Library/Archive charts

Review: Renowned DJ and selector MURO is a Jedi-level compiler and this new collection of his delves into Victor's extensive archives to spotlight a world of Japanese jazz, fusion and AOR. It take sin plenty of internationally known names like Yasuko Agawa on the sunset sounds of 'L.A. Night', Sadistics who offers the more psyched out guitar leans of 'On the Seashore', Yuji Ohno's neo-Balaeric bliss-out 'The Dawn of Seychells' and Hiroshi Fukumura's soul soothing Ry Ayres-style melodies on 'White Clouds.' These are luxurious sounds and timeless tracks with MURO's signature funky perspective making this a brillaint choice for brighter, warmer days.

Review: The latest record to waft from the Four Flies feeding ground focuses on Paolo Zavallone, an elusive musician and patron of the DIY music label Paloma Records, which only saw five records released. After venturing into the world of music publishing in 1983, Zavallone would either produce licensed-for-film music himself, or consign the task to his peers, chiefly his friend Mauro Malavasi. This record, made up of a quint of nameless, coverless records, captures the highlights of the sottofondi style, i.e. incidental music made largely for early 80s Italian comedy series on TV. Easy listening fusion blends with pots-and-pans avant-gardism ('Cronaca Nera' particularly), proving the remarkably prescient range of an obscure musician.