De De Lind -

De De Lind was an Italian post-psych/symphonic band that cut three singles and a 1972 album on Mercury.

Members: Vito Paradiso (vocals, acoustic guitar), Gilberto Trama (flute, saxophone, keyboards), Matteo Vitolli (guitar, percussion, piano, flute), Eddy Lorigiola (bass), Ricky Rebajoli (drums, percussion)

Background

De De Lind formed in 1969 in Milan with vocalist–guitarist Vito Paradiso, flutist–keyboardist Gilberto Trama, guitarist Matteo Vitolli, bassist Eddy Lorigiola, and drummer Ricky Rebajoli. Their name references an early 1960s Playboy model. Rebajoli had previously played in New Dada and I Nuovi Angeli, the latter of which he rejoined after De De Lind’s dissolution.

Between 1970 and 1972, the group released three singles. Their earliest sides, “Anche se sei qui” (b/w “Come si fa?”) and “Mille anni” (b/w “Ti devo lasciare”), reflect the beat-inflected style of late 1960s Italian pop. The third single, “Signore dove vai” (b/w “Torneremo ancora”), shows a rock-forward direction on the B-side. These singles preceded their sole album on Mercury.

A. “Anche se sei qui” [Even If You’re Here]
B. “Come si fa?” [How Do You Do It?]

A. “Mille anni” [A Thousand Years]
B. “Ti devo lasciare” [I Have to Leave You]

A. “Signore dove vai” [Sir, Where Are You Going?]
B. “Torneremo ancora” [We Will Return Again]

Io non so da dove vengo e non so dove mai andrò. Uomo è il nome che mi han dato.

De De Lind released their singular album in 1972 on Mercury. It contians a continuous suite of seven thematically connected segments that trace the final thoughts of a dying soldier.

Lyrically, it unfolds as a reflection on identity, memory, trauma, and spiritual bewilderment, alternating between war imagery and personal reminiscence. The title translates as “I don’t know where I come from and I don’t know where I will ever go. Man is the name I was given.”

Singer Vito Paradiso lyricized the music co-composed by multi-instrumentalists Matteo Vitolli (electric/acoustic guitars, flute, prepared piano, percussion) and Gilberto Trama (flute, tenor saxophone, organ, prepared piano).

“Fuga e morte” opens with timpani, gongs, and a slow bass–drum pulse that erupts into a fast-paced electric passage with aggressive vocals. A midsection shift introduces acoustic guitar, flute, and organ beneath spoken word. “Indietro nel tempo” begins softly with flute and acoustic strums, then surges into a riff-driven sequence with jam-style electric guitar and forceful vocals. “Paura del niente” weaves alternating calm and turbulent sections with sharp transitions between acoustic fragility, flute-led reflection, and distorted guitar climaxes.

“Smarrimento” contrasts slow flute–guitar passages with sudden rhythmic outbursts and shifting dynamics. “Cimitero di guerra” opens with ceremonial percussion and evolves through ghostlike atmospheres into an electric coda. “Voglia di rivivere” starts with fragile vocals over acoustic guitar, then bursts into a reprise of earlier motifs. “E poi” acts as a brief summation, repeating the album’s title as a final statement.

A1. “Fuga e morte” [Escape and Death] (7:20) — opens with warlike percussion and gongs; builds to aggressive electric sequences with contrasting spoken and sung sections
A2. “Indietro nel tempo” [Back in Time] (4:10) — begins softly with flute and acoustic guitar; transitions into jam-like electric guitar phrases and forceful vocals
A3. “Paura del niente” [Fear of Nothingness] (7:46) — moves between calm vocal–flute passages and tense, accelerating rhythms with sharp guitar distortion

B1. “Smarrimento” [Bewilderment] (7:59) — features a slow flute-led intro with dynamic shifts into heavy guitar and crashing drums; ends with a stark contrast of acoustic and electric interplay
B2. “Cimitero di guerra” [War Cemetery] (5:19) — opens with gong and funereal drums; develops from solemn vocal reflections into a driving rhythmic climax
B3. “Voglia di rivivere” [Desire to Live Again] (3:34) — begins with soft acoustic lines and fragile vocals; builds to a reprise of earlier electric themes
B4. “E poi” [And Then] (2:05) — closes with a short thematic statement containing the album’s title lyric; alternates between subdued verses and brief electric surges

Sessions occurred in 1972 at an unspecified studio with recording and mixing by Davide Marinone. Gianfranco Longo co-mixed the album.

Io non so da dove vengo… features cover art by Ronco and Tallarini. The image depicts a cracked, statue-like human figure kneeling in thought with one hand covering its mouth and a red heart over its chest.

Discography: