Matteo Mancuso, the Italian guitar virtuoso from Sicily, has dropped his new single Solar Wind, featuring none other than Steve Vai. The track comes off Mancuso’s upcoming studio album “Route 96”, due out April 24 via Music Theories Recordings.
Check out the single Solar Wind below. It’s the opening track on the new album.
Mancuso had already released the single Isla Feliz, which features jazz guitarist Antoine Boyer as a special guest. You can find it below.
Mancuso first caught international attention in 2023 with his debut “The Journey”. His technical chops and songwriting talent didn’t go unnoticed, earning him glowing praise from some of the world’s top guitar virtuosos, including Tosin Abasi (Animals As Leaders), Al Di Meola, Dweezil Zappa and, of course, Steve Vai. The debut opened the door to his first international tour for the young guitarist, with sold-out shows across both Europe and the US.
According to Mancuso, “Route 96” is an even more confident achievement, and the writing process was far more focused and detailed than on the debut. While “The Journey” was largely arranged during rehearsals, the new album boasts more deliberately directed composing. Joining Mancuso on “Route 96” are Riccardo Oliva on bass and Gianluca Pellerito on drums. The album was recorded at Fico D’India Studios in Casteldaccia, Italy, and produced by Mancuso together with his father, Vincenzo Mancuso.
You can already pre-order “Route 96”.
Mancuso is heading out on a run of European shows in April. The closest he’ll get to Slovenia is on April 19, 2026, when he plays Padua, Italy (venue: Hall).
“Route 96” track list:
1. Solar Wind (feat Steve Vai)
2. Fire And Harmony
3. Isla Feliz (feat. Antoine Boyer)
4. L.A. Blues One
5. The Great Wall
6. Warm Sunset
7. Black Centurion
8. In The Morning Light
9. The Chicken (feat. Valeriy Stepanov) (Bonus Track)
