Review: Few artists have had such a global impact on electronic music than Thomas Bangalter, the legendary DJ, producer and songwriter who is best known as one-half of the former dance titans Daft Punk. He has many more skills up his sleeve though as he has proven since leading the duo. One is writing soundtracks such as this one, Chiroptera, for Acte 2: Retour a la Caverne, which was a JR creation with choreography from Damien Jalet. It was performed in Paris in front of the Opera de Paris (Opera Garnier) on November 12th, 2023 and involved more than 150 dancers. You can now relive it musically with this limited 12".
Review: This is a vinyl release of the original soundtrack for Joe 90, a 1968 British science-fiction television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. The soundtrack was composed and conducted by Barry Gray, a prolific British composer who worked on many of Anderson's shows, such as Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. The soundtrack features Gray's distinctive style of orchestral music, blending classical influences with jazz and pop and electronic elements. The release includes 24 tracks selected from the show's score, pressed on two LPs with orange and blue vinyl, and also features new artwork by illustrator Eric Chu, depicting the main character Joe McClaine and his many eccentric gadgets.
Review: Jean Claudric's Jeu De Dames is considered one of the best French jazz funk soundtracks ever. If you don't know it, but are a fan of the likes of Michel Legrand and Jean-Pierre Mirouze, then it's time to get to know it via this fine taster on 45rpm. All four of the tracks are exquisitely impressive and evocative pieces which were by far and a way the best thing about the vaguely subversive, naive but never fully erotic charm flick for which they were written. While that was a commercial failure, the OST never was.
Review: We've been served a good banquet of dance reissues from classic Italian film soundtracks of late, and Gianni Ferrio's 'La Poliziotta' is one of the best of the bunch. Combining two choice cuts from mysterious film director Stefano Vanzina's aka. Steno's sexy detective film 'La Poliziotta', this 7" reissue is a finger-clicking, jazz-swinging foray through instrumental funk.
Review: Joe Hisaishi's latest release offers a compelling fusion of classical and cinematic music. The compositions, originally crafted for film soundtracks, are reimagined with orchestral arrangements that breathe new life into the pieces. The album showcases Hisaishi's signature style, blending emotive melodies with intricate orchestration. Listeners are treated to a rich auditory experience that highlights the depth and versatility of Hisaishi's work.
Willie D (feat Martha Reeves & The Sweet Things) (4:15)
Keep On Movin' On (feat Martha Reeves & The Sweet Things) (3:33)
Willie Chase (instrumental) (3:03)
Parade Strut (instrumental) (2:34)
Review: An iconic soundtrack to a classic blaxploitation flick, JJ Johnson and Martha Reeves & The Sweet Things turned a collective head when they simultaneously composed their core themes for Willie Dynamite, directed by obscure director Gilbert Moses. This ineluctable screen treat stars Roscoe Orman and Diana Sands in a quintessential portrayal of early '70s New York pimping, with the central character's foibles giving rise to a latent conscience when he comes into contact with a young social worker. As is often the case with the blaxploitation genre, Willie Dynamite begins with the lead character cruising down the streets of New York in some kind of fancy car, and 'tracked by the central theme: the theme of Reeves' 'Willie D' is clear as day, lyrically portraying D's hustle as 'magic', "never treating two girls the same", "it's no different from any other industry". 'Keep On Movin' On' contrasts this with a note of modesty, signaling the movie's inevitable tonal shift; nor should you miss the B-side instrumentals 'Willie Chase' and 'Parade Strut'.
Review: People are not over-egging it when they try and tell you that Polish composer Andrzej Korzynski was an exploratory artist. Words like 'mind-bending', 'cosmic', and 'immersive' are often used in the same sentence as any reference to his name, let alone musical output, which remains some of the most sought after among fans of what can only really be described as staunchly experimental psyche.
For many, The Devil Tapes is the holy grail of Korzynski. Made to score Andrzej ?u?awsk's film, The Devil, by this point the pair had already worked together on the movie soundtrack to Possession, and cracked the collaborative process. Having been asked to make music that was "totally unique, like something from another planet", the composer took his initial taped experiments and pulled the vari-speed down, then layered hallucinatory effects over the top, resulting in something that's beyond a mere accompaniment, and very much integral to the film itself.
Review: Le Matos' all new Ninja Eliminator Trilogy captures the band's early years across four fantastic cuts. Fans will recognise 'Rage Of Honor' which has already been put out as part of the 5 Years compilation while the other tracks here have never before been released. Musically this is high sheen, retro-future synth work of the highest order. The keys are sugar sweet and crystalline, the rhythms sleek and expansive and the moods nicely cosmic. It makes for a perfectly escapist, high energy trip to another dimension.
Review: Adding to the niche interest of Italian film soundtrack reissues, centring on the reissuers Four Flies, comes Milano: Il Clan Dei Calabresi - a 7" single featuring two tracks from the 1977 Italian crime film Milano: Il Clan Dei Calabresi. The pieces were composed by Gianni Marchetti, an Italian composer widely known for his work in various genres of cinema. Both the funky, infectious main theme of the film, and the romantic 'La Fine Di Un Sogno' for classical flute and strings, appear on this exquisite artifact.
