VA - Stroboscopica Volume 1-3 (1998-2001)

Volume 2 of this great series features a massive 23 tracks from the cream of the 1970's Italian soundtrack / library music scene. Once again the main performers showcased are I Gres, I Marc 4 and Freedom Power but they are complimented by excellent pieces from Steffano Torossi and soundtrack legend Ennio Morricone. The general mood is rare groove with some cinematic jazz thrown in, several cuts also have a crime funk vibe which adds further interest. It's impossible to pick highlights out of such a strong selection, anyone who has even a passing interest in Italian soundtracks, library music or rare groove should find themselves more than satisfied. I can't recommend this compilation more highly, it's awesome.

Jazz orchestration and Latin beats figured prominently into '70s Italian cinema scores. Plastic continues a winning tradition of packaging together long-lost selections of this spicy film funk. We get material ranging from soft Latin jazz to a blaxploitation romaine. Instantly entertaining and classically dated, this material is the bridge for journeying from beat jazz to spy jazz.