Galliano Sommavilla – “The Sound Of Sand”
Galliano Sommavilla – “The Sound Of Sand” – Single Review
New year, new me, as they say.
It’s always a good idea to see how you can stretch on a creative level. Far too often, we get locked into the things we do, and because we do them so well, it naturally inhibits our instinct to see what else we might be capable of. Galliano Sommavilla is a great example of that in action as he heads into the start of 2025. Generally known for his work on the piano, and rightfully so – his remarkable musicianship has gained him many accolades on our pages throughout the years. That being said, like many artists & bands out there, he’s gone through years of being tremendously inspired, and times where he’s relied heavily on what he knows works, making more noticeable lateral moves instead of pushing himself forward. Which isn’t to say he’s necessarily done anything wrong – there are no rules on that kinda stuff – if you wanna carve out a lifetime doing what you love and remaining consistent in what you do from the beginning to the end of your career, have at’er hoss…no one’s gonna stop you. The most creative among us have a compulsion to continue to explore their craft and see what else they can accomplish, for better or worse, and in my personal opinion, that’s always going to be a good thing for the artists behind the music we all listen to. I believe we should never stop searching for that next phase of our own evolution as artists, because it always exists. No matter how good or great you’ll ever be at something, there’s always another level to reach.
Where artists tend to feel that trepidation and intimidation, comes through the reality that we often go from being experts in our respected fields, back down a couple pegs as we develop or enrich our skillset. It’s natural though, and something no one should be afraid of. Just because you might be a virtuoso on the piano like Sommavilla has proven to be, doesn’t necessarily mean he gets to be the best swimmer in a competition, or winner of every blue ribbon at the BBQ festival. We might apply the same mindset & be just as determined to succeed, but when you make a shift in what you create or in what you choose to do, it’s completely acceptable to find yourself working your way from the ground up all over again. More often than not, those that are courageous enough to do things differently than they have in the past and are willing to flex their creative muscles in all sorts of directions, tend to come out with pretty solid results…because they embrace change, and welcome new challenges. So while it might seem like you end up at the bottom of the totem pole all of a sudden, chances are, you’re still transferring your work ethic from one set of skills to the next & you’ll find yourself working your way up in no time at all.
In the case of “The Sound Of Sand,” the new single from Galliano Sommavilla that was released at the start of 2025, you’ll find him drifting away from his traditional piano-led melodies into the art of making soundscapes instead. Again, nothing wrong with trying something new – that should always be an opportunity we look for as artists, and something that fans should generally encourage. It doesn’t mean that we are bound as listeners to simply give a rubber stamp of approval, and it doesn’t mean we should automatically rave about whatever shift has occurred in an artist’s work either. I like what I hear in “The Sound Of Sand” and find it intriguing enough, even if I feel like I kinda get the idea by the end of its first minute or so. It’s still a well-produced song and carefully assembled…I like the concept of it mimicking “The Sound Of Sand” on the Moroccan dunes at night, or at least drawing inspiration from that idea…it’s an interesting single to listen to that has good texture to it, even if it’s not likely to be the kind of song that people are reaching for every single day. A lot of tunes have a time and a place, and in that respect, “The Sound Of Sand” is going to be the kind of song you put on when you need to relax or put yourself into a meditative state. If that’s your thing, then of course, there’s lots to love about the subtle dynamics of a song like this. If you’re craving a song with a little more action involved, you’ll likely be moving on from “The Sound Of Sand” fairly quickly. That’s the beauty of the internet y’all…maybe you’re in the mood for something like this, maybe you’re not – but when you are, it’ll be there for ya, online and ready for you to push play anytime you like. Modern convenience at its finest, is it not? Anyhow. From a quality standpoint, Galliano’s work still carries the same stamp of high standards he’s applied to virtually all of his work that I’ve ever listened to, which is of course, a positive thing. I think the majority of the details in a song like “The Sound Of Sand” will probably be passed over by the masses if I’m being honest with ya. While there are changes that occur within this song as it plays, or elements in the background that deserve credit for making this song what it becomes, they are subtle…and he’ll have to live with the fact that the extraordinary efforts he puts into being subtle aren’t always going to be noticed by everybody out there listening. On the bright side, it doesn’t mean they’ll stop listening, or be turned off by what they hear – they just probably won’t fully grasp all that goes into the making of a song like this or how that stacks up to the allure that it possesses. What can be said – music & art are often a thankless pursuit, where no one outside of those that create it really understand all that went into making a moment exist for the rest of us to enjoy.
“The Sound Of Sand” is a commendable effort. Galliano has likely taken a slight step or two back in order to find a new way forward, but that’s ultimately the right way to go about things in the long run. As he continues to build up his skills in this new exploratory direction, I’m confident he’ll continue to grow & evolve quite quickly.
You can find more music from Galliano Sommavilla at his new channel at YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/@gallianomusic
Fun fact – did you know some of the most capable minds and amazing musicians you’ve ever known STILL can’t find the right way to submit their music to us? You’d think it’d be easy, given that it’s right there on the main page of our site, yet the battle still continues! Click here to be the next up on our pages – it’s really that simple!
