An amazing record – one that stands as one of Chico Buarque's greatest from the 70s! The set was recorded in Italy in 1970 – and features Chico singing lead vocals over backings handled by Ennio Morricone – all in a style that's a perfect blend of MPB with the best elements of the Italian scene of the time! The songs are all originals written by Chico – and have a light and dreamy samba/bossa feel, one that's inflected by the off-beat orchestral style of Morricone, and supported by vocals from I Cantori Moderni. The feel is halfway between Chico's work on RGE and some of the dreamier Morricone soundtracks of the time – and it's a wonderful thing to have a strong male lead vocal over backings from Morricone – a really rare thing for the time, with results that are tremendous. Titles include "Rotativa", "Samba E Amore", "Nicanor", "Tu Sei Una Di Noi", "In Te", "Ed Ora Dico Sul Serio", and "Quete E Quelle". CD

An amazing record – one that stands as one of Chico Buarque's greatest from the 70s! The set was recorded in Italy in 1970 – and features Chico singing lead vocals over backings handled by Ennio Morricone – all in a style that's a perfect blend of MPB with the best elements of the Italian scene of the time! The songs are all originals written by Chico – and have a light and dreamy samba/bossa feel, one that's inflected by the off-beat orchestral style of Morricone, and supported by vocals from I Cantori Moderni. The feel is halfway between Chico's work on RGE and some of the dreamier Morricone soundtracks of the time – and it's a wonderful thing to have a strong male lead vocal over backings from Morricone – a really rare thing for the time, with results that are tremendous. Titles include "Rotativa", "Samba E Amore", "Nicanor", "Tu Sei Una Di Noi", "In Te", "Ed Ora Dico Sul Serio", and "Quete E Quelle". LP, Vinyl record album

A cool change from the usual from Ennio Morricone – a later soundtrack, and one that features some surprisingly jazzy tracks! Part of the set features the more standard Morricone orchestrations you might expect – some really great tracks that have offbeat larger arrangements that are nicely unsettling, but in a completely charming way. But other tracks are even more striking – and feature performances by the trio of pianist Enrico Pierannunzi – working here at his most fluid and vibrant, with a style that's even more evocative than most of his standard albums! A few numbers have a groove we've never heard from Enrico, and some of the orchestral tracks are mighty groovy too – very different than what you might expect from the 1980 date of the film. (Note: This item is not for sale online until noon on Saturday, July 17. It is in limited supply – and by nature of the Record Store Day rules it will be offered for sale first to customers who visit the Dusty Groove retail outlet in Chicago the morning of Saturday, July 17. It will not be pre-sold or reserved in any way. However, after noon on July 17 we will offer up whatever we have left for sale online.) LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful illustration of the balance of light and darkness in the best work of Ennio Morricone – and an obscure soundtrack that dances between both sides of the spectrum! The main theme is incredibly sweet – one of those lightly drifting Morricone numbers that features wordless vocals from Edda Dell'Orso – but other tunes then go much deeper into the depths – hitting odd tones, moody instrumental passages, and somber rhythms that are then surprisingly offset by lighter numbers that are peppered throughout the score. The instrumentation includes a number of unusual twists that are not typical of Morricone at the time – and titles include "Cadenze", "Aleatorio", "Cosa Avete Fatto A Solange", "Raccapriccio", "Una Tromba E La Sua Notte", "Fine Di Solange", and "Sottinitesi". LP, Vinyl record album

Great Morricone music for this legendary Italian western – a film that was first advertised with the line "When you've waited 15 years to a kill a man, it's a shame you can only kill him once!" The music here shows the same sort of determination as that statement – a driving, relentless theme by Morricone, taken to greater heights by the vocal chorus of I Cantori Moderni – who bring a nice sense of drama to the music, and almost underscore some of the darker elements that the maestro would use more heavily in the 70s! And as usual with Ennio, there's lots of weird, unusual elements at play – including oddly-tuned guitar parts, a spooky flute line, and even some subtle sonic modes that we can't figure out at all. Titles include "Death Rides A Horse", "Guitar Nocturne", "Man & A Whistle", "Anger & Sorrow", "Alone In The Night", and "Mystic & Severe". 26 tracks in all! CD

