Simone Sello is an Italian guitarist, producer, and composer with a wide-ranging career spanning Europe and the United States. After early classical training and establishing himself within Italy’s session scene, he relocated to Los Angeles in the late 1990s, where his work expanded into production, film, and multimedia projects. His career includes collaborations with major pop and rock artists, soundtrack-related work, and enduring connections to both the American and Italian music industries.
Across previous releases, including “The Storyteller’s Project,” Sello has centered his work on instrumental narratives shaped by his interests in travel, cinematic language, and cross-cultural references. His music blends traditional guitar-driven writing with electronic elements and stylistic cues drawn from rock, blues, and vintage soundtracks. These projects often extend beyond recorded music, with live performances incorporating visual components created by Sello himself.
“Paparazzi, Izakayas and Cowboys” stands as Sello’s most fully realized project to date, unfolding as a concept album shaped by geography, movement, and contrast. The record draws on Western imagery, Japanese influences, and retro electronic production without relying solely on nostalgia. Rather, these elements are presented as parallel worlds that naturally intersect. Throughout, the album maintains a clear sense of direction, balancing playful moments with more reflective passages.
The opening tracks establish the album’s tone from the outset. “Big Dipper Horse Ride” and “Grey Horse’s Standpoint” introduce their core musical language through strong melodic ideas and clear stylistic references to Western themes and early electronic music. “City Love” and “Cocktail in Kanda” move toward more urban settings, using tighter arrangements and guest performances to add variety and momentum. Shorter pieces like “Bambolotte” and “Eastern Feathers” serve as transitional moments rather than standalone statements, allowing the album to flow without unnecessary repetition.
The latter half of the record leans toward reinterpretation and mood-driven writing. Covers of Billie Eilish’s “Everything I Wanted” and Pat Metheny’s “Last Train Home” are approached with restraint, favoring tone and structure over technical display. Original tracks such as “Where Crime Lives,” “Roundabout,” and “US 395 and Beyond” bring the album to a close with a sense of distance and reflection, reinforcing the recurring theme of travel.
“Paparazzi, Izakayas and Cowboys” ultimately succeeds as a focused and disciplined project, highlighting Sello’s ability to unify diverse influences into a coherent whole. Fans of Vangelis’ grand, atmospheric compositions or Kubrick’s cinematic sensibilities will find much to appreciate here.
