New releases last eight weeks: Library/Archive

Review: The Alex Santos Orchestra is a self-described "orchestra" orchestrated for the express purpose of sanctifying one Alex Santos' lifelong love for jazz and Latin music. Following the much loved 'Alex Santos Y Su Orquesta', 2021's next step in Latinizing said quasi-conceptual ensemble, we've now landed in the project's live ambit. 'The Alex Santos Orchestra On Tour' captures just two live highlights from a much more recent outing (given the mystification surrounding the project, this may or may not have happened). Whatever the case, these recordings span both potentialities, retaining something of a highly-strung Hammond organ come upfront-drumkit drama on the B-side, 'Mr Clean', and an equally stirring version of the main theme from 'The Godfather' on the A.

Review: ATA Records, camped out in Leeds, formed in 2014 by Neil Innes in a formerly disused garage on the outskirts of town. Described as an "Aladdin's Cave of vintage 1960s recording equipment", we've little intel on how exactly Innes chanced upon ownership of such a stockpile, but what we do know is that he soon set about recording these songs exclusively to 2" tape, and using mid-century recording techniques to yield that ever-so-knowable vintage crunch, so native to 60s and 70s funk, soul and soundtrack music. Perhaps a somewhat fictive alias, Kaunas Baltic Connect and the Sorcerers are two such tributary acts to the library archives of yore (KPM, Cavendish, Burton, etc.), and here they lay down 'Baby, I Don't Care' and 'Kaunas Baltic Connect', two fervent fracases packing riffy synth leads and seat-edge strings, nodding to the "brooding menace of Poliziotteschi and Euro-crime movies".

Review: Something's Up! is a masterful compilation that features the eclectic brilliance of John Barry's film scores. Curated by Saint Etienne's Bob Stanley, this collection highlights Barry's transition from a British arranger to a pop icon, renowned for defining the sound of the Cold War spy movie era. Focusing on music from 1964 to 1967, this album features Barry's iconic work on James Bond classics like Goldfinger, Thunderball, and You Only Live Twice, cementing his influence on the spy genre. Beyond Bond, Barry's contributions to films such as The Ipcress File and The Quiller Memorandum exemplify his ability to blend tension with sophistication. The collection also includes less-celebrated but notable scores like those for King Rat, The Chase and Seance on a Wet Afternoon, reflecting Barry's diverse range and ability to craft memorable themes beyond the mainstream. Barry's music, characterised by its lush orchestration and emotive power, extended its reach from the silver screen to the vinyl, resonating with listeners even if they hadn't seen the films - and his exceptional talent and enduring legacy in film music is on full display here,

Review: Demon Records presents the complete narrated TV soundtrack of Doctor Who: The Crusade on double 140g green and yellow translucent vinyl. This release offers fans the chance to experience the classic 1965 story, with William Russell providing linking narration. Set in 12th Century Palestine, the Doctor (William Hartnell) and his companions find themselves in the midst of a conflict between English Crusaders and Saracen forces led by Saladin. When Barbara is captured during a Saracen ambush, the group encounters historical figures such as King Richard the Lionheart, played by Julian Glover. Though only two of the original four episodes survive, this vinyl edition captures the full audio experience, bringing the adventure to life once again. The release includes beautifully illustrated sleeves with Radio Times-style billings for each episode, offering a nostalgic touch.

Review: Among the figureheads of French disco, Bernard Fevre, better known as Black Devil, probably had the shortest-lived career, but was among the brightest minds of them all. Although his first album Disco Club, released in 1978, went unnoticed at first, it has since become a must-have, a collector's item which has led a lot of listeners to further investigate his extensive work. Fevre experimented with such a wide gamut of styles that it has been hard not to lose track; though perhaps one such aide l'equilibre is this newest compilation/lookback record, Space Oddities 1976-1985. Spanning a huge swathe of Fevre's records, some more touted and others more waylaid, this compilation can only begin to help us firmly grasp the cosmic breadth of the artist's work, some of which is indubitably club-bound, some of which is comparatively cinematic and scenic. Here's hoping Giordano Bruno was wrong about the open universe - Fevre's explorations are so expansive that they verge on boundlessness.

