It’s strange. During the day, I usually throw a massive amount of music into my WinAmp (yes, I’m old school), click the shuffle-button and press play. Then, all different kinds of music start playing, from ambient over jazz and post rock to techno, black metal and drum & bass.

However, sometimes I promptly shut WinAmp down, only because somewhere in this building or the one next door, somebody is playing the piano. I don’t know who it is. I mostly don’t know what he or she plays but all sounds must fade away when that instrument resonates through the walls.

It’s almost miraculous how such a big and imposing instrument can express so much solitude. The gentle sound of the hammers on the strings can move almost any person to tears. And that certainly counts for the music Gianluca Piacenza creates. I reviewed his previous record, ‘Dream’ back in 2015 (read (http://www.merchantsofair.com/reviews/gianluca-piacenza-dream) – and ignore the annoying ad, we don’t do that anymore). Now he returns with ‘The Road To Home’, a ten tracks piano album that is too beautiful to ignore.

The album opens with the gloomy track ‘Dark Light’ which immediately sets the tone. The music follows the same path as on ‘Dream’, being slow, lingering pieces of solo piano. A bit romantic, a bit nostalgic and a bit emotional but mostly soothing and dreamy. From then on, the album calmy moves forward, highlighting in the mesmerizing piano-ambient piece ‘Angels’, and obviously a few times more after that.

I’m not sure if there is anything else to say about this album. It’s simply filled with beautiful music, nothing more, nothing less. If you are a fan of the piano and people who have great affinity with that instrument, there is no need to doubt. If you like music by people like Arnalds, Frahm, Schubert and Beethoven, here are some new breathtaking melodies to accompany you through the upcoming spring evenings.