Silvia Tarozzi makes great art out of small gestures. Lucciole follows up on her stunning album with Deborah Walker and sees the Italian composer, improviser, and folk historian work with different means—classic songwriting meets the avant-garde meets Franco Battiato-style pop hooks meet a children’s choir, etc.—to craft songs that, despite their apparent idiosyncrasies, feel warm, welcoming, and intimate. This avant-jazz-folk-pop masterpiece is the most life-affirming album of the year, a testament to the beauty of simplicity. Kristoffer Cornils
Silvia Tarozzi – Lucciole