New Candys

The New Candys are ready to present their highly anticipated fifth album, The Uncanny Extravaganza, released by Fuzz Club and Dischi Sotterranei. This record marks a definite evolution in the band’s sound, blending its rock roots with electronic influences and cutting-edge production, and resulting in a sonic experience that escapes genre labels. The album also represents the beginning of a new chapter for the band, with a revamped lineup: longtime members Fernando Nuti (vocals, guitar, synth, programming) and Dario Lucchesi (bass, synth, programming) are joined by Emanuele Zanardo (guitar, backing vocals) and Francesco Giacomin (drums, percussion, sampler). The record follows the release of Vyvyd in 2021, which took the group on tour between North America and Europe until the end of 2023.

The making of The Uncanny Extravaganza began in late 2022, when the band began working on new material. Nuti, the main author of the songs, recounts:

“It was an intense and exciting time. I had many songs and ideas that I wanted to try with the band, and we ended up presenting Crime Wave live. We don’t live close and can’t rehearse often, so we found a solution in our home studios. This new process allowed us to experiment more and gave me a way to quickly explore different arrangements to find the best one for each song.”

Lucchesi’s growing interest in electronic music played a key role in shaping the direction of the album, making his switch from drums to bass a natural evolution. Explain:

“The change in lineup and my move to bass guitar created the conditions to bring new ideas to the group. Working alone, in my own time and methods, allowed me to explore and express myself better. I found it stimulating to work remotely, swapping projects and seeing the progress of songs on which both Fernando and I could intervene, playing all the instruments and breaking with the roles established live and on previous records.”

The collaboration between Nuti and Lucchesi produced remarkable songs such as Regicide and Night Surfer, also enriched by contributions from Zanardo and Giacomin, contributing to the band’s sonic evolution and culminating in some of the best songs ever written by the New Candys.

Production was entrusted to Maurizio Baggio (The Soft Moon, Boy Harsher), who worked closely with the band throughout 2024, dividing recording sessions throughout the year to focus in detail on each track.

The album’s sonic variety, a hallmark of the New Candys, is more pronounced than ever. The title itself combines contrasting terms, reflecting the band’s multifaceted artistic vision. From the aggressive, rough sounds of Regicide and Crime Wave, to the minimal, melancholy tones of Aquawish and Final Mission, the record traverses a wide range of styles. Tracks such as Night Surfer and Wild Spaghetti West feature western- and surf-influenced riffs, while Cagehead and You’ll Never Know Yourself offer psychedelic endings.

Lyrically, the album explores surreal and sometimes cryptic themes, with a recurring motif related to water, inspired by the band’s proximity to Venice. Nuti reflects on how everything underwater is transformed: appearing dreamlike, distorted, inaccessible, and often lifeless-images he used in a metaphorical sense, linking them to reality to inspire lyrics and artwork. The album also conveys a sense of rebellion, reflecting on how the pandemic presented an opportunity to review priorities, a chance that world politics missed.