Review: Two-piece band Hermanos Gutierrez, formed of brothers Alejandro and Estevan Gutierrez, here continue to take influence from 1950s Latin American music and film, on their latest record El Camino De MI Alma. Recalling the barren landscapes stretching from the Midwest to the lower lacuna of the Gulf, this eight-track record is effortless in its ability to evoke boundlessness, the ineffability of the ever-extending horizon glimpsed while travelling, despite its ostensible sound remaining quite roomy, barely spring-reverbed if there is any treated sense of space. 'Hasta La Muerte' and its ilk are our highlights, bringing out the bare but lunar-luminescent feel of the vista; this is an album for guitar at arid dusk, not dewey dawn.

Review: A spoken word record about witchcraft, black and white magic, narrated by the legendary horror actor Vincent Price isn't necessarily going to be high on everyone's wishlist. Arguably one of the most niche titles we're welcoming into stock this week, the album itself dates back to 1972 - when the camp-ish, vamp-ish Price was at the peak of his fame - and it was likely almost as perplexing then as it is today. Presenting sampling and cutting opportunities by the stanza-load - DJs with a penchant for obscure loops take note - Witchcraft Magic: An Adventure In Demonology actually proves to be a surprisingly immersive experience, and rather informative. In and among the spurious claims, like witches helping England defend itself against Nazi aggression, there are genuine insights into century-spanning practices and modern day rituals. Unarguably fascinating stuff, if potentially fantastical.

Review: .Arriving with plenty of time for Halloween, as this weird and unarguably trippy record's release blurb explains, listeners should expect: "A crypt full of classic Spook Show promos and radio spots monstrously mashed together with fiendish rare surf and garage rock instrumentals." Best buckle up, then. Alongside a number of retro TV warnings about entering other dimensions, advertisements for movies with mummies in which we're told "theatre managers will stop the show anytime it becomes too scary", the music itself is kitsch but in the kind of way many people will be drawn to. Exotic, hypnotic, subtly sexy and surprisingly immersive, guitars croon and organs refrain between insane examples of just how up-front and in your face mid-20th Century commercials were.

Review: The Complete Sound Work Shop Heritage box set is an extraordinary tribute to Piero Umiliani's prolific career, gathering his entire output on the Sound Work Shop label into an unparalleled 17-CD collection. Housed in faithful reproductions of the original album covers, this set is complemented by a 72-page booklet featuring rare photographs, insightful essays by Maurizio Corbella and Niccolo Galliano, and a comprehensive discography and tracklist. For the first time, Umiliani's extensive contributions to Italian jazz, film scores, and library music are showcased in one collection. His work at the Sound Work Shop studio, which he opened in 1968, played a crucial role in shaping the sound of Italian popular music. The studio was a hub of creativity where Umiliani explored a vast array of genres, from funk and psychedelic rock to avant-garde and electronic music. This collection reveals Umiliani's genius not just as a composer, but as a producer and visionary who controlled every aspect of his music's creation and distribution. The box set is a comprehensive portrait of a modern musician whose influence on Italian music during the 1970s remains indelible, making this collection essential for historical reasons.

Review: For the first time, Piero Umiliani's entire Liuto label production is collected together in a remarkable 19-CD box set. This set includes 18 albums (with the final album being a double CD), each housed in a replica of its original sleeve. Accompanied by a 72-page booklet featuring rare photos, essays by Maurizio Corbella and Niccolo Galliano, and a detailed discography, this release is fully endorsed by the Umiliani family. Umiliani's contributions were pivotal in shaping the Italian sound in jazz, film, and library music. His ability to merge creativity with production and publishing made him a true modern musician who was integral to Italy's rich musical heritage, as this collection proves beyond doubt.

Review: Established in 1968 by Romano Di Bari, Canopo was the first brick in the building of Flippermusic, the leading production music library in Italy. Revived after decades of hiatus, the label is now devoted to the reissue of Flippermusic's historic catalogue of the 60s, 70s and 80s for the first time since its original release onto vinyl, digitised and re-mastered from the original master tapes so that these legendary recordings can be heard once again. This classic Italian production music was all recorded in Rome recording studios by a heritage of composers including Alessandro Alessandroni, Amedeo Tommasi, Gerardo Iacoucci, Remigio Ducros, Romolo Grano, Daniela Casa, Piero Montanari and many more. Italian Library Vaults is a 12 track compilation bringing together the best tracks produced by Flippermusic in the first years of his activity.