Four Flies Organic Grooves 51 Items

One of the peaks of Umiliani's creative powers, the soundtrack to Luigi Scattini's 1974 erotic film explores exotic jazz-funk rhythms. This unique double-sider is the perfect accomplice to any DJ.

Straight from the original master tapes and remastered on Limited Edition Vinyl LP for the First Time Ever 'ScappoPerCantare' by Giuliano Sorgini is one of the finest titles in his vast production. New cover artwork designed by Eric Adrien Lee.

Another dream coming true! One of Giuliano Sorgini’s finest and most sought-after titles is finally available as an official LP reissue – the first ever – remastered from the original tapes.
Originally released in 1971 on the small library music imprint FAMA, which operated as a sub-label of RCA Italy, the record contains the original music written for Scappo per cantare, a small, pseudo-psychedelic ‘musicarello’ (musical comedy film) broadcast on RAI television and starring, among others, Italian singers Gianni Morandi and Mauro Lusini.
The only credited album artist is Sorgini, but it’s impossible not to perceive, in this record, the hand of his close friend and colleague Alessandro Alessandroni.
This should not come as a surprise. In the early 70s, the two composers and multi-instrumentalists had a fruitful collaboration that saw them, under the monikers Braen (Alessandroni) and Raskovich (Sorgini), produce an abundance of works together, most of which have now gained the recognition they deserve. These include, among others, two 7” singles from their band The Pawnshop, three records in the series Alle sorgenti delle civiltà (Folkmusic), the crime/noir library albums Quarta pagina (Usignolo) and Inchiesta giudiziaria (Octopus Records), as well as the LP Tempo Libero (Panda Records), which was released shortly after the record presented here and in some ways drew rhythmic inspiration from it.
While their collaboration remained unacknowledged on the original release of Scappo per cantare (this was not uncommon at the time, especially in the field of library music), the record sounds perfectly in line with other works composed by Alessandroni in the early 70s, such as Complesso Gisteri’s Mostra Collettiva (co-written with Oronzo De Filippi), or even a landmark album like Spontaneous, where Sorgini contributed to a handful of tracks.
So, yes, the sheer beauty of Scappo per cantare is the result of an incredible synergy between two heavyweights of Italian library music! Airy and sweeping melodies à la Zoo Folle, psychedelia à la Under Pompelmo, and various percussion instruments played by Sorgini seamlessly blend and fuse with elements and touches provided by Alessandroni.
More specifically, we find Alessandroni’s signature, melancholy whistle in “Desolazione”; the peaceful and dreamy sound of his 12-string guitar in “Scogliere” and “Con Amore”; the trademark harmonies of his vocal ensemble Cantori Moderni in the last two tracks mentioned and in “Per cantare”; and his ingenious use of distortion on his Fender Stratocaster in the suspenseful transitions “Concentrazione” and “Fantocci”, as well as in the frantic/hypnotic hippie numbers “Mordente” and “Fendente” (as a side note, it is worth remembering that Alessandroni experimented extensively with distortion in the rock-infused album Underground, co-written with De Filippi and released in 1971 under the moniker Braen’s Machine, probably a reference to British psychedelic band Soft Machine).
The creative relationship between Sorgini and Alessandroni was so symbiotic that it would be useless to try to identify in more detail their respective contributions to the sound of Scappo per cantare. The alchemy between these two musical geniuses is the key to the album’s exquisitely Italian mixture of cheerful lounge, sweet psychedelia and smooth easy listening.
To do justice to the quality of the music, this remastered reissue is enriched by a new artwork by Eric Adrian Lee, who drew inspiration from the psychedelic visual culture of the period in which the album was written and recorded.

Cocktail and power-bossa vibes meet shots of clavinet-funk in the new single by Milan-based producer Larry Manteca, a relentless creator of soundtracks for imaginary films in various genres – from the erotic to the spaghetti western, and from crime to zombie-horror.