Great Morricone music for this legendary Italian western – a film that was first advertised with the line "When you've waited 15 years to a kill a man, it's a shame you can only kill him once!" The music here shows the same sort of determination as that statement – a driving, relentless theme by Morricone, taken to greater heights by the vocal chorus of I Cantori Moderni – who bring a nice sense of drama to the music, and almost underscore some of the darker elements that the maestro would use more heavily in the 70s! And as usual with Ennio, there's lots of weird, unusual elements at play – including oddly-tuned guitar parts, a spooky flute line, and even some subtle sonic modes that we can't figure out at all. Titles include "Death Rides A Horse", "Guitar Nocturne", "Man & A Whistle", "Anger & Sorrow", "Alone In The Night", and "Mystic & Severe". 2LP version features the expanded score – 25 tracks in all! LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked Ennio Morricone score from the late 70s – one done for a b-grade erotic film, but which features the maestro working at the height of his powers! The instrumentation is maybe a bit more keyboard-oriented than a few years before – but handled in a way that really underscores the erotic, ala Stelvio Cipriani – mixed with sweet touches that include the occasional sax solo, vocals from Edda Dell'Orso, and a bit of violin from Yoko Sato – all handled in a way that's a lot more tasteful and compelling than some other work of this nature from the time! Titles include "Dedicato Al Mare Egeo", "Lisa E Nikos", "E Fuggi Via", "Vedere E Non Saper", Tre Per Tre", and "La Donna Della Finestra Di Fronte". This limited edition on Quartet includes 11 bonus tracks – "Cavallina A Cavallo", "Un Grido", "Tre Per Tre", "Vedere E Non Sapere" and more. CD

An overlooked Ennio Morricone score from the late 70s – one done for a b-grade erotic film, but which features the maestro working at the height of his powers! The instrumentation is maybe a bit more keyboard-oriented than a few years before – but handled in a way that really underscores the erotic, ala Stelvio Cipriani – mixed with sweet touches that include the occasional sax solo, vocals from Edda Dell'Orso, and a bit of violin from Yoko Sato – all handled in a way that's a lot more tasteful and compelling than some other work of this nature from the time! Titles include "Dedicato Al Mare Egeo", "Lisa E Nikos", "E Fuggi Via", "Vedere E Non Saper", Tre Per Tre", and "La Donna Della Finestra Di Fronte". This limited edition on Quartet includes 11 bonus tracks – "Cavallina A Cavallo", "Un Grido", "Tre Per Tre", "Vedere E Non Sapere" and more. CD

45 tracks on 2 CDs. CD

The actual film was weaker than the first Exorcist movie, but the soundtrack's a great one – a wonderful Ennio Morricone score, right up there with his better-known classics of the 70s! Some tracks have a full, sweeping style that's sublime – that compressed Morricone approach to orchestrations that nobody else could touch – a redemptive sound which is then mixed with some much darker elements underneath – including some rough percussion, spooky voices, and other earthy touches that really stir things up. In fact, the overall effect of the record might scare you a lot more than the film – especially if you played it alone at home, late at night, with the lights off, and your head spinning round! Titles include "Great Bird Of The Sky", "Little Afro-Flemish Mass", "Regan's Theme", "Pazuzu", "Night Flight", and "Exorcism". LP, Vinyl record album

An early soundtrack from Ennio Morricone – and a more unusual setting than some of his famous later work of the 60s and 70s! The movie is a prison comedy, and is handled by Morricone with style that's heavily in the crime jazz side of the spectrum – maybe more in the mode of Piero Piccioni in the early 60s, and occasionally mixed with some more dramatic tracks, and a few playful comedic moments. The whole thing is a very different slice of the maestro than expected, and still pretty darn great – a key look at his roots before stardom. Titles include the vocal number "Oh Little Birdy" – plus "Gangsters", "Al Night Club", "Bossa Per Gloria", "Incontro Dei Boss", "Le Sedie Elettriche", "Ballando Ballando", and "Il Tempo Che Passa". CD

A wonderfully weird Ennio Morricone score – done for an equally weird western that starred the great Terence Hill in the lead! The movie mixes in a bit of comedy with straight action – and Morricone's music really fits that vibe – with a blend of more familiar classic Morricone western modes with more unusual sounds that really spice things up – with touches that include "squishy" electric keyboards, rolling vocal choruses, whistles, clock ticking, and other odd elements! There's an incredible amount of humor here, and the soundtrack stands as one of Morricone's more mad moments from a time when he was otherwise fairly subtle in his writing – served up with orchestrations conducted by Bruno Nicolai, and some voices from I Cantori Moderni. Titles include "Il Mio Nome E Nessuno", "Uno Strano Barbiere", "Piu Delle Valchirie", and "Con I Migliori Auguri". Expanded edition – with 23 tracks! CD

