... LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet 70s soundtrack that's filled with great little numbers – the kind of cuts that have a gentle groove and some really sweet keyboard lines – very much in the best spirit of classic work from the decade by contemporary Stelvio Cipriani! We've always loved the work of Roberto Pregadio, but he seems to have an extra special sort of sound here in the company of Carlo Cristallini – and the pair do a good job of moving between short numbers and longer tracks that balance out both the rhythms and the instrumental elements of the overall soundtrack! A few moments are a bit moody, a few are all-out funky – but overall there's a lightly stepping quality to the music that's really great, and which makes for a complete delight as the long soundtrack makes its way through 25 different selections – all presented in the top-shelf way that makes this label so wonderful. CD

One of the nicest collections of Italian western soundtracks we've ever seen – and one with an approach that really gets at the best aspects of the genre! The set's got a great ear for the subtler, simpler, sometimes gentler styles used in spaghetti western scores – and it gets past the obvious, overdone, sometimes kitschy modes that seem to dominate other sets. Many titles are pulled from the catalog of Cinevox records, with a few other entries from additional Italian labels – and the package features 40 tracks in all, with titles that include "Seven Men" and "Quanto Costa Morire" by Franceso De Masi, "I Lunghi Giorni Della Vendetta" by Armando Trovajoli, "Gio La Testa" by Ennio Morricone, "Tema Di Clayton" by Pino Donaggio, "I Giorni Della Violenza" by Bruno Nicolai, "Carambola" by Franco Bixio & Fabio Frizzi, "Fantasia Western" by Roberto Pregadio, "Jeff Bloom" by Gianfranco Di Stefano, "Vado Vedo E Sparo" by Carlo Rustichelli, and "Ya Me Voy" by Luiz Bacalov. CD

American film may have invented the genres of crime jazz and blacksploitation funk – but by the mid 70s, the Italian scene was really giving us a run for our money – as they turned out some amazing grooves for their legendary run of cop and crime films at the time! The movies were awash in music that really kept the action moving – heavy drums, badass basslines, wah wah guitar, and anything else that fit the spirit of a great chase or action scene. This collection brings together some of the best of that stretch – and, as with other of these recent Sugar productions, adds in some unreleased material that makes the package essential, even if you've already got work from this scene in your collection. Titles include "Il Cappotto Dilegno (edit)" by Riz Ortolani, "Poliziotto Spring M2" by Stelvio Cipriani, "Silkin Street" by Guido & Maurizio De Angelis, "Ordine Firmato Inbianco" by Carlo Savina, "Onore E Guapparia M7" by Filippo Trecca, "L'Intoccabile Mr Cliff" by Riz Ortolani, "I Gabbianivolano Basso M13" by Roberto Pregadio, "Body Guard" by Stelvio Cipriano, "Il Braccioviolento Della Mala M10" by Vassili Kojucharov, and "L'Assassino Hale Ore Contate" by Luis Bacalov. LP, Vinyl record album

American film may have invented the genres of crime jazz and blacksploitation funk – but by the mid 70s, the Italian scene was really giving us a run for our money – as they turned out some amazing grooves for their legendary run of cop and crime films at the time! The movies were awash in music that really kept the action moving – heavy drums, badass basslines, wah wah guitar, and anything else that fit the spirit of a great chase or action scene. This collection brings together some of the best of that stretch – and, as with other of these recent Sugar productions, adds in some unreleased material that makes the package essential, even if you've already got work from this scene in your collection. Titles include "Il Cappotto Dilegno (edit)" by Riz Ortolani, "Poliziotto Spring M2" by Stelvio Cipriani, "Silkin Street" by Guido & Maurizio De Angelis, "Ordine Firmato Inbianco" by Carlo Savina, "Onore E Guapparia M7" by Filippo Trecca, "L'Intoccabile Mr Cliff" by Riz Ortolani, "I Gabbianivolano Basso M13" by Roberto Pregadio, "Body Guard" by Stelvio Cipriano, "Il Braccioviolento Della Mala M10" by Vassili Kojucharov, and "L'Assassino Hale Ore Contate" by Luis Bacalov. CD

Fuzzy funk-steeped Italian soundtrack grooves of the finest, funkiest early 70s caliber – rare and unreleased gems mined from the RCA Film Music Vaults – with choice bits by Francesco De Masi, Gianni Marchetti, Guido & Maurizio De Angelis, Piero Umiliani and many more! This is a masterfully curated set, paring up some legendary names from the Italian soundtrack scene with comparably lesser-knowns, and it's filled with exciting numbers which have mostly gone undiscovered ever since! Having been granted the keys to RCA's archival castle, they've really dug up some incredible material, and it's put together with the utmost respect. Amazing! Includes "Il Trapianto" by Gregorio Garcia Segura, "Milano, Il Cla Dei Cabresi" by Gianni Marchetti, "Sortilegio" by Silvano D'Auria, "L'Insegnante" by Piero Umiliani, "Sistemo L'America E Torno" by Luis Bacalov, "L'Altro Dio" by Allessandro Alessandroni, "Commissariato Di Notturna" by Roberto Pregadio and many more. 16 in all – many previously unreleased, or issued on vinyl for the first time ever! LP, Vinyl record album