagery, and tender language to make it work.
If there is a nitpick that does pull this album back, it’s that there are just a few moments where the songs themselves just have some awkward or uninteresting notes. The synth-funk soundscape of ‘Can You Look In The Mirror?’ could’ve worked if the bassline just had a lot more presence to work with, the milk toast guitar slow-burner of ‘Give Me A Sign’ that might have its charm but still ends up middling as a result, the clunky melodic progressions of ‘I Can’t Dream Anymore’ that does not stick the exposed bombast from the mishmash of chimes and drums, and ‘Deeper’ with how it chops Fabiana’s stretched vocals can get a bit distracting even if the tune still keeps it in quality.
A debut project that immediately hits right away, ‘Fabiana Palladino’ is a marvel to behold within the current spaces of pop music, where there is just a richness in so many parts of this project that results in lavish greatness. There might be spots in the melodies and production that might not exactly stick the landing, but the wonderful moments in a lot of these songs are magnificent to overshadow those weak spots, allowing the emotional sensibilities to end up striking. Languishing within the midnight sky on her own, there’s always that bright moon that casts away those troubled shadows, lightening the landscape to provide her the spotlight she now deserves to be a part of.
Favorite Tracks: ‘Closer’, ‘I Care’ ft. Jai Paul, ‘Stay With Me Through The Night’, ‘Shoulda’, ‘Deeper’, ‘In The Fire’, ‘Forever’
Least Favorite Track: ‘I Can’t Dream Anymore’