Goffredo Haus – Musiche Per Poche Parti (1989, CD, Italy)

Lonely sole release from Italian musician/ computer scientist Goffredo Haus with his '90 display Musiche Per Poche Parti. Obviously inspired by the rich legacy of Italian minimalism, this one fits more at home with the likes of Cacciapaglia, Raffaele Serra and more specifically Franco Nanni, although what sets it apart is this clean, almost non-human feel owed in part to Haus' pioneering work with computer-generated algorithmic compositions. There's heavily synthesised, minimalist patterns delicately stitched together, exploring unusual time signatures and textures, yet the highlight is the extended 'Cielo' - a lush, distinctly Mediterranean piece of FM digital synthesis.

Alexandre Kush/Bernard Lamastre ‎– Secrets - Musiques D'Angoisses Et De Tension (1986, LP, France)

Very suspenseful library music from France. Each track is filled with dark synthesizer work and holds the notes long enough to make you unconformable. While there is some very tense tracks like Tension Time and Frénétique there are also some incredibly moving and beautiful tracks here like Pagan Ceremony and Secrets. The former sounding like blissful ambient music like something Novisad would make. The latter starting off sounding like a third wave post-rock song but evolving into this holy ballad with electronic influence. There's a great clash of feelings in the record and it's definitely not one-dimensional spooky music. Another highlight is the track Nerphretics which starts with a sample of someone breathing heavily while adding in these simple, but hard drops in the music that's like someone is stomping towards you. The synths then creep in adding another layer of weirdness to the mix. The four Tension Time tracks are also very neat. They sound like samples from even older horror movie soundtracks (we're talking like the 20s-40s). They're all incredibly similar but none lasts longer than a minute and it really works. It's a fitting end to the record.
The cover art is also phenomenal. It depicts the moods of the record perfectly. This record is like the soundtrack to some obscure 80s cheesy horror movie. It doesn't take itself too seriously but doesn't come off as too "spooky" either. Overall, it's an excellent record that definitely stands alone amongst many library records and also a standout in the horror synth genre. If you're looking for something to satisfy your Halloween night I would definitely recommend this record. (BrothermanTrill)

Franco Nanni ‎– Elicoide (1987, LP, Italy)

Franco Nanni’s ‘Elicoide’ is a lost gem previously released in 1987 only in few copies. The Italian musician has developed (with the assistance from Paolo Grandi on double bass) a minimalistic and repetitive structure expressed into five long compositions ranging from jazz, avantgarde and of­ course ambient music­, each one with its own precise character.
It is an album that showcases his idea of ­ “Ascetic Trance” by referring to the music of John Cage, Arvo Pärt and the Mediterranean Organic scene.
‘Elicoide’ was performed live in a rare exhibition during the summer of 1987 by an ensemble with Franco Nanni himself, Paolo Grandi, Leo Croatto and Marcela Pérez Silva. During the performance, a special version of “Poesia” was presented for the first time, a song written by peruvian composer Daniel “Kiri” Escobar and re-arranged by Franco Nanni.

Albert Alan Owen ‎– Following The Light (1982, LP, England)

Tracklist:

Following The Light, I ‎– 16:36

Following The Light, II ‎– 9:33

Following The Light, III ‎– 14:18

Musicians:

Organ, Electric Piano – Milada Polasek

Piano – Albert Alan Owen

Violin – Katherine Sweeney

Recorded in 1982, 'Following The Light is the third album british composer Albert Alan Owen recorded for the Apollo Sound Label. Originally a library music oriented Music label, Apollo Sound, by the mid 70s, commissioned contemporary musical pieces from new composers, aiming to provide atmospheric backgrounds for film, television and advertising and to feed the burgeoning demand for ‘New Age’ music at the time. While certainly melodic, Owen’s music makes no concessions to mid-afternoon mindfulness or commercial use and reuse; instead, 'Following The Light' is a deep and immersive listening experience, clearly the work of a singular musical imagination following its own rules in its own way.
With the help of Katherine Sweeney on violin and Milada Polasek on electric piano and organ, Albert Alan Owen recorded Following The Light in “live” condition, taking profit of a strong use of the digital effects which were in its infancy at this time; the music was written to make the most of what technology was available, resulting a singular piece of music of sheer beauty!