A string-laden, sweeping score by the great Ennio Morricone – for the 18th Century pirate romance L'Avventuriero! The film provided an opportunity for a wide departure from the spaghetti western work Morricone was so famously working on at the time – with some really sensitive, mellow moments! The string arrangements and light pianos manage to balance between epic romance and tempered melodicism very delicately. The work of a master! Titles include "L'Avventuriero Pts 1, 2 & 3", "Il Rogo Della Strega", "Un Attimo Di Tenerezza", "Paura Dei Ricordi", "Tema Di Peirol", "Il Varo" and "Momenti Serini". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic score from Ennio Morricone – one of those extra-special soundtracks of his that really seem to elevate from the rest – with a sublime blend of elements that's completely unique! The sound here is in the best Mondo Morricone mode – often slowly stepping, kind of a loungey approach to funk – with isolated strings, moody instrumentation, and some great highlights that include work by Oscar Valdambrini on flugelhorn, Edda Dell'Orso on voice, and I Cantori Moderni on wordless vocals! The sound is beautiful and spooky at the same time – post-bossa, with that more sophisticated sound that Morricone built up as the 70s moved in. The whole thing's wonderful – and titles include "La Cugina", "La Sera La Nott, Il Giorgno", and "De Copalamo". LP, Vinyl record album

A groovy soundtrack to a film we'd love to see – an obscure thriller that starred Henry Fonda and Yul Brynner – and which, like most of the Morricone-scored films of the period, has dropped from cinematic history, even though the wonderful soundtrack lives on! The style of the music runs between the two poles of work from Morricone at the time – with some cuts that are spare, quiet, and very pretty, and others that are fuller, more turgid, and filled with the kind of jagged touches that can make his soundtracks incredibly dark. The main theme – "Il Serpente" – is offered in two great versions, one spare and pretty, the other a bit more driving, but still pretty darn groovy. Other tracks include "Canzone Lontana", "Nadine", "Orazione", "Tema Per Una Donna Sola", and "Parata Militare". This great CD edition features 13 more bonus tracks – which makes for a whopping 72 minutes of music! CD

A wonderfully lush score from Ennio Morricone – done for this end-of-century film with Tim Roth in the lead – and which features the surprising appearance of Roger Waters and Eddie Van Halen on the track "Lost Boys Calling"! Don't worry, the rest of the album is prime Morricone material – of that more orchestral style he often did for larger budget Hollywood films, but which still had all of his best ideas intact. Titles include "Danny's Blues", "Second Crisis", "Ships & Snow", "Legend Of The Pianist", "The Crave", "Playing Love", "Mozart Reincarnated", and "1900s Theme". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic early soundtrack material from Ennio Morricone – penned for one of the "mondo" films of the time – a 1964 shockumentary on the state of Italian youth! As such, it's got lots of short jazzy tunes that run at a pretty fast groove, ostensibly to show the dissipation of the kids as they learn how to party – almost inspired by the realist style of early 60s TV, with a mix of bold themes, and more somber, contemplative ones. I Cantori Moderni sing wordless dreamy vocals on some numbers – and the shorter tracks offer up a very different sound of Morricone than you might expect – one that's more linked to some of his earlier pop productions in Italy – and which really gives you an idea of the depth of his early talents, even before the spaghetti western boom! Titles include "Twist Delle Zitelle", "La City", "Matricole", "Senza Freno", "Le Facce", "Penso A Te", "Bianco E Nero", and "La Prima Volta". Features a whopping 32 tracks in all – lots of unreleased bonus tracks! CD

