Astrolabio ‎– Spirit Folet (1978, LP, Italy)

Tracklist:
A1a Spirit Folet
A1b Pifferata Palazzo Di Citta
A1c Conto
A2 L'umbra Gaia
A3 La Bella All'Armata
A4 Al Gril E La Furmia
B1 La Giostra Di Martina
B2 La Prova
B3 Mazurka E Breton Vals
B4 Le Cirese E La Funtan-a
B5 La Mort

Musicians:
Beppe Turletti: fisarmonica (track 5)
Accordion [Organetto], Mandolin, Vocals – Tullio Parisi
Bagpipes [Cornamusa], Shawm [Schalmein], Flute – Lorenzo Brondetta
Cello – Marco Robino
Hurdy Gurdy [Ghironda], Harp [Arpa], Guitar – Beppe Costa
Vocals, Percussion – Giuliana Galli

 "... Let's try to describe the music. It's Piedmontese folk with evident celtic influences. It's very proficiently played and the instrumentation is rich (accordion, guitar, cello, mandolin, harp, bagpipes, bombard, different kind of flutes).

A subtle veil of melancholy is the most peculiar trait of the nine tracks composing the album. Some of you may remind Malvasia's self-titled lp I posted some years ago: though quite far on a plainly geographical (and, hence, musical) point of view, I find "Spirit Folet" bears some striking similarities with it when talking about mood.

In both the albums, great musical refinement is coupled with a captivating nostalgic allure, which casts a shadow even on the most solar episodes. It seems like the reprise of centuries-old traditions is no longer a way to revive them in the present - as it was for many artists in the Seventies, but rather becomes a metaphor for everything that's come to an end.

Both for Malvasia and Astrolabio, this can be read as the rising awareness that the intellectual and social climate of the Seventies was almost entirely gone, with its culture, political involvement, and utopias". (ilgolpeeluva.blogspot.com)