Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1494707
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 5 MARCH 2023 4 CULTURE AFTER his acclaimed EP Pistola came out in 2021, Michael Azzopar- di is sharing his latest collection of Maltese-language songs in an album called Vaganza. The warm and inviting record is an ode to the Maltese date-night, and yet another love letter to the ever evolv- ing Maltese language. The 13-track album presents a feast of moods and atmospheres, from the joyful eruption of new love, to the tender admission of old love withheld. In Vaganza, Azzo- pardi creates a series of authentic Mal- tese tunes that also aim to entertain. Recorded entirely in Mellieha at Ul- tralow music studios, Vaganza was produced by Jimmy Bartolo, with Mark Axiak, who mixed the album, producing two of the thirteen tracks. Both these local musicians play a vari- ety of instruments on Vaganza, along with several other artists including Noah Fabri from band Karmagenn, Mark Abela (iż-Żizza) from band Brodu, Sean Borg and John J. Bartolo from Brikkuni. Electronic songstress JOON also makes an appearance, sing- ing a duet with Azzopardi called Xatt ix-Xorti. Backing singers include Alex- andra Galea, Jimmy Bartolo and Cher Camilleri. Michael Azzopardi's musical influ- ences are many, and include artists like Devendra Banhart, Damon Albarn and Elliott Smith. "Writing the songs for Vaganza start- ed at the tail-end of the pandemic and peaked in 2022 whilst experiencing a longing for travel and romantic get- aways. The songs are snippets from my past, with healthy doses of longing and hopefulness for beautiful days to come," Azzopardi said. "The songs were written during a very productive time for me creatively. I feel like I was improving my song- writing from one song to the next. I am proud of the fact that this period in my life was captured in such a vibrant way. "It's very rewarding to collaborate and work alongside some of my fa- vourite artists. Their contributions make the songs so much more mean- ingful to me, fun to listen to and are elevated to a narrative that goes be- yond the song itself. The tracks have become a small capsule of memories we all treasure." "Working with Jimmy Bartolo and Mark Axiak was the best part of mak- ing this album. We formed a very spe- cial bond. Their musical skill set and impeccable taste in instrumentation, production and performance can be heard throughout the album. I am ex- tremely excited to write more music and work with these two local giants again in the very near future." You can listen to Vaganza on stream- ing platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube music. FRIENDS of the Earth Malta have recently launched a crowd- funding campaign to restore an old bakery found on the island of Comino. The environmental organisation has plans to turn it into an interpretation centre for the island, which is completely self-sustaining and a not-for- profit space for overnight stays and retreats. The idea was initiated by the organisation's director, Mar- tin Galea De Giovanni who ex- plains, 'I came across the bakery in young adulthood, while I was camping with some friends. It immediately piqued my interest, and I realised that it was the ideal space to turn into a hub for sus- tainability, green education and share Comino's genuine beauty.' As the years went by, the need for a place which is dedicated to educating people about Comi- no's protected Natura 2000 sta- tus became ever more present. 'Most people spend all their time at the Blue Lagoon and have no idea of the true natural qualities and rich cultural heritage which this tiny island has to offer', says Martin, a problem he believes can be solved with this restora- tion exercise. 'I've experienced it first hand at our community garden. Peo- ple are hungry to learn about how they can care for our envi- ronment and the old bakery in Comino is the perfect place to do it.' adds Michelangelo Galea, the organisation's head gardener and custodian at their green resource centre in Floriana. 'I'm hoping that we can get the bakery's oven up and running by the summer. We'll be able to invite people to enjoy a slice of homemade bread in nature!' The building is surrounded by unspoiled nature, and boasts of lovely limestone walls, impres- sive arches and the bakery's orig- inal oven is still intact. Unfortu- nately, the organisation shared that the rest of the building has suffered from decades of neglect. Ceilings have caved in, windows and doors are missing, and it has suffered acts of vandalism. Plans for the dilapidated build- ing, which already have Planning Authority approval, will see the bakery restored to its former glo- ry, using original material from the collapsed sections wherever possible and other second-hand materials to keep the impact as low as possible. Maria Eileen Fsadni, FoEM's communications coordinator, tells us 'We've spoken to so many people who have no clue that a bakery even exists in Comino which is a great pity. It's a beau- tiful building which used to serve bread to the community back in the island's heyday.' She goes on to say, 'Now it's been left to fall to bits, but it's high time that the general public can enjoy it again.' Friends of the Earth Malta stressed that in the first leg of the campaign, they would only like to tackle the basics. They plan to secure the site with windows, doors and basic security in order to prevent more vandalism, in- stall essential facilities, including a simple bathroom and supply some areas of the building with electricity. The first two goals will allow them to turn the old bakery into a community centre equipped with basic hosting facilities, space for informal workshops and a space to immerse in nature. Finally, if they meet the first two targets they would like to responsibly clear the site from the gathering rubble, and rubbish left behind by passers-by. These three things will help Friends of the Earth Malta gain more financial independence moving forward to be able to complete the restoration works with more ease. More importantly, after several decades of neglect the building will once again be enjoyed by the community. Michael Azzopardi releases 'Vaganza' Old Comino bakery crowdfunding launched Michael Azzopardi, photographed by Stephanie Galea Friends of the Earth Malta wants to restore an old bakery found on the island of Comino and turn it into an interpretation centre for the island