FOUR FLIES Archives - Guerssen Records

Afro Discoteca reworked & reloved by Calibro 35, J

GuerssenAdmin — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 22:00:00 +0000

March 2017: Alessandro Alessandroni’s ‘Afro Discoteca’ is released on a blasting 12” containing 4 cosmic/disco tracks drawing influences from African music – never published before these incredibly powerful and evocative recordings were rescued from an old dusty tape found in the Maestro’s vaults.
The EP became an instant classic for diggers and worldwide tastemakers, bringing the name of Alessandroni to new audiences, far beyond the circle of film scores and library music aficionados .
March 2019: Four Flies asks to a rock band (CALIBRO 35) and three amongst the most brilliant and visionary Italian DJs and producers (Jolly Mare, L.U.C.A., pAd) to rework the original tracks, giving them new life for refined modern dancefloors.
The result is a stunning collection of electronic/cosmic/balearic reworks, which respects the spirit of Alessandroni’s compositions, projecting them into our present.

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Sangue di Sbirro | pAd reworks

GuerssenAdmin — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 22:00:00 +0000

The latest installment of Four Flies’ exclusive 12-inch vinyl series for DJs features Neapolitan-born producer pAd putting a dance-floor spin on “Manhattan” and “Philadelphia”, both from Alessandro Alessandroni’s soundtrack to Alfonso Brescia’s Sangue di Sbirro (aka Knell, Bloody Avenger, 1976), a pulp/noir score that perfectly embodies Alessandroni’s take on the Italian approach to blaxploitation (the main theme is clearly inspired by Isaac Hayes’s music for Shaft).
pAd gives each Alessandroni original the double treatment, with a “daylight” and a “nightclub” version. His daylight “Manhattan” combines disco-funk with elements of 80s electro, while his nightclub one is more openly nu-disco/nu-soul and incorporates hip-hop and jazz-funk sounds. In its turn, “Philadelphia” is reworked into a delicate, soulful downtempo track (nightclub), as well as into a dub/leftfield & slow funk version with a sprinkling of Arab influences (daylight).
pAd’s brilliant reworks fully respect the spirit of the originals while giving them new life in the present, where the music of a genius like Alessandroni is finally getting the recognition it deserves.

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Alessandroni Proibito, vol. 2 (5x 7″ Boxset)

GuerssenAdmin — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 22:00:00 +0000

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-inches, housing a total of 10 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.

This creative freedom turned even budget limitations into musical strength. Armed with just a 4-track Teac, Alessandroni recorded the rhythmic elements first and then added layers of melodic variations on top, at times relying on wordless vocals provided by skilled family members (Alessandroni himself in “Racing”, or his wife Giulia De Mutiis in “Ticket”), and at others on affordable or readily available instruments from the Italian folk tradition, such as the mandolin, the accordion, the melodica, or the diatonic harmonica. And of course, let’s not forget his unmistakable guitar! Whether classical or electric, it’s the heartbeat of every track in this compilation, from the seductive suspense of “Luci Rosa” (i.e., ‘pink lights’) to the groovy disco-funk of “Snake Disco (Reprise)”, all the way to the brilliant proto-wave of “Climax.” To top it off, a splash of DIY electronica – think minimalist drum machines and quirky synths – injects a modern feel into what we now call Italian erotic sound.

This time as well, the box set comes with artwork by Eric Adrian Lee, along with a matching 30x70cm folded poster inspired by the insert-size posters that used to deck out movie theaters.

Alessandroni Proibito Vol. 2 (Music from Red Light Films 1976-1980) is being released in a limited edition of just 400 copies and will never be reissued. So, be quick – it’s first come, first served!

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Paesaggio Bellico

GuerssenAdmin — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 23:00:00 +0000

Four Flies Records is proud to present Paesaggio Bellico, a collection of unreleased music from legendary composer and multi-instrumentalist Alessandro Alessandroni.
Available digitally starting on the centenary of the maestro’s birth on 18th March 2025 and on vinyl on 21st March, Paesaggio Bellico is a true gem hidden within the vast treasure trove of Italian film scores and library music. The album brings together themes and atmospheric pieces inspired by the world of war, viewed not just from a military standpoint, but also through a deeply human and existential lens.
The LP version features 18 tracks, while the digital release expands to 29, including alternate takes and thematic variations. These compositions were meticulously unearthed from scores written and recorded by the maestro between 1969 and 1978 for television documentaries and war films.
Alessandroni’s war-inspired music masterfully balances action, suspense, and introspection. Expansive, panoramic themes give way to anxious, tormented moments. Horrifying visions are countered by calmer atmospheres, and glimmers of hope soften the intensity of pain.
Each track embodies the unique sound that has made Alessandroni an irreplaceable figure for soundtrack and library music enthusiasts. His signature whistle – so unmistakable for generations of fans of the genre – soars above delicate 12-string acoustic guitar arpeggios. More dramatic pieces feature his iconic Fender Stratocaster, equipped with a fuzz distortion pedal. And, of course, Alessandroni’s vocal group, the Cantori Moderni, a constant presence in his arrangements, contribute, this time lending their voices to the more unsettling aspects of military psychology. An elegant string section adds depth and emotional impact to the more orchestral tracks, completing the picture of this monumental work.
The result is a sonic journey that delves into the darkest, most martial sides of war, but also explores its intimate and deeply painful dimensions, creating a powerful dialogue between the atrocities of conflict and the human emotions it evokes.
The release is enriched by original artwork from Eric Adrien Lee, who reimagined the 1970s graphic design of Italian war-themed library albums. The vinyl LP is housed in a tip-on hard cover (the kind used for higher-end productions during the golden age of Italian soundtracks), with an inner sleeve featuring a color-inverted variation on the cover art, which makes the physical record even more unique.
Limited Edition: 750 copies.

