zikzak mix 2 : Progressivo e Cosmico Italiano

I’m not letting the dust gather on me this time around, so i’m back with a new post about a subject I am pretty enthused about : Italian Progressive Music.

This is a very complex subject and I will be posting links to help you navigate your way around this music with a bit more ease hopefully. I am going to give you a little bit of an overview and explain my particular take on it.

I think when people think of the term “progressive rock”, they immediately go to British bands like King Crimson, Genesis, Gentle Giant, Yes, VDGG, etc.. While this is completely reasonable, when I think of “prog”, I think of Italy in the same breath. Some of the most accomplished music made on the continent was made in Italy between 1970 to 1975. It was amazingly popular at that time and even pop bands tried their hands at this style. Many of the musicians were classically trained and their abilities were definitely on show. Essentially the Italian style was the “Dan Flash’s” of prog. It has, what I would call a strong flavor. Its not for the casual prog fan. That being said, it can be quite rewarding. I don’t listen to it all the time by any means, but when i want to listen to this style, I almost always turn to my Italian favorites.

I started buying CD’s at a time where the label Vinyl Magic (ironic name when you think of it) started issuing all the classic albums by the Italian greats. This was in the late 80’s early 90s. What’s cool I think is the varied sound the Italian scene had. I concentrate here on more of the straight prog and heavier side. The scene was often known for both its “symphonic” and jazz fusion styles but in my mix I concentrate on the bands and styles i enjoy which tend to be a bit more direct. You will find these styles in the second and third tracks of the mix. This is the “classic” style. Here is a nice overview of the history:

Progressive Rock In Italy

Also be advised (as this comes up a lot…) this is what i like and not a complete overview of the Italian scene. I shy away from certain sounds and artists for various reasons. Goblin, Banco, PFM, Area, and a few others aren’t listed here. This isn’t because they aren’t worthy of your attention, its just not what I chose to highlight

The lead off track of this mix is a style that is my most favorite and honestly, I may be one of the few people that looks at it as a distinct genre and that’s what i call the “cosmico” sound. The two artists that exemplify this sound for me are Franco Battiato and Claudio Rocchi.

During the same era where you have the French experimental and cosmic sound along with what we call the “Krautrock” sound, Italy had several artists pushing the boundaries. With the advent of the more portable synth’s like the VCS3 and Minimoog along with portable multitrack recorders, you found these 2 aforementioned artists making experimental music, where they had been well known for making more pop or folk music. This was important because it pushed a more unusual sound on Italian audiences and became part of the general scene. There are lot of others working in this realm that for me encompasses the psych folk, space rock and electronic scenes. Groups and artists like Pierrot Lunaire, Franco Leprino, Roberto Cacciapaglia, Roberto Doninni, Sensations Fix are a few that I highlight. There are not an overwhelming amount but there are enough that I see it as something worth showcasing.

This style came into its own and became more distinct towards the end of the 70s and into the 80’s. Artists such as Riccardo Sinigaglia, Roberto Musci, Giovani Venosta,ect

The label Soave may be the best at highlighting this era. I touch on it a bit in this mix but they have reissued many of the greats of this era and i encourage you to go to their page and check some of them out

https://soave.bandcamp.com/music

Discussing this music pushes at the boundaries of my writing skill. I feel like there is so much to say and i am hardly articulate enough to say it, so i will let the music do the rest of the talking

a few more useful links on the subject…

Steve & Alan Freeman of Ultima Thule record shop have just published the definitive book on Italian progressive rock and its many variations. If this subject is of more focused interest to you, this book will make you an expert i dare say

Ultima Thule Present : A Fistful Of Spaghetti

Last but by no means least, i would encourage you to visit and shop with Soundohm records in Milan. They have possibly the best overview of all the styles and can help you put together a collection that reflects your interests

https://www.soundohm.com/

Like the French mix, this one is free to download