Review: Stridulum (aka. The Visitor) is a 1979 sci-fi horror that featured a star-studded cast including Mel Ferrer, John Huston, and Shelley Winters. The score was written by Italian composer Franco Micalizzi and while the movie wasn't a huge commercial success, the soundtrack became a favourite amongst collectors even if Micalizzi is still best known for his Poliziotteschi scores and collaborations with director Umberto Lenzi. His trademark sound was still there for all to hear and now three key cuts form it are pressed up to this special 7".
Review: This is a very special gold vinyl version of the soundtrack for the tokusatsu science fiction superhero television series Spectreman. It ran in the early 70s and had three seasons in all with a cult following who will go nuts to finally have these sounds on wax all these many decades later. It has one Japanese side and one American side and is the work of Ricardo Cruz and Kunio Miyauchi. Instrumentals and the theme song all feature to make this a real retro classic.
Gipsy Kings - "You've Got A Friend In Me (Para El Buzz Espanol)" (2:14)
Randy Newman - "We Belong Together" (4:00)
Review: Who doesn't love Toy Story? It's an on going classic with a heart of gold, some of The best animation in the film world and most loveable characters to ever make the silver screen. Whether young or old, snuggling down to watch this sone is always a treat, and now you can bring some of that magic onto your decks with the red vinyl compilation album. It brings together some of the best tracks and favourite musical moments of the movie such as, of course the most notable song of them all, 'You've Got A Friend In Me (Para El Buzz Espanol)' as well as 'I Will Go Sailing No More' and 'We Belong Together.'
Review: This is the second edition of a four part series by Detroit icon Omar S called Record Packer - a new video game score as part of his pop-up exhibition in the Motor City, in collaboration with Red Bull Arts. On the A side, we have the dusty dub techno explorations of 'Storm', followed by the raw percussive funk of 'No One Can Stop Me'. On the flip, enjoy the deep and mesmerizing groove of 'Trac 45' followed by a lovely late night boogie-down vibe on 'Mystery Man'. Originally conceived as a physical exhibition, Omar S: Conant Gardens Party Store now lives online as an interactive web environment.
Review: Four Flies presents a gem for vinyl collectors with the 7" release of Riz Ortolani's soundtrack highlights from Confessione di un commissario di polizia al procuratore della Repubblica. Side-1's 'Serena e Lomunno' showcases an exceptional quartet's jazzy spell, weaving bass, electric guitar, drums, and piano into a standout groove. On Side-2, Il ricordo di Serena continues the magic with a trio, maintaining the rhythmic essence while sacrificing none of the brilliance. The interplay of bass and drums is the backbone, adorned by electric guitar and piano's refined phrasings. The result? Irresistible jazz-funk breaks, ripe for sampling. A must-have addition to Four Flies' series of 45s celebrating Italy's golden age soundtracks and library productions, this release is essential for any serious Italian sound enthusiast's collection.
Review: Latest in the Italian soundtrack reissues crop comes this pair of tracks from the soundtrack of Un Uomo Dalla Pelle Dura (The Boxer), a 1972 film directed by Franco Prosperi and starring Robert Blake and Catherine Spaak. Composed by Carlo Pes - who was also the guitarist of the infamous quartet I Marc 4, who probably played on this session as well - 'The Riff' and 'Bossa Party' are are light-footed, drum-led funk number and a piano-led supernova respectively. Perfect accompaniments for the subject of a disgruntled boxer fighting for his dignity.
Review: Finder Keepers recently sent soundtrack lovers into orgasm when they reissue the rarest of them all, the Belladonna Of Sadness soundtrack, and now they score big once more. This one is another dive into the vaults of composer Masahiko Sato and upon returning to the surface we're presented with a bunch of the 13 lost cuts that never made it onto to Italian-only sound track album first time round. It makes for two tracks freaky fuzz, dense noise, post-punk rhythms and intense sonics that sound like nothing else.
Review: Cabaret Live at Maida Vale captures a special performance by the company and orchestra of Cabaret, featuring Self Esteem (Rebecca Lucy Taylor) and Jake Shears. Celebrating their roles in the London musical, the EP commemorates their stint from September 2023 to January 2024 at the Kit Kat Club, where Taylor starred as Sally Bowles and Shears as Emcee. This production, based on John Van Druten's play and Christopher Isherwood's stories, has garnered seven Olivier Awards, including Best Musical Revival. Now on vinyl to celebrate, this EP immortalizes their live performance at the BBC's Maida Vale studios, with Taylor expressing her love for her role and the cast: "Everyone involved in making this incredible show exist has a piece of my heart forever."
Review: The late Italian film composer Armando Trovajoli was best known for his Italian expressionist / exploitation soundtracks. It's not so known that he made funk: 'Sessomato' and 'Kinky Peanuts' is as such a lesser known rarity, and consists of two made as part of his soundtrack to the film Sessomatto. With vocals from Edda Dell'Orso, the two tracks here are whispry, clean, tambourine-rattling and erotic; trumpets and drums buzz away on the A, while the B opts for clavichordy samba goodness.
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