Psych /
Gente Distratta (LP)
**45th Anniversary Edition, red vinyl, 500 copies numbered** During the 1970s, Italy was one of the most exciting and fascinating musical contexts in Europe, birthing seminal projects and artists like Franco Battiato, Aktuala, Lino 'Capra ' Vaccina, Giusto Pio, Roberto Cacciapaglia, Futuro Antico, and so many more. Defining the scene was an ethos that rigorously pursued creative freedom and experimentation, with its artists fluidly moving between popular music - rock, prog, jazz, etc. - and more…
Psychonaut
*2022 stock* Psychonaut is more relaxed and has far less electronic elements than either Brainticket's first record, Cottonwoodhill, or the album that followed, Celestial Ocean. Though the record is more straightforward and song-oriented, it still has progressive and experimental elements that keep it from sounding too much like anything else. If anything, the group is not quite focused on any one style on this record, throwing in everything from the ethnic-influenced folk of "Radagacuca" and "O…
Goldball
Exmagma's sophomore album, 1974's 'Goldball' grooves like Hendrix jamming with Miles Davis. 'Goldball' definitely is more accessible than the band's debut. Indeed, the spirit is rock'n'roll and the approach is improvisational. This vinyl reissue comes with a biography insert and a sticker."In their sophomore release, the Exmagma guys tend to slow down their penchant for fiery experimental jazz-rock as exposed on their debut album and move to a somewhat different strategy focused on varying demon…
Exmagma
*2022 repress* Exmagma's eponymous first album, recorded in 1972 and released in 1973, reminds a lot of late '60s Soft Machine. Others compare the album to Wolfgang Dauner's output or tracks by Et Cetera. Exmagma's music goes beyond jazz and rock, using a wealth of effects and electronic gadgets. This reissue comes with a replica of the original 8-page insert and sticker.
Orfeo 2000
Repressed for the first time in LP, 1971’s ‘About Time’ was the Ping Pong debut album. Founded by Alan Taylor from The Casuals it was one of the first bands in Italy (based in Bologna) to be inspired by the British sound of the period moving between late ‘60 psychedelic rock and the jazzy prog such Jethro Tull, Tonton Macoute, Camel and Caravan. 10 tracks all sung in English delicate and exceptionally well performed with warm precision, enthusiasm and greater energy in which the excellent musici…
Samurai
Trading Places present a reissue of Samurai's self-titled album, originally released in 1971. In 1971 the group called WEB changed its name to Samurai and started working on their eponymous studio album released on the obscure Greenwich Gramophone label. Samurai is a great gem of early British progressive rock, and although it was clearly influenced by legendary groups such as King Crimson and Gentle Giant, it represented a unicum in the music panorama. Unfortunately, the group disbanded shortly…
Melodi
Tip! Melodi is the second album from captivating duo Kit Sebastian (aka Kit Martin and Merve Erdem). Those familiar with the band's cult classic 2019 debut record 'Mantra Moderne' will instantly recognise their unique sound that blurs boundaries of world music, jazz and psychedelia. Not to be content replicating the same album, sonically the feel of ‘Melodi’ is a maturation. It is more diverse and provides glimpses into many different worlds from the Italian Riviera to the mountains of the Cauca…
Im Tal Der Emmen
This is the first official reissue of this extremely rare album, originally released in 1978 on the Brutkasten label. A very varied fusion album, Im Tal Der Emmen blends Embryo and Zappa / Mothers like rock and jazz mixtures, with a rich instrumental palette, full of solos and invention.Mostly it intended to sound like an instrumental Out Of Focus (Freeman Brothers in 'The Crack In The Cosmic Egg'). The album has this charming kraut / fusion style. The sextet line-up resulted in a very rich soun…
Arbeit Macht Frei
* 500 copies, numbered edition. Remastered edition, Blue vinyl *Appearing as it did in 1973, Area's debut album must have sounded to the average Italian pop critics like the end of the world. Issued on the Cramps label, the album highlighted Area's early sound, which featured overt folk melodies, Canterbury Scene prog rock, acid psychedelia, and vanguard jazz all filtered through a particularly Italian sensibility. Those who came to love PFM later will not be able to handle the beautiful -- yet …
Sound Cycles
* 300 copies on black vinyl * Lost studio sessions from 1973 revealed for the first time. Comes in a beautiful silk screen thick carton sleeve. Includes a full colour 12 page booklet with linernotes from researcher Frank Jochemsen. 678 Records is proud to announce the Dutch incarnation of Third Eye: cosmic space music from Jan Huydts (Fender Rhodes piano & synthesizer), John Schuursma (guitar & sitar) and Leo de Ruiter (drums & percussion).
