Review by Piergiuseppe Lippolis on MusicMap

Yugen is a trio from Salento formed by Katya Fiorentino (piano), Stefano Compagnone (bass), and Maurizio De Tommasi (drums). The band’s story began in 2020 and recently reached a pivotal moment with the release of “Tears and Light”. This album features eight original tracks that demonstrate a musical language—at once simple and personal—forged through constant exploration, including moments of improvisation and total freedom.

The tracks on “Tears and Light” often draw inspiration from progressive jazz structures and are frequently designed to be open-ended. “Loose Words” marks the first stage of the journey: balancing the meditative and the hypnotic with well-timed pauses and restarts, the album gets off to a strong start. “Sheets from Afar” offers a refined, reflective interlude, while the title track plays with emotion, enhanced by guitar work that traces atmospheric, acid-tinged trajectories.

“If You Want” is driven by the trumpet, leading into “Interludio/Picture #1″—a kaleidoscopic, eight-minute-plus journey that effectively splits the album in two. There are brighter moments in “Your Floor, My Ceiling, Its Floor” and the cinematic, expansive feel of “Wood,” before the album concludes with a gentle resolution tinged with subtle nostalgia (“After the Wait”).

Yugen makes a grand entrance with a sound that is already distinct and authentic. A bright future seems to await this trio from Salento. (Piergiuseppe Lippolis)