Federico Albanese shares his new album, Blackbirds and the Sun of October

Blackbirds And The Sun Of October is not only Federico Albanese’s first full-length release for XXIM Records, but also an album that was inspired by – and entirely written and recorded in – Albanese’s home region of Monferrato in Northern Italy.

This return to his home – being back in the picturesque countryside, and feeling, as he says, “profoundly connected to this place,” proved inspiring in so many ways. His compositions started to reflect the deep, natural beauty that surrounded him – the colours, the wildlife, the changing of the seasons – but also the rich history, and the many myths and legends passed down through generations over thousands of years.

“This place breathes history, it’s very romantic in that sense,” says Albanese. “It’s an album about coming home, and reconnection. Above all, about heritage.”

That freedom – and the reflection of his heritage and his return to his roots – also led him to employ a rich tapestry of musical influences, blending classical music with more contemporary sounds.

“Blackbirds and the sun of October is a title that just felt right from the start – I wanted to find an image that could perfectly capture the essence of the place and time where the album began to take shape,” Albanese explains. “The blackbirds, the autumn light – there was a sense of magic in those moments that I wanted to translate into music. It conveyed all the elements that made this album what it is.”