Manteca’s debut on 7” vinyl could only have happened under the aegis of Four Flies Records, whose team went and hand-picked two of the grooviest tracks in his bulimic output, both recorded in 2015 for the sci-fi/erotic-themed album Mutant Virgins From Pluto (the title says it all!). “Ufo Bossa” is a delicious, uptempo bossa-jazz number cast in an ultra-lounge style and spiced up with references to Les Baxter’s and Martin Denny’s exotica, as well as to pop/erotic sci-fi soundtracks like Bob Crewe’s Barbarella, with the added bonus of Yasmine Zekri’s sexy scat singing. On the flip side you have “Intergalactic Porno Scene”, a typical poliziottesco theme where clavinet and flute interweave into a super-funky groove, before synths come in and send us into erotically-charged space orbit.

In the early ‘70s, after relocating from his native Genoa to Rome, young saxophonist Gianni Oddi was beginning to establish himself as a super-cool arranger thanks to a series of cover albums recorded for RCA Italy. They contained funk, soul and easy-listening versions of contemporary pop hits, but Oddi often managed to include one or two original compositions of his own – like the ones contained in this new installment of Four Flies’ 12-inch vinyl series for DJs. Both tracks are perfect examples of killer Oddi's sound and... Style (yes, his 1974 album for RCA Italy's SP series).

A unique combination of psychedelia, groove and afrobeat, the music of Psyché goes back to the roots of our future; it evokes visions of a mythical past, blending centuries-old music traditions and mixing them with modern genres. Like a warm Mediterranean breeze, it travels across lands, seas and eras, distilling essential rhythms and cosmic pulsations.

For the first time on 7-inch vinyl, the killer Dusty Fingers tune, "La Dimostrazione", taken from the soundtrack for the Spanish movie, "Metralleta Stein". A moody, dark-funk midtempo track, fueled with solid drum breaks and heavy basslines. A real classic for any beatmaker, this track has been sampled and compiled a dozen times.
On the flip side, you will find the more dynamic “Elikiller”, another smashing jazz-funk tune with great rhythmical and menacing tension. Limited Edition of 300 copies. Don't miss out on this one! This is Italian rare groove at its finest.

Entirely remastered from the original analogue tapes and featuring brand new artwork designed by Luke Insect, this Four Flies reissue finally brings back to life one of the most surprising albums from the strange phenomenon that was the Italian library music of the Seventies.

The first Italian adaptation of famous Brazilian song “Olhos Coloridos”, this new single by singer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Chiara Civello is an irresistible eighties-inspired boogie-funk track that celebrates diversity and inclusion. The 3 remixes by eclectic Neapolitan DJ/producer Whodamanny add groovy and tribal influences to the mix and further enhance the track’s dancefloor potential.

From an offshoot of Salifornian funk/soul collective Banda Maje, here comes a new 7” single penned by the rapper, producer and band’s co-founder Tonico 70. “Vic’l / Fantasie” is a tasty prelude to Tonico 70’s forthcoming album “Antonico”, due out this November. Both tracks evoke images and stories while enveloping you in a warm embrace. Not unlike Banda Maje’s music, they have a strong cinematic quality that Tonico 70’s rap adds to nicely.

The second single from Banda Maje’s widely praised debut album Ufo Bar is the band’s tribute to the nightclub culture of the Italian eighties and its lightheartedness. Tonico 70’s reloved version brings it to dancefloor perfection by adding some Roland Tr-808 magic sprinkled with analog dub-echo effects. Get ready to party, folks!

Four Flies is delighted to present a super juicy treat for all 7-inch vinyl devotees: the first 45 ever to feature tracks from Giuliano Sorgini’s masterpiece ZOO Folle. To ensure maximum DJing pleasure, we’ve picked two of the grooviest tracks from the original recording session, never before released in this format. The psychedelic funk number “Mad Town”, on Side A, drags you in with its infectious drum breaks and the rapid yet hypnotic flute of Nino Rapicavoli. “Ultima Caccia”, on Side B, is sheer afro-tribal bliss, with drums by Sorgini himself and massive funky percussion by legendary session player Enzo Restuccia. If you want an ace up your DJing sleeve, look no further

Four Flies Records is proud to present the first reissue of Piero Umiliani’s Paesaggi – a record that, despite remaining for many years pretty obscure compared to other titles in the maestro’s discography, is now regarded by collectors and experts as the gold standard in Italian library music. By using a multitude of instruments, such as flute, vibraphone, harpsichord, sitar, gong and others, it brings together a variety of arrangements, styles, and genres spanning from bossa nova to jazz, easy listening to psychedelic, Latin, exotica, and many more.