Fantastic early soundtrack material from Ennio Morricone – penned for one of the "mondo" films of the time – a 1964 shockumentary on the state of Italian youth! As such, it's got lots of short jazzy tunes that run at a pretty fast groove, ostensibly to show the dissipation of the kids as they learn how to party – almost inspired by the realist style of early 60s TV, with a mix of bold themes, and more somber, contemplative ones. I Cantori Moderni sing wordless dreamy vocals on some numbers – and the shorter tracks offer up a very different sound of Morricone than you might expect – one that's more linked to some of his earlier pop productions in Italy – and which really gives you an idea of the depth of his early talents, even before the spaghetti western boom! Titles include "Twist Delle Zitelle", "La City", "Matricole", "Senza Freno", "Le Facce", "Penso A Te", "Bianco E Nero", and "La Prima Volta". 2LP set features seven unreleased tracks – and two more tracks that appear on vinyl for the first time! LP, Vinyl record album

An impeccable collection of work from one of the greatest soundtrack talents ever – a package that brings together a range of rare work from the 70s, including a number of previously-unreleased tracks! The music does have some of the dark tinges promised by the title, but this is less the atonal, avant Morricone than the more sonically mindblowing side of the composer – all sorts of unusual ways to use and record familiar instruments, offbeat combinations of notes and sounds, and an overall ear for the scope of the music that always leaves us breathless when we hear material this strong! The package features 27 tracks in all – 7 of which are unreleased – and the combination of cuts is wonderful. Features music from Stark System, L'Automobile, Lui Per Lei, Spotlati Protesta Uccidi, Quando L'Amore E Sensualita, Eat It, Peur Sur La Ville, Storie Di Vita E Malavita, La Smagliatura, Copkiller, San Babila Ore 20, Rene La Canne, and other films too. CD

An impeccable collection of work from one of the greatest soundtrack talents ever – a package that brings together a range of rare work from the 70s, including a number of previously-unreleased tracks! The music does have some of the dark tinges promised by the title, but this is less the atonal, avant Morricone than the more sonically mindblowing side of the composer – all sorts of unusual ways to use and record familiar instruments, offbeat combinations of notes and sounds, and an overall ear for the scope of the music that always leaves us breathless when we hear material this strong! The package features 27 tracks in all – 7 of which are unreleased – and the combination of cuts is wonderful. Features music from Stark System, L'Automobile, Lui Per Lei, Spotlati Protesta Uccidi, Quando L'Amore E Sensualita, Eat It, Peur Sur La Ville, Storie Di Vita E Malavita, La Smagliatura, Copkiller, San Babila Ore 20, Rene La Canne, and other films too. LP, Vinyl record album

There's few groups who could ever hope to wrap together influences from Stax Records, Ennio Morricone, and Curtis Mayfield – and whole the whole thing could ever turn out well – but the mighty Babe Ruth do exactly that, and still find time for some of their own unique grooves as well! The group are every bit as groovy here as on their previous records – mixing fuzzy guitars, well-crafted rhythms, and a nicely compressed version of prog into an amazingly fresh sound that still delights all these many years later – thanks to well-crafted vocals from Jenny Haan, and sharp arrangements from Alan Shacklock, whose guitars and sense of wit really keeps the whole thing moving nicely. Shacklock penned most of the original tunes here – like "Dancer", "Somebody's Nobody", "Jack O'Lantern", and "The Dutchess Of Orleans" – and the group also turn in nice remakes of "Fistful Of Dollars", "We The People Who Are Darker Than Blue", and "Private Number". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best records ever from the Gruppo D'Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza – an obscure side project of Ennio Morricone and other Italian composers – working here in a freaky, psychedelic setting! The album mixes sonic experiments with fuzzy guitars, freaky keyboards, and some surprisingly funky rhythms at times – at a level that's even more compelling than some of the group's other projects – especially given that the album's three tracks are all quite long, with lots of room for instrumental experimentation! Yet as in some of the best prog work of the period – such as by Can or Faust – there's a sense of focus and groove that really holds the whole thing together. And given that these guys had already had years of experience in the studio – on both sides of the production booth – they really have a wonderful ear for extremely inventive sounds. Titles include "Kumalo", "The Feed-Back", and "Quasars". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing lost album from the legendary Gruppo D'Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza – a sextet of Italian modernists that included Ennio Morricone! The album may well be the group's grooviest ever – recorded right after their legendary Feed-back set, and done with a similar blend of compelling rhythms and odd instrumentation – in ways that are undeniably funky at points, and downright trippy at others! The drumming seems to draw a lot from the changes in German prog – with a very specific Can influence at work – and other elements move in and out of the mix in a really great way – clearly improvisational, but when the groove gets going, it's clear that the players also can't help starting to jam. The record was recorded in 1971, but never issued at the time – and titles include "Niente", "Bambu", "Toms", "Renitenza", "Mattatoio", "Down", "Sieben", and "Bali". LP, Vinyl record album