Nu Creative Methods ‎– Le Marchand De Calicot (1981, LP, France)

Tracklist
A1 Muggles Jungle
A2 Orphean Veranda
A3 For Nu Jungle Dancers Only
A4 Jaguar Rag
A5 Dung Fanfare
B1 Zig Zag Metods
B2 Zygomatic Ram Dam
B3 Le Marchand De Calicot
B4 Tohu Bohu Boa

Rare self-released avant-garde and experimental album from Pierre Bastien recorded in Lyon, France. Brilliant album, souns like Pascal Comelade's early works, using Asian, Oriental or African instruments as well as toy pianos!

Moondog ‎– Moondog (1969, LP, Usa)

Tracklist:

A1. Theme (2:35)

A2. Stamping Ground (2:36)

A3. Symphonique #3 (Ode To Venus) (5:51)

A4. Symphonique #6 (Good For Goodie) (2:45)

B1. Minsym #1 (5:45)

      I Allegro

      II Andante Allegro

      III Vivace

B2. Lament I, "Bird's Lament" (1:42)

B3. Witch Of Endor (6:29)

      I Dance

      IIa Trio - Adagio (The Prophesy)

      IIb Trio - Andante (The Battle)

      IIc Trio - Agitato (Saul's Death)

      III Dance (Reprise)

B4. Symphonique #1 (Portrait Of A Monarch) (2:36)

Musicians:

Baritone Saxophone – Wally Kane

Bass – Alfred Brown, George Duvivier, Louis Hardin, Ron Carter

Bass Clarinet – Ernie Bright

Bass Trombone – Paul Faulise

Bassoon – Don Macourt, George Berg, Jack Knitzer, Joyce Kelly, Ryohei Nakagawa, Wally Kane

Cello – Charles McCracken, George Ricci

Clarinet – George Silfies, Jimmy Abato, Phil Bodner

Contrabass [Contrabass Cello] – Joe Tekula

English Horn – Henry Shuman, Irving Horowitz

Flugelhorn – Joe Wilder

Flute – Andrew Lolya, Harold Bennett

French Horn – Brooks Tillotson, James Buffington, Ray Alonge, Richard Berg

Percussion – Bob Rosengarden, Dave Carey, Elayne Jones, Jack Jennings

Piccolo Flute – Harold Jones, Hubert Laws

Trombone [Tenor Trombone] – Buddy Morrow, Charles Small, Tony Studd

Trumpet – Alan Dean, Joe Wilder, Mel Broiles, Teddy Weiss

Trumpet [Bass Trumpet] – Danny Repole

Tuba – Bill Stanley, Don Butterfield

Tuba [Tenor Tuba] – Bill Elton, Bill Stanley, John Swallow, Phil Giardina

Viola – David Schwartz, Emanuel Vardi, Eugene Becker, Raoul Poliakin

Viola [Tenore] – Eugene Becker, Raoul Poliakin

Violin – Aaron Rosand, Paul Gershman

Composed By – Louis Hardin, Also Known As Moondog

Moondog was the ultimate outsider of 20th century music. Championed by an assortment of stars including Frank Zappa, Igor Stravinsky, Charlie Parker, Arturo Toscanini, Benny Goodman, Philip Glass, Lester Young and Woody Herman, he chose to work as a street busker for most of his life, and his five decades as a recording artist were mainly spent on tiny independent labels. Born Louis Thomas Hardin in Kansas in 1916, he was blinded in a farm accident aged 16 and was largely self-taught as a musician. He adopted the name Moondog and his Viking dress style after moving to New York in 1943. Moondog’s life in music was sparked by the Native American dance ceremonies which his father took him to as a child, and echoes of Native American drumming are often heard in his recordings. Sometimes called the founder of minimalism, Moondog rejected all labels and said he just played “Moondog music.”

Amedeo Tommasi ‎– High Tension (1980, LP, Italy)

Lato A

A1 Terrorismo (2:33)

A2 Indagine (3:04)

A3 Attimo Tragico (2:16)

A4 Attimo Tragico - 2 Version (2:30)

A5 Fascia Ossessiva (3:05)

A6 Ipertensione Ossessiva (3:11)

A7 Action (2:21)

Lato B

B1 Strategia Della Tensione (3:05)

B2 Attentato (3:08)

B3 Attentato - 2 Version (3:15)

B4 Psicosi Oggi (2:56)

B5 Mafia (2:23)

B6 High Tension (2:34)

'High Tension' is a masterpiece of moog fx with jazz rhythm. Check out the title track 'High Tension', where B-movie style basslines meet deep funky drums and hypnotic piano riffs. Also check the track 'Strategia Della Tensione'-heavy jazzy fast drums with techno style fx... Dope!