Vimana

After their fiery debut, Nova suffered from some lineup changes. The rhythm section was the first to leave, while Danilo Rustici wasn't far behind. Corrado Rustici and Elio D'Anna then recruited a keyboardist—Renato Rosset from New Trolls Atomic System—and reached out to the fusion world for the rest of the lineup: Narada Michael Walden, ex-Mahavishnu Orchestra, provided drums, while Percy Jones, Phil Collins and Robin Lumley, all on loan from Brand X, filled in with bass, percussion and production, respectively. The title track kicks off; and yes, Nova's still delivering first-class fusion. But there are changes; Rosset's keyboards provide a new texture to the music, while the Jones/Walden rhythm section is certainly nimbler than on the previous work. The contemplative "Night Games," one of only three vocal numbers on the album, slows the pace considerably; and things almost come to a halt on the acoustic meanderings of the ensuing "Poesia (To a Brother Gone)." This track, however, is a veritable showcase for the technical talents of Rustici and Rosset. The second side kicks off with "Thru the Silence," a vocal number with some similarity to their debut album. True to its name, "Driftwood" floats gracefully before locking onto its funky riff. Jones's bass tone is true to his signature sound, while Rustici eventually explodes on electric guitar. Written by Walden, the instrumental "Princess and the Frog" closes, offering a much more conventional fusion—though injected with a funky little section in the middle. Although the fireworks of their debut have settled to embers, Vimana offers further refinement over the previous work. It was the first Nova album to see release in the US, on Arista Records.