48 years after the recordings were made, 678 Records i…
Napoli Centrale (1975)
* 500 copies, numbered edition. Remastered edition, Red vinyl *. Napoli Centrale were formed in Naples in 1974 on the initiative of James Senese (sax, vocals) and Franco Del Prete (drums) after their experience in another band called the Showmen 2. They joined forces with American keyboardist Mark Harris and British bassist Tony Walmsley and in 1975 released an eponymous debut album blending in an original way Mediterranean roots and jazz rock. James Senese’s father was an American soldier who h…
A Story Ended
This is the first official re-release on vinyl under licensed courtesy of BMG Rights Management,UK, remastered from an original master copy out of the vaults of BMG, originally released in 1972 on Bronze Records. Co-founder of Colosseum in 1968 with Jon Hiseman, Dick Heckstall-Smith knew from his Jazz Club years as drummer for Georgie Fame, Dick ran through this group`s hectic recording and touring schedule for over 3 years until November 1971, when it disbanded. In his late ‘30`s’ at that time,…
1979 Il Concerto - Omaggio A Demetrio Stratos
* High quality vinyl reissue with remastered sound. 40th Anniversary Edition. Red Vinyl *On June 13th, 1979 in Demetrio Stratos, one of the most creative artists in the whole Italian progressive and experimental music scene of the 70's, died of medullary aplasia at the age of 34. Born in Alexandria in 1945 from Greek parents (his real name was Demetrious Efstratios), he moved to Milan at the age of seventeen to study architecture. After the experience with the beat group I Ribelli, in 1972, he …
The Soft Machine
* Gatefold sleeve replicating the original album, with a circular cut-out in sleeve, revealing rotating 'clockwork image' card insert through which the band members can be viewed on a further inserted full-color backing sheet* The first two albums by England's legendary Soft Machine, originally released in 1968 and 1969, remain among the most innovative and influential releases of that musically fertile era. These seminal LPs offered a visionary psychedelic-progressive-jazz-rock mix that helped …
Non E' Poi Cosi' Lontano
* 45th Anniversary. 180g pressing, Coloured vinyl, numbered edition of 600 copies * A heavy-hitting, full-on jazz-rock progressive record from this Italian group – and probably their most underrated effort of the early years! Perigeo is in great form throughout, with a talent for time and chord changes that displays many years spent woodshedding solos from their biggest influences. Claudio Fasoli's reeds are nice and choppy, and work very well with Tony Sidney's strident guitar parts. Frando D'…
Lighthouse
LP-Style Miniature Sleeve CD reissue with OBI strip/Printed in Japan. Original 1969 recording by this horn-heavy jazz rock band
Ipotesi
* Deluxe Edition. Released in a gatefold cover. Black Vinyl Numbered Limited Edition of 899 copies 1 page insert 2 OBI strips * Another great italian avantgarde progressive rarity from 1972! Complex and excellent album, with classic moments, jazz-rock influences in the Canterbury vein, acoustic parts, sudden rhythm changes and complex arrangements, in a few words everything we love from vintage italian prog! "Part of the charm of the Italian progressive rock is undoubtedly due to its inner prese…
Solution
* 50th Anniversary edition of 500 individually numbered copies on orange marbled vinyl * Solution is the Solution's impressive self-titled debut album, which was recorded over just three consecutive days in 1971. Blending psychedelic and prog with jazz, Solution created a unique sound.
Some of the tracks, such as “Koan” and “Circus Circumstances” (the latter of which was based on a composition by French composer Jacques Ibert), see the band playing frantically as an ensemble, while the shorter a…
Live in Montreux
* Green Vinyl Edition * Founded in the Italy centre town of Ancona, Agorà curiously debuted with a live album instead of a studio one: they played an almost-instrumental typical jazz-rock, and they were invited to play at the famous Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland (a place that is most remembered for the fire that inspired Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water"). That's where "Live in Montreux" was recorded, a four-track LP, one of which has been cut in two parts on the two sides of the album.…