Back catalogue: Soundtracks

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: .The last full length we had from Federico Amorosi and Valerio Lombardozzi, AKA Dressel Amorosi, was a pretty scary place to spend time. Themed around late-mid-20th Century Italian horror movies (see: Dario Argento), the record paid homage to the iconic sounds of that culture, but also refused to simply rehash the past. An atmospheric, spine-tingling collection of suspenseful synth-first stuff, it also benefited from landing around the same time as a new Stranger Things series. A year on and things are now on a slightly less tense route. Spectrum is still looking to offer thanks to the Italian film industry as was a few decades back - specifically for gifting us so many amazing soundtracks. But this time round we're much closer to the glam and glitz of a Roma Italo party than anything like the Upside Down, while still packing depth and atmosphere.

Review: British band Archive unveils their soundtrack for the new French film Voleuses (Thieves) on NetFlix under the English title of Wingwomen, in the UK. The soundtrack offers a unique blend of electronic, avant-garde, post-rock and progressive rock and draws from diverse musical influences throughout, with the the London-based ensemble delivering an immersive landscape that mirrors the story of Carole and Alex, two adept thieves battling for liberation in the film. This one comes on audiophile vinyl and is a great accompaniment to the move itself.