Today, Messiness – the psychedelic alt-pop outfit steered by Sicilian polymath Max Raffa –unleashes their highly anticipated eponymous debut album “Messiness”, a superb whimsical collection that could be a challenger for best newcomer album of 2025. Released via StoneFree Records and Tarla Records, this record is the thrilling culmination of Raffa’s diverse artistic pursuits and academic interests, forged across years touring the rock and roll circuits of Europe and the UK.
The debut album from the Milan-based collective is not only a very cool record, but also a lysergic manifesto against boredom. Helmed by Raffa, this self-titled collection is the glorious antithesis of optimization, offering a brilliant, chaotic sonic explosion for listeners who suspect true clarity is found only in glorious disorder. With an inviting and energetic sound rooted in both Mediterranean traditions and British rock flair, Messiness promises a worthy sonic trip away from conformity.
On stage, Raffa is joined by Rosario Lo Monaco (guitars), Filippo La Marca (keyboards, backing vocals), Giovanni Calella (bass), and Luca Anello (drums and percussion), expanding the studio vision into a dense, unpredictable, and immersive live experience. Messiness' visual identity is curated by Istanbul-based artist Günes Akyürek, whose artwork and imagery expands their world beyond sound, translating their intensity into colour, form and atmosphere.
The record immediately bowls the listener over with swaggering confidence, musical smarts, and an effortlessly cool charisma, blending Balaeric psychedelic pop with Britpop-tinged indie rock guitars. For fans who worship at the altar of Kula Shaker, Stereolab, and King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Messiness presents a distinctive, vibrant tapestry where space-rock textures bleed into '60s sass, delivering a high-velocity art-rock euphoria that is both dreamily calming and wonderfully quirky.
Recorded entirely on analog equipment, the album is a kaleidoscope of influences—a thrilling junction where the Canterbury scene meets Mediterranean folk traditions, and baroque pop harmonies crash into space-funk grooves. Tracks like the head-turning lead single "Previous Life," the shimmering "Eternity Unbound," and the groove-laden "Cómo Baja Cómo Sube" showcase a band unbound by genre, masterfully weaving together Mellotron swells, saxophone blasts, and the eerie whine of the theremin. This rich sonic palette is not just for show; it's the foundation for a cohesive yet wild ride that manages to feel simultaneously classic and futuristic. Even the cutting "Feature With a Rapper" works, folding biting industry critique into a wildly fun framework.
But dig deeper and Messiness reveals itself to be more than just a dazzling display of retro-futuristic sound. This is a work of social commentary – a sardonic, witty response to the contradictions of contemporary life: the pressure of hyper-productivity and the collapse of solidarity. Raffa and his band confront these issues not with manifestos, but with atmosphere, irony, and dissonance, turning critique into music that drifts brilliantly between satire and reverie. This is a debut built for "disobedient nights," discovering intensity amidst overload and finding beauty in collapse. Messiness doesn't just resist easy categorization; they obliterate it, leaving behind a truly essential and exhilarating statement.
The 'Messiness' album is available digitally everywhere as of November 21 and also on limited edition hand-numbered 12" black or blue mirage vinyl.
CREDITSWords and Music by Massimiliano Raffa
Produced by Ivan A. Rossi and Massimiliano Raffa
Recorded by Ivan A. Rossi at 8brr.rec Studio, Milan
Additional recording by Lorenzo Di Blasi (at Sartoria 57 Studio, Milan), Giovanni Calella (at Diabolicus Studio, Milan) and Massimiliano Raffa (at The Faraday Cage, Milan)
Mixed & mastered by Ivan A. Rossi at 8brr.rec Studio in Milan
Massimiliano Raffa – lead vocals, guitars, mellotron, celesta, synthesizers, oud, violin, shawm, sound effects, glockenspiel, live electronics, programming, arrangements
Filippo La Marca – keyboards of all kinds, backing vocals, tambourine
Rosario Lo Monaco – guitars
Giovanni Calella – bass
Beppe Scardino – baritone saxophone and flute
Andrea Quattrini – drums and percussion
Luca Anello – drums and percussion
Lorenzo Di Blasi – theremin
Cover artwork by Günes Akyürek
Released by StoneFree Records. Digital management by Tarla Records
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR
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