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Don’t Give Up / Tema Di Susie

GuerssenAdmin — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 23:00:00 +0000

With his characteristic style, enigmatic French producer Mounika has spun Alessandroni’s dreamy melody into a remix that resonates with the soul.

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Season One

GuerssenAdmin — Sun, 17 Nov 2024 23:00:00 +0000

A sonic portal to a parallel universe where neon-soaked dreamscapes transform the stark realities of a post-pandemic world. Music for a forgotten future, where echoes of the 80s cast long, enigmatic shadows through a rich tapestry of emotion that charts a journey from isolation and fear towards healing and hope. This is the journey of Season One and Season Two, the debut companion albums for the solo project of Italian composer Battaglia, both out this fall on Four Flies Records.

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Season Two

GuerssenAdmin — Sun, 17 Nov 2024 23:00:00 +0000

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Tormento

GuerssenAdmin — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 23:00:00 +0000

Imagine a nocturnal rendezvous between the lyrical playfulness of Serge Gainsbourg and the infectious yet smooth danceability of Daft Punk. Tormento is a sexy soft disco odyssey that weaves a contemporary fantasy where dilemmas and desires–torments of the heart and flesh–are bathed in the sultry glow of classic erotic cinema.
Recorded in Los Angeles and Paris, the song is a collaborative effort between composer and multi-instrumentalist Louis Fontaine, DJ and music supervisor Alix Brown, and lyricist and writer Margo Fortuny. This sonic tale of longing and uncertainty, ignited by the trio’s shared love for 1970s sounds, cinema, and style, draws inspiration from the cinematic soundscapes of François de Roubaix and from French and Italian chanson.
Tormento pairs a haunting, nostalgic melody with a late-70s disco arrangement featuring a mix of vintage synthesizers, driving basslines, and rhythmic percussion. Alix Brown’s ethereal vocals convey the electrifying thrill of an immediate, magnetic attraction. There’s seduction, mystery, the poetry of a moment, the allure of transgression, indecision, and all the things that happen late at night. When faced with temptation, what do you do? Perhaps, you surrender to the sweet, intoxicating rhythm of the forbidden.

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Superground

GuerssenAdmin — Sun, 06 Oct 2019 22:00:00 +0000

And what if the infamous UNDERGROUND and OVERGROUND albums had a third psychedelic chapter, still secret and unreleased until today?
Yes, you heard correctly: this SUPERGROUND LP is sonically akin to the legendary pair for which composer Sandro Brugnolini will always shine worldwide, and ideally brings the trilogy to a close. Composed and recorded in two sessions between July 1969 and November 1970, the album echoes the shocking 1969’s Charles Manson massacre, with tracks dedicated to the villa at Cielo Drive, in Hollywood, where Sharon Tate e Roman Polanski lived for six months. Some music was also used for an animated short movie signed by Pino Zac, “Radice Quadrata di 3”, a little art-film gem about the consumer society.
The recordings have all in common the terrific line up, featuring MARC 4 members Antonello Vannucchi (organ), Maurizio Majorana (bass), Roberto Podio (drums), along with Angelo Baroncini (guitar) replacing Carlo Pes. An incredible groovy combo that plays a strange psychedelic rock and r’n’b with funky and prog flavor.

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Rullio / Violenza (7″)

GuerssenAdmin — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 22:00:00 +0000

A new Four Flies 45s series, properly designed for DJs, producers, and worldwide music lovers, and focused on the very best Italian library grooves from the golden age, finally released on 7-inch vinyl for the very first time. This first batch was made possible by a collaboration with our friends at Flipper Music, which gave us complete access to eight killer gems that will surely burn your dancefloor, selected from the most sought after DENEB/FLIRT/FLOWER/NUOVA IDEA/UNION albums.Here we have the ultimate Italian library breakbeat: wicked synths, and cosmic electronic effects, marks the experimental hip hop beats of RULLIO by Ugo Busoni, sourced from the “Valvole” LP on the Nuova Idea label. On the flip side, one will find another rhythmic banger, VIOLENZA by Gerardo Iacoucci, taken from “L’Avventura N. 2¿ – a psychedelic b-boy break with heavy bassline and percussive piano, echoing an urban soundscape full of drama and suspense.

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