Limited to 700 copies. Four Flies Records is proud to present the first reissue of Piero Umiliani’s Paesaggi – a record that, despite remaining for many years pretty obscure compared to other titles in the maestro’s discography, is now regarded by collectors and experts as the gold standard in Italian library music. By using a multitude of instruments, such as flute, vibraphone, harpsichord, sitar, gong and others, it brings together a variety of arrangements, styles, and genres spanning from bossa nova to jazz, easy listening to psychedelic, Latin, exotica, and many more.

Italian Library Songbook is a new record series where contemporary artists put their spin on great Italian soundtrack themes of the past, reimagining them into new, previously unheard songs. In this first volume, Neapolitan producer pAd and London singer-songwriter Jessica Duncan reimagine Alessandro Alessandroni’s “Philadelphia” into the soulful and sexy “Do You Wanna Get Close?”, a perfect club track to enjoy the night until the early hours of the morning.

Another exciting chapter in the Four Flies jazz series, this is the first full-album release of the long-forgotten soundtrack composed by Armando Trovajoli for Piero Vivarelli’s 1964 movie Il Vuoto. Here, elegant and nocturnal cool jazz alternates with more rhythm-oriented tracks influenced by groovy Brazilian vibes and raw rock’n’roll. All tracks are performed by a sextet featuring Trovajoli himself on piano, Carlo Zoffoli on vibraphone, Gino Marinacci on baritone sax and flute, Enzo Grillini on electric guitar, Berto Pisano on double bass, and Sergio Conti on drums and percussion. Finally rescued from the historical archives of CAM, this exquisite soundtrack offers a special insight not only into the history of Italian jazz, but also into the penetration of the genre into Italian film music.

Two heavy psychedelic groover tracks, full of crazy percussion, fuzz guitar, and hammond organ. Played and composed by the legendary MARC 4, the best and nicest Italian library and soundtracks backing band ever. Amazing and haunting groove, ideal for DJs.

A n d w h a t i f t h e i n f a m o u s
UNDERGROUND and OVERGROUND
albums had a third psychedelic
chapter, still secret and unreleased
until today?
Yes, you heard correctly: this
SUPERGROUND LP is sonically akin to
the legendary pair for which composer
Sandro Brugnolini will always shine
worldwide, and ideally brings the
trilogy to a close. Composed and
recorded in two sessions between July
1969 and November 1970, the album
echoes the shocking 1969's Charles
Manson massacre, with tracks
dedicated to the villa at Cielo Drive, in
Hollywood, where Sharon Tate e Roman
Polanski lived for six months. Some
music was also used for an animated short movie signed by Pino Zac, “Radice Quadrata di 3”, a little art-film
gem about the consumer society.
The recordings have all in common the terrific line up, featuring MARC 4 members Antonello Vannucchi
(organ), Maurizio Majorana (bass), Roberto Podio (drums), along with Angelo Baroncini (guitar) replacing Carlo
Pes. An incredible groovy combo that plays a strange psychedelic rock and r’n’b with funky and prog flavor.
Another lost masterpiece from Italian golden age soundtracks finally rescued and brought back in life to see
the light of the wax for its very first time.

Maybe the best Alessandroni’s album ever. A true holy-grail for any collector and worldwide music lover, which we can consider nowadays as the most sought-after record of the whole legendary RCA SP 10000 series, and as the rarest album from the king of Italian libraries.
Jazz, mellow-funk, downtempo breaks, and incredible rock blends, make this record a refined portrait of the 70’s American way of life, viewed through the fully Italian lens of Alessandroni’s sensitivity.
The magic around Spontaneous is that this album is not only beautiful and astonishing, but is certainly on of those amazing records to which time gives new life and freshness, making it sounds unbelievably contemporary.
After five years of exhausting research, and three years later the finding of the original master tapes of the album, finally Four Flies can give a light to this obscure and fascinating mystery, rescuing it from the darkness. It’s not just another piece of Alessandroni’s legacy that is finally put back in the right place. This should be considered as the definitive act to re-estabilsh Alessandroni's leadership into the library music scene, and beyond.
Available again from July 19, coming in 180gr black vinyl, housed in a hard tip-on sleeve cover.
Limited Edition 500 copies

A new Four Flies 45s series, properly designed for DJs, producers, and worldwide music lovers, and focused on the very best Italian library grooves from the golden age, finally released on 7-inch vinyl for the very first time.

