Monthly Archives: April 2009

Easy Tempo from ESL

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Experienced lovers of Italian lounge, 60s and 70s Italian sountrack music and chillout sounds will appreciate the excellent track selection on this compilation from ESL. Newcomers, this collection of grooves is an OUTSTANDING primer. Have you heard the glorious sounds of Morricone and want to learn who else was creating lush, gorgeous textures in Italian cinema? Easy Tempo is the place to start.

There are plenty of legends on this disc, including Armando Trovajoli, Giancarlo Barigozzi, The Green Future, Piero Piccioni and the amazing Piero Umiliani. There is a great selection here, from loungey grooves to more suspenseful tracks from Italian thrillers. This disc is a good gateway drug to the hip, swinging world of Italian soundtracks, which are far cooler than most of their American counterparts in many cases.

It’s important to note that this CD is NOT part of the Italian-made Easy Tempo series distributed by Right Tempo, but it does contain a cross section of tracks licensed by ESL from that hard-to-find series.

Here’s the best bit–you can support Turntabling.net by purchasing a copy of this Easy Tempo disc from Turntabling. Use the PayPal button below to place your order and it will be sent out immediately. This is part of our very selective stock of media which will be made available for purchase over the coming weeks. It’s true–Turntabling is expanding its horizons, as I want to do more than talk about this great stuff–I want to bring it to you as well. It all starts with Easy Tempo…if you’re new to Italian soundtrack sounds and want to support Turntabling, click the Paypal button with my sincere thanks.

Buy Easy Tempo–$15 plus FREE SHIPPING.





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Ancient Astronauts–We Are To Answer

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The new Ancient Astronauts album We Are To Answer is another one of those releases that makes me wonder why the artists aren’t getting gigs doing soundtrack work. There are some lush, atmospheric cuts on this new release from ESL (due out June 9th). “From The Sky” and “I Came Running” kick things off nicely in that vein.

This isn’t quite trip hop, and it’s not quite soundtrack sounds, there’s a collision of hip hop, ambient, and spaced-out sounds here ala Unkle with more than a hint of dub rounding out the disc.

This album only really goes wrong when the vocals distract from the the dub-hop vibe. The track that works best with vocals is “Dark Green Rod” where Ulf Stricker drops in without crushing the vibe the way guest The Pharcyde does on “Classic”. That track would work a hell of a lot better if The Pharcyde didn’t resort to tired rap cliches, “Yeah, whazzup everybody, it’s The Pharcyde…” It’s been done far too many times…rapping about how great you and the band are? Very, very tired. Move on, lads.

“Lost in Marrakesh” is outstanding, a fine example of Ancient Astronauts at work in the atmosphere department. They also nail “A Hole To Swallow Us”. Nice moody stuff with guest vox by Phat Old Mamas who convey the right amount of soul without hitting an overblown Top 40 radio vocal approach. Skillfully done, and that track ends much too soon.

Best cut on “We Are To Answer” is the energetic “Everybody”, which after all the mellower tracks finally pulls out the funk in the final third of the album. More of this, please!

When it comes to all the featured artists, I get it–Ancient Astronauts need to trade on the currency provided by all the guests, but I think they’d fare much better without the helpers. This is a group still fumbling a bit for an identity, but you can hear where they’re headed. Good stuff when it works. Skip the weak tracks and you’ve got solid late night listening.

Zabriskie Point Soundtrack LP

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The film Zabriskie Point, directed by Michaelangelo Antonioni, starts off with a bang–a classroom full of radicals discussing whether or not violence is necessary as a form of political protest. The opposing views are montaged over Pink Floyd’s “Heart Beat, Pig Meat” and things only get more interesting from there.

If you haven’t seen the film, the real impact of the Zabriskie Point soundtrack is probably lost–some of this on its own sounds like hippie noodlings and acid-heads-only material, but in context the album is an excellent journey. The standout tracks on this are all by Pink Floyd, but don’t let that stop you from exploring the rest of this lovely piece of wax. On the whole, Antonioni’s Blow Up is far more listenable as a soundtrack record divorced from its’ film context, but that’s not to say Zabriskie Point isn’t good–but if you’ve seen the movie you’re in a better position to dig it.

Check out this totally misleading trailer–this is NOT an action movie or a euro-style sex romp…yet everything you see below is IN the movie, it’s just not quite in context. Great film, see it soonest.


Funki Porcini Zombie 12-Inch EP

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funki-porcini-zombieThis 12 inch by Funki Porcini is one of my favorite pieces of vinyl. Inspired by (and sampled from) the Lucio Fulci undead classic Zombie, Funki Porcini’s 12 inch opens with the last thing you hear in the movie–the hambone radio announcer’s newscast. “I’ve just been informed that zombies have entered the building. They’re at the door! YEARRRRRGHHHH!”

Priceless.

This album is a great collection of beats. Perfect for chilled out late night listening with the lights turned down to “seduce” and the atmosphere on “bachelor pad”. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED…if you can find it, that is. And sorry, my copy is NOT for sale.

A completely UNRELATED clip by Funki Porcini here, this is just as atmospheric and cool, and the vid is excellent as well: