Back catalogue: Leftfield

Review: After the success of the first Alessandroni Proibito box set, which sold out in pre-sale before it even hit the stores, Four Flies is proudly back with Volume 2 of the compilation. This new release too features five exclusive 7" singles, housing a total of ten seriously rare tunes. All previously unreleased in physical format, the tracks have been carefully selected from the soundtracks of five obscure Italian films from the late 70s - sexy flicks that flirted with the line between erotic and explicit, and which are now largely forgotten, having been out of circulation for decades. As was the case with the previous volume of the compilation, Alessandroni's music rises above the films' flimsy plots, improvised actors, and amateurish production, exuding his distinctive touch thanks to the (typically Italian) artisanal approach he took to his musical craft. The composer let his creativity run free, playing with his instruments at home as if he were in his own little amusement park; trying to have fun and produce something entertaining and captivating with just the few means at his disposal.

Review: This 17xCD set is a sprawling testament to Lalo Schifrin's genius, charting his journey as a composer who brought jazz, Latin rhythms, and classical grandeur into the heart of Hollywood. 'Mission: Impossible' still brims with tension, its taut rhythm as sharp as ever, while 'Bullitt' is all about brooding jazz-fusion cool. Then there's 'Enter the Dragon', where Eastern motifs meet cinematic swagger. Even lesser-known gems like the haunting 'Kelly's Heroes' theme reveal his knack for blending intricate orchestration with emotional pull. A deep dive into these discs is less a passive listen and more a front-row seat to cinematic history being redefined.