An extremely unique Henry Mancini soundtrack – scored for this European film that starred Marcello Mastroianni and Ingrid Bergman – with a sound that's almost in a similar mood to the work of Ennio Morricone from the same time! Most of the tracks are fairly dark and moody – with simple themes running through them, handled by spare strings, augmented by bits of instrumentation on guitar or melodica – really nice touches, and that same sense of restraint that Henry Mancini was bringing to some of his own instrumental albums of the early 70s. The overall sound is quite compelling – if less groovy than most of Mancini's more famous work from the 60s. Titles include "Two Girls", "The Retreat", "Invitation", "Love Theme From Sunflower", and "Giovanna". CD features lots of bonus tracks in mono – 19 more numbers that include film versions from the score, and a demo of "Loss Of Love", and a piano demo of "Love Theme From Sunflower". CD

Classic cop soundtrack work from the Italian scene of the 70s – a funky nugget that rivals our own American police scores of the time, but one that also has some darker elements too! The upbeat tunes here often feature lots of keyboards, funky bass, and guitar – quick-tempo grooves that move with lots of fast action – offset by some mellower numbers that mix in spookier strings and some creepier orchestrations, of the sort you might hear in an Ennio Morricone soundtrack. Micalizzi's always been one of the best Italian composers for crime/cop work like this – and the score is right up there with his best work – beautifully presented in this package that features 17 cuts from the film! CD

Two of the grooviest tracks from the soundtrack to Gli Angeli Del 2000 – one of the best musical moments from Mario Molina! Edda Dell'Orso sings in the lead on "Ash" – but the tune is funky, and Edda's actually singing real lyrics – not the wordless vocalizations she usually does with Ennio Morricone! The tune's got a strutting bassline over the drums, and some mighty nice horns – and it's backed by the main theme of the soundtrack, which has a mix of groovy guitar, funky drums, and chimes that seems very inspired by the Messe Pour Le Temps Present of Pierre Henry! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Some of the darkest work we've ever heard from Bruno Nicolai – an Italian soundtrack composer who's usually in the more groovy side of the spectrum – but who here proves that he can be as moody and offbeat as his frequent musical partner, Ennio Morricone! The tunes have some occasional swinging moments, but often move into more offbeat, atonal modes – such as those explored by Morricone in his tenser horror soundtracks, or in his music with Gruppo D'Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza – the latter of whom would be a great comparison to the sound of this set. We've always loved Nicolai's music, and we're even more impressed that he can come up with work of this nature too – especially when he still finds a way to make things feel slightly cinematic. Titles include "Simbolica", "Risolutiva", "Metodica", "Vocale", "Immaginativa", and "Integrante". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest soundtracks of the 60s – presented here in a massive package that brings forth a wealth of never-reissued music! Piero Piccioni really hit his stride for the music to this film that was directed by its star – the effervescent Alberto Sordi – a fantastic send-up on the London scene of the time, set to a range of modly romping tunes! Piccioni handled the main music – often with loads of great piano and organ lines – but there's also some great vocal moments too, sung by Lydia MacDonald, Julie Rogers, and even Sordi – and the record also features a few touches from I Cantori Moderni, and a bit of music from Ennio Morricone too. Titles include the wonderful "Mr Dante Fontana", a nutty groover about the mod fashion scene in London – and it also features the famous tracks "Richmond Bridge" and "You Never Told Me". Titles include a few versions of "Fontana" and "Richmond", plus "Ascot Dream", "Magic Castle", "Tango Walk", "Drag Beat", "This Is Life", "Palace Parade March", "Babylon, I'm Coming", and "His Dream Has Come True". 3CD set features the full original album in both mono and stereo – plus 71 bonus tracks from the film score! CD

Features tracks by Ennio Morricone, Nick Perito, Lalo Schifrin, Billy Preston, David Bowie, and others! LP, Vinyl record album