The wildest track off the legendary “Bass Modulations” LP from Octopus Records,
PROPERLY, by bass player and composer Piero Montanari, is an afro-rock banger with
amazing percussion, drum breaks, and fuzz guitars. On the other side we present
ACROMATIC, by drummer ROBERTO CONRADO – a funky mid-tempo number driven by
guitar riffs and a wonderful prog flute solo. Two terrific beats targeted for your psychedelic
dancefloor.

When Soul-Jazz meets Italian Cinematic Style. 10 cool tracks from a super-groovy combo powered by an explosive horn section and a stunning strings orchestra. Dancefloor Stompers make their debut album on Four Flies Records, recording the music for a TV series that has not yet been written... 100% Black & Cinematic Groove!

Another collaboration by Umiliani with director Luigi Scattini, another genius composition! Written for the 1969 film "Witchcraft 70", Umiliani's soundtrack is a unique blend of groove and magic.

Another welcome addition to Four Flies 45s series, this 7” contains three uber-funky instrumentals taken from an unreleased soundtrack by Paolo Ormi, two of which previously included in Four Flies’ now almost impossible-to-find comps Esterno Notte and Esterno Giorno. Featuring wah-wah guitars, pulsating bass, drum breaks and pronounced horn section. One of the funkiest blaxploitation-inspired soundtracks ever made in Italy.

Taken from the soundtrack to an obscure 1975 Italian film, Elio Bartolini’s L’Altro Dio, these two killer disco-funk instrumentals might have remained in oblivion were it not that Four Flies rescued and included them in the comps Esterno Notte and Esterno Giorno, both of which sold out quickly and have become almost impossible to find. It seemed more than proper now to release them for the first time ever on 7”.

After the successful 7-inch release of Agip, Roman producer and composer Azzurro 80 is back on Four Flies with another triple-single that continues his love affair with dreamy synth-pop and Italian Eighties culture and society.

Four Flies presents the debut single from Neapolitan band Psyché, combining psychedelic funk with a wide range of Mediterranean influences, from Southern Europe to the Balkan Peninsula, and from Anatolia to the Maghreb. Psyché members have been active for almost two decades, most notably during the first wave of the new Neapolitan Power movement and recently as Nu Genea's rhythm section.

Coming after many years of songwriting, beatmaking, MCing, live performances and collaborations, this new album by Banda Maje co-founder Tonico 70 connects the dots between past, present and future, presenting him as a fully-rounded artist rather than just a rapper, and one aware of his own many facets. Co-produced with Peppe Maiellano, Banda Maje’s other founder, Antonico offers an intimate portrait of Tonico 70, who has put his ‘tough-music-smuggler’ persona aside to let his soulful side shine through, giving us a warm, funk-inspired and very original take on the so-called ‘Napoli power’ sound.

The first ever compilation of the works of Enzo Minuti, a lesser known but brilliant composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist who has left his unique mark on the kaleidoscopic world of Italian library music. His evocative, dream-like pieces range from pop-jazz and easy listening to psychedelic and electronic music.

Californian funk collective Banda Maje put their spin on “Wait For Me”, a disco-funk track by Canadian multi-instrumentalist Franky Selector. The full, vocal version of the re-edit, on side A, sees Franky Selector himself sing in perfect Neapolitan amidst irresistible backing vocals, while the instrumental version is provided on side B. Both versions brim with joy, funk, and Salifornian energy, bringing Italy and Canada closer than ever. Infectious groove has no boundaries.

