Four Flies Organic Grooves 51 Items

Continuing Four Flies' dedication to delving into lesser-explored periods of Italian music, Africamore takes us on a captivating journey into the intersection of Afro-funk and the Italian soundscape during the six years between 1973 and 1978 - a time when disco was looming on the horizon and the nightclub market was rapidly expanding.

Before reaching Italian shores, the infectious sound originating from African and Afro-Caribbean roots traversed both the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, landing on New York dancefloors, where DJ Dave Mancuso discovered "Soul Makossa" by Manu Dibango. In 1973, from Mancuso's Loft parties, the song's hypnotic groove spread to the rest of the globe, including in Italy, where it sparked a wave of imitations and variations.

Tribal influences thus found their way into Italian soul-funk and early-disco productions released between 1973 and 1978 – from psychedelic-tinged tunes like Jean Paul & Angelique's "Africa Sound"to the Afrobeat-inspired club banger "Kumbayero" by composer/producer Albert Verrecchia (aka Weyman Corporation); and from groundbreaking Afro-cosmic songs like Chrisma's "Amore", co-written by Vangelis and featuring the rhythms of Ghanaian-British Afro-rock band Osibisa, to mind-blowing floor-fillers like Beryl Cunningham's "Why O", a re-write of Nat King Cole's "Calypso Blues" arranged by Paolo Ormi, with percussion breaks that sound pretty much like what would later become known as techno.

Combining feel-good vibes with driving rhythms, world-style percussion, and even synths, all these productions pushed the boundaries of dance music at a time when disco had not yet taken over. In doing so, they sowed many of the seeds of the later Italian cosmic scene and its unique mixture of African elements, disco-funk and electronic music.

This was a brief but nuanced period in Italian music history, one that deserves to be rediscovered, with love.

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.

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).

After over a decade as a digital-only album, Larry Manteca’s Zombie Mandingo gets its first vinyl release, making a fresh comeback in a completely renewed version. Like Manteca’s previous full-length releases, this album too is conceived as a soundtrack to a non-existent exploitation film, drawing inspiration from the classic Italian B-movies of the 1970s. This time, cinematic references encompass both the zombies found in Lucio Fulci’s horrors and the cannibalistic adventures directed by Umberto Lenzi, creating a strange mash-up between Jacopetti’s Mondo Cane and Deodato’s Cannibal Holocaust.

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.

Following the singles "Zanzare" and "Barocco", Chiaré is the self-titled debut album from songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Chiaré, aka Chiara Ianniciello, the latest recipient of the Bianca D'Aponte Award for emerging Italian singer-songwriters.

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 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 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.

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.

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.

One of the Italian soul-mod tracks that every DJ has always dreamed of having on 7-inch! Taken from GLI ANGELI DEL 2000 OST by Mario Molino, ASH is an ace uptempo dancefloor burner, provided by a great brass section, and sung by the fabulous Edda Dell’Orso. On the flip-side is GLI ANGELI DEL 2000 - a lysergic Italian version of Pierre Henry’s retro-futuristic "Psyché Rock" anthem, featuring bells, fat bass lines, wah wah guitar, and electronic effects. Limited Edition 300 of copies. Don't sleep!

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

Continuing Four Flies' dedication to delving into lesser-explored periods of Italian music, Africamore takes us on a captivating journey into the intersection of Afro-funk and the Italian soundscape during the six years between 1973 and 1978 - a time when disco was looming on the horizon and the nightclub market was rapidly expanding.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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 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.

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.

"Forever” is a special album that celebrates Alessandroni’s genius and represent his musical testament. Composed and arranged in Namibia during the last months of his life, the album is a stunning collection of orchestral tracks that reveal Alessandroni’s many virtues and abilities as a composer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist, fusing pop, jazz and classical music with his unique (Italian) touch.

A deep journey into the secret history of the second half of the 70’s Italian soundtracks, focusing on sounds that were designed for cityscape chases, high-tension scenes, erotic nights, haunting and dream-like sequences. A collection of stunning jazz-funk, cinematic prog and urban disco, unveiling rare or unreleased tracks composed by some of the hip names of the Italian Scene: Alessandro Alessandroni, Pippo Caruso (performed by Goblin), Stelvio Cipriani, Guido & Maurizio De Angelis, Bixio-Frizzi-Tempera, Gianni Oddi, Carlo Savina, Alessandro Blonksteiner, Franco Godi, Sergio Chiti & Gian Paolo Montori. Artwork by Luca Barcellona.

March 2017: Alessandro Alessandroni’s AFRO DISCOTECA is released on a blasting 12’’ containing 4 cosmic/disco tracks drawing influences from African music - never published before these incredibly powerful and evocative recordings were rescued from an old dusty tape found in the Maestro’s vaults. The EP became an instant classic for diggers and worldwide tastemakers, bringing the name of Alessandroni to new audiences, far beyond the circle of film scores and library music aficionados.
March 2019: Four Flies asks to a rock band (CALIBRO 35) and three amongst the most brilliant and visionary Italian DJs and producers (Jolly Mare, L.U.C.A., pAd) to rework the original tracks, giving them new life for refined modern dancefloors.
The result is a stunning collection of electronic/cosmic/balearic reworks, which respects the spirit of Alessandroni’s compositions, projecting them into our present.

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.

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.

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.

Two crazy rhythmic cuts by Paolo Ferrara, sourced from the super-rare library LP,
“Ritmico”, on Flower Records. AFROTHEME is a deep afro-jazz funky track with powerful
bass lines, hot percussion, and psychedelic wah-wah guitars. PERCUSSION BLUES, on
the flip side, blends African and Brazilian sounds with a unique samba groove, and a
Fender Rhodes which is the icing on the cake.

Amazing afro-cinematic funk 12'', perfect for DJs, with 3 previously unreleased cuts, featuring Edda Dell'Orso scat vocals, Oscar Valdambrini's trumpet and Gianni Oddi's funky arrangements. Groovy basslines, dreamy electronics and percussions. A must-have!

Two disco jewels signed by Maestro Alessandroni for an obscure Italian sexy-comedy in 1976, presented here in a new edit on 12'' designed for the 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!

Limited to 300 copies.

The obscure early 70s combo formed by Alessandro Alessandroni, Giuliano Sorgini and Giulia De Mutiis is finally back to the light with this amazing 12'' EP with all their works, including an unreleased gem buried in the archives until today and recorded in the same session of the legendary "Telegraph is Calling" and "My Shade".

Limited to 300 copies.

The obscure early 70s combo formed by Alessandro Alessandroni, Giuliano Sorgini and Giulia De Mutiis is finally back to the light with this amazing 12'' EP with all their works, including an unreleased gem buried in the archives until today and recorded in the same session of the legendary "Telegraph is Calling" and "My Shade".