The Beat At Cinecitta series, issued by the utterly fantastic label Crippled Dick Hot Wax, is a collection of Italian soundtrack sounds from the sexier, steamier side of Italian cinema. There are three editions of Beat At Cinecitta, both on vinyl and CD. Volume three was limited to 3000 vinyl copies so if you find one, scoop it up fast.
These sounds are addictive–once you start, if your ear is so inclined, you won’t be able to stop collecting them. For me, the gateway drug was a CD called Women In Lounge, which features the same kinds of sounds you’ll get from the Beat At Cinecitta collections…naturally I couldn’t stop there!
To whet your appetite, have a listen to some of these clips–they truly are amazing. Lounge-y, groove-a-delic, with a surreal tinge at times that makes you wonder who spiked the punch at the go-go club. All three of the Beat At Cinecitta releases are essential.
–Joe Wallace
The second clip takes a moment to get started, but it’s worth the wait.
The third track is much more lounge-driven…short, sweet, and should be listened to whilst in a swanky airport departure lounge sipping cappuccino.