The first 7” ever to contain the three grooviest and most danceable tracks from the legendary soundtrack to Monicelli’s 1968 cult film. Intriguing psycho-beat and Swinging London vibes that will get even the shiest of dancers going. An ace in the sleeve for any DJ.

This summer, dive with us into the often-overlooked sea of late '70s/early '80s Italian Soul, AOR and Disco. Compiled by journalist, producer and digger extraordinaire David Nerattini (with a little help from our own Pierpaolo De Sanctis), Paisa' GOT Soul is the smooth and near-danceable soundtrack to a decade that is somehow still with us. A time of gentle grooves, summer loves and sweet escapism – one beautifully captured by Claude Nori in his photographs of Italian beaches and summer holidays. Welcome to the mood of an era.

Four Flies Records is proud to present the first reissue of Piero Umiliani’s Paesaggi – a record that, despite remaining for many years pretty obscure compared to other titles in the maestro’s discography, is now regarded by collectors and experts as the gold standard in Italian library music. By using a multitude of instruments, such as flute, vibraphone, harpsichord, sitar, gong and others, it brings together a variety of arrangements, styles, and genres spanning from bossa nova to jazz, easy listening to psychedelic, Latin, exotica, and many more.

Four Flies keeps digging into the secret archives of Alessandro Alessandroni to bring hidden treasures back to light. After two successful releases - the EP Afro Discoteca and the compilation album Lost & Found -, it is now the turn of a new 7’’ single featuring two tracks with a strong soul-funk influence, sung by the Maestro’s beloved Cantori Moderni in a typically Italian harmonizing style, poised somewhere in between gospel and disco music. Both tracks are previously unreleased and were recorded in the same 1976 sessions that birthed Sangue di sbirro (Knell, Bloody Avenger), his most blaxploitation-inspired soundtrack.

Welcome to the latest installment of Four Flies’ 12-inch vinyl series for DJs! This time, Neapolitan-born producer pAd has put a dance-floor spin on two themes from Alessandro Alessandroni’s soundtrack to the 1976 pulp/noir film Sangue di Sbirro, giving them the double treatment with a “daylight” and a “nightclub” version each. These brilliant reworks at once respect the spirit of the originals and give them new life in the present – a time where the music of a genius like Alessandroni is finally getting the recognition it deserves.

Banda Maje is a collective from the historic district of Salerno, Southern Italy, whose members, a bit like the lively port city they are from, exist at the crossroads between Italian melodies and imported genres like funk, soul, and disco. Their debut album “Ufo Bar” transports you to an imagined version of Salerno that combines local tradition and 70s pop and film culture. Listening to the album’s eight funk- and soul-infused tracks also means seeing vivid and fascinating stories unfold in the streets of this re-imagined city.

Part two of a two part set. Two years after Africa Oscura, considered by many to be the “dark side” of Sorgini’s masterpiece ‘Zoo Folle’ and partly recorded during the same session in 1974, Four Flies has decided to celebrate the album's modernity with a double 12” featuring 7 reworks by six of Italy’s most visionary DJs/producers. The original tracks have been reworked with different approaches, sometimes into full reinterpretations, and with demanding dance floors in mind. The result is a stunning collection of electronic reworks that preserve the spirit of the original versions while projecting them into the future.

Part one of a two part set. Two years after Africa Oscura, considered by many to be the “dark side” of Sorgini’s masterpiece ‘Zoo Folle’ and partly recorded during the same session in 1974, Four Flies has decided to celebrate the album's modernity with a double 12” featuring 7 reworks by six of Italy’s most visionary DJs/producers. The original tracks have been reworked with different approaches, sometimes into full reinterpretations, and with demanding dance floors in mind. The result is a stunning collection of electronic reworks that preserve the spirit of the original versions while projecting them into the future.

A new comp focused on the electronic output of the Italian library legend Piero Umiliani. 16 tracks which explore the introspective, esoteric, and dreamy ambient quality of his music, which combines hypnotic, minimalist sonic landscapes through layers of sharp synths, including Moog, Arp, and Vcs3. The album features 3 previously unreleased tracks, as well as rarities and hidden gems, all composed between 1972 and 1983, and remastered from the original analogue tapes. Artwork by Luke Insect.