Not much of a cover, but that's usually the way it is with the Cometa Sound Library – who provided all the great grooves on this set! Cometa was one of the more obscure sound library labels on the 70s scene – but they also maybe lasted the longest, perhaps because they were small – and they managed to forge relations with some of the best composers from the Italian film scene at the time – who bring to their recordings a wealth of cool instrumental touches and unusual elements that rival our favorite soundtracks! This set follows the full scope of the Cometa sound – some numbers are funky, some are jazzy, some are dreamy, and one even gets a bit disco – and titles include "Il Caso Bebawi" by Berto Pisano, "Colpi Di Piume E Tempesta" by Ennio Morricone, "American Sound" by Alessandro Alessandroni & Sandro Brugnoli, "Macchina D'Amore" by Armando Trovajoli, "Dolce Notte" by Luigi Zito, and "Policeman" by Tito Schipa & Giovanni Tommaso. LP, Vinyl record album

There's few big directors we'd trust with a compilation soundtrack as much as Quentin Tarantino – and once again, the Q's shown us that his knowledge of older music runs as deep as his talent for directing a fresh image on the screen! The package here is made up of older rock, soul, and soundtrack bits from the 60s and 70s – sweet pop next to heavy guitars next to deeper soul numbers – all in a way that makes even the familiar tunes sound somehow darker than before in this new company! There's a few snippets of dialogue from the film on the disc – but not too many to get in the way – and titles include "Sally & Jack" by Pino Donaggio, "Hold Tight" by Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick & Tich, "Jeepster" by T Rex, "The Love You Save" by Joe Tex, "Baby It's You" by Smith, "The Last Race" by Jack Nitzsche, "Paranoia Prima" by Ennio Morricone, "Staggolee" by Pacific Gas & Electric, "It's So Easy" by Willy DeVille, "Down In Mexico" by The Coasters, "Good Love Bad Love" by Eddie Floyd, and "Riot In Thunder Alley" by Eddie Beram. LP, Vinyl record album

New material from the legendary Alessandro Alessandroni – one of the key forces in helping define the sound of Italian film scores in the 60s and sound library material in the 70s – still alive and well here, and working in a style that's maybe a more intimately focused presentation of his talents! The maestro handles lead instruments throughout, echoing all of the special solo sound he'd use on soundtracks – both under his own name, and with other composers, like Ennio Morricone – and the set features Alessandroni on guitars, keyboard, recorder, mandolin, and accordion – plus some of his famous whistling work too! The set was produced by his son, who handles some other instruments too – and there's light touches of strings on a number of tunes. Titles include "My Moon", "Una Favola", "The Milky Way", "Walking On The Lane", "Melody On The Hill", "A Waltz Under The Stars", "Summer Of Emotions", "Drive To Nowhere", and "Rhino Poaching". CD

Flying Lotus is not only very much alive on You're Dead! – he's as lively as ever – delivering his best, most diverse record to date! The Flying Lotus sound is in peak form here – glitchy beats and spacey keyboards, deftly layered samples, and carrying boundless influences from cosmic soul jazz to leftfield hip hop! An impressive guest roster from both realms participate – with appearances by Herbie Hancock (!!!), Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, frequent collaborator and stylistic sibling Thundercat, strings arranger Miguel Atwood Ferguson and others. Standout moments include the tracks "Tesla" and "Moment Of Hesitation", both with some incredible keyboards by Herbie Hancock, plus the uber-moody, Ennio Morricone-sampled "Turtles" – but the whole thing is great, and shows that the Flying Lotus phenomenon is still in ascension, circa 2014. Other cuts include "Cold Dead", "Never Catch Me" with Kendrick Lamar, "Dead Man's Tetris" with Snoop Dogg, "Turkey Dog Coma", "Stirring", "Obligatory Cadence", "The Protest" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A cool little soundtrack from Bruno Nicolai – penned for a French film instead of an Italian movie – and with a sound that's a bit different than usual! Nicolai makes nice use of some sweeter themes here – a hint of the modes you might find in Michel Legrand or Francis Lai in the 70s – which lightens things up a bit at the start, before some darker, moodier moments creep into the mix – underscoring the film with some more traditional Giallo elements – those tense, spine-tingling styles that Bruno developed with his frequent partner, Ennio Morricone. There's some isolated piano and guitar lines that have a stark, scraping sort of feel – used to great effect on some of the more upbeat numbers – and a few standout bits have electric bass kind of rumbling up from the bottom, which creates a nice sense of urgency. Titles include "La Verite", "Le Pouvoir", "Theme De Juliette", "Sans Espoir", "Concert A La Cour", "Tango Express", and "Tourbillon Final". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful sounds from Max Richter – doing plenty to evoke the quality of its title, but all without ever sounding sleepy at all! Instead, Richter works here with that careful blend of subtle sounds he's brought to other projects – mixing his own work on piano, organ, and keyboards with contributions from a string quartet and wordless soprano – as the blend of instruments and voice unfold at a level that almost reminds us of the pairing of Ennio Morricone and Edda Dell'Orso! Yet Richter's approach is less dramatic – and each new passage builds slowly, subtly – sometimes with these older echoes that almost take us back to Albioni or Pachelbel, yet without any hoke at all. Sounds from the project were distilled into the lovely, hour-long From Sleep record, but this is the full 8 hour experience – same as full night's rest – but even dreamier as a conscious experience! Titles include "Dream 1 (Before The Wind Blows It All Away)","Cumulonimbus", "Aria 1", "Nor Earth, Nor Boundless Sea", "Moth-Like Stars", "Patterns (Lux)", "Space 2 (Slow Waves)", "Never Fade Into Nothingness", "If You Came This Way", "Sublunar", "If You Came This Way", "Non-Eternal", "Path 17 (Before The End Of The Daylight)" and many more. Box set includes 8CDs plus 1 high definition Blu Ray audio disc! CD

The great title track to one of the best scores from Italian maestro Stelvio Cipriani – a tune that bursts out with funky drums that kick into soaring orchestrations, topped by this wicked female vocal from Olympia – whose singing style is as vibrant as the instrumentation! Edda Dell'Orso sings on "Sophisticated Shake" on the flipside – but in that weird breathy style that she used with Ennio Morricone – more voice as sound than as lyrics, next to a hip-stepping bass and cool echoey piano! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Two rare 70s gems from the great Stelvio Cipriani – back to back on a single CD! First up is La Notte Dell'Ultimo Giorno – a record that begins with some of the slinkier modes that we love in Cipriani's music, but which also gets nicely funky at points too – almost always graced by the kind of keyboard lines that make Stelvio such a standout! The keys include electric harpsichord, organ, and what sounds like some of that oddly-tuned piano that Ennio Morricone might use – flowering out in this beautifully balanced mix of modes. Processo Per Direttissima is a film about terrorism and police brutality, but one that gets this wonderfully sweet score from Cipriani – served up in flowing basslines, light percussion, gentle strings, and the kind of forward-moving elements we love so much in Stelvio's music – a quality here that sounds much more like his love or erotic scores than you'd guess from such a thriller! CD features 25 tracks in all – over 70 minutes of music. CD

Fantastic work from one of the grooviest singers of the 60s – the amazing Mina, a vocalist who hardly made waves on this side of the Atlantic, but who served up a wealth of wonderful material from the Italian scene at the time! You might know Mina from a few key soundtrack contributions she made over the years – her vocal range is stunning – and arrangements here are often by important forces from the Italian cinema scene – like Ennio Morricone, Piero Piccioni, Augusto Martelli, and Bruno Canforna – all of whom give Mina these full, rich backings that really match the vivid quality of her voice! But there's also groovy elements at the core, too – styles that are similar to French or British female pop of the period – especially with some of the soul currents of the latter – but shaped differently, given both Mina's style, and the Italian language and the way it comes across in song. The package is long overdue – maybe the first-ever done for the international market on Mina's music – and as with all work on Ace, the presentation is great, with very detailed notes that will teach you plenty while you enjoy the songs – a lineup that includes "Se Telefonando", "E L'Umo Per Me", "Io Sono Quel Che Sono", "No", "Citta Vuota", "Tu Farai", "Beve Amore", "Addio", "Insensatez", "Se C'E Una Cosa Che Mi Fa Impazzire", "TA Ra Ta Ta", and "La Banda". CD

Includes 67 tracks composed by Ennio Morricone, Riz Ortolani, Franco Bixio, Carlo Savina, Enrico Simonetti, and Carlo Rustichelli. Films include Shango, Quanto Costa Morire, Wanted Johnny Texas, Deserto Di Fuoco, Carambola, Uno Straniero A Paso Bravo, Johnny West Il Mancino, and I 4 Dell'Apocalisse. CD