Back catalogue: Library/Archive

Review: This 17xCD set is a sprawling testament to Lalo Schifrin's genius, charting his journey as a composer who brought jazz, Latin rhythms, and classical grandeur into the heart of Hollywood. 'Mission: Impossible' still brims with tension, its taut rhythm as sharp as ever, while 'Bullitt' is all about brooding jazz-fusion cool. Then there's 'Enter the Dragon', where Eastern motifs meet cinematic swagger. Even lesser-known gems like the haunting 'Kelly's Heroes' theme reveal his knack for blending intricate orchestration with emotional pull. A deep dive into these discs is less a passive listen and more a front-row seat to cinematic history being redefined.

Review: The Complete Sound Work Shop Heritage box set is an extraordinary tribute to Piero Umiliani's prolific career, gathering his entire output on the Sound Work Shop label into an unparalleled 17-CD collection. Housed in faithful reproductions of the original album covers, this set is complemented by a 72-page booklet featuring rare photographs, insightful essays by Maurizio Corbella and Niccolo Galliano, and a comprehensive discography and tracklist. For the first time, Umiliani's extensive contributions to Italian jazz, film scores, and library music are showcased in one collection. His work at the Sound Work Shop studio, which he opened in 1968, played a crucial role in shaping the sound of Italian popular music. The studio was a hub of creativity where Umiliani explored a vast array of genres, from funk and psychedelic rock to avant-garde and electronic music. This collection reveals Umiliani's genius not just as a composer, but as a producer and visionary who controlled every aspect of his music's creation and distribution. The box set is a comprehensive portrait of a modern musician whose influence on Italian music during the 1970s remains indelible, making this collection essential for historical reasons.