Angeli Bianchi, Angeli Neri

Limited edition 7″

Out on July 14th, 2023

SIDE A1: Saudade
SIDE B1: Macumba

Another Piero Umiliani classic gets its first-ever release on 7″ vinyl! Shortly after ‘Sweden: Heaven and Hell’, in 1969 ‘Angeli Bianchi, Angeli Neri’ continued the collaboration between Umiliani and director Luigi Scattini, this time in the direction of magic and esotericism, as the English title of the film, “Witchcraft ’70”, makes abundantly clear.

The two tracks included in this release reflect that direction, which informs more or less the entire score written by the Florentine composer. On side A, the wonderful “Saudade” features Brazilian singer Maria da Penha Silva, whose hypnotic and sensual voice soars over soft percussion, as if casting a spell.

On side B, the irresistible “Macumba” sounds almost like an Amazonian ritual, something halfway between capoeira and batucada, with its driving percussion over which the mysterious wordless vocalizing of Edda Dell’Orso creates a wildly fascinating theme.

This limited edition 7″ is a genius combination of groove and magic. Don’t miss out!

Il Corpo

Limited edition 7″

Out on July 14th, 2023

SIDE A1: Chaser
SIDE B1: Hard Times

Four Flies is proud to present the very first 7″ version of music from “Il corpo”, Piero Umiliani’s acclaimed soundtrack to the 1974 film that ends the exotic/erotic trilogy directed by Luigi Scattini and starring Zeudy Araya, where the Florentine composer reached one of the peaks of his creative powers.

“Chaser”, featured on side A in an exclusive extended version (previously unreleased in any form), is a track with a dreamy groove that blends rock, funk, jazz, exotic and psychedelic elements into a gorgeous symphony of rhythmic sensuality.

The imperishable “Hard Times”, on side B, is one of the most sublime examples of Italian jazz-funk, with an orchestration built around a stunning string section that provides incredible depth and three-dimensionality. At once exotic, percussive, and full of jazz and funk vibes, this unique double-sider is the perfect accomplice to any DJ.

Copies will go very fast – it’s a limited edition, don’t sleep on it!

Amo’ / Voce ‘e Notte

Limited edition 7″

Out on July 7th, 2023

SIDE A: Amo’

SIDE B: Voce ‘e Notte

Coming straight outta Salerno’s vibrant music scene, “Amo’ / Voce ‘e Notte” is the first 7” single from female rap duo Zetas. Released by DJ’s Choice, a partner label of Four Flies Records, it contains two songs produced by beatmaker, rapper and producer Tonico 70, a true veteran of Southern Italian hip hop.
Both young millennials, rappers Annarella and Miriade were exposed to the world of underground hip-hop from an early age, jamming, freestyling and listening to different music than their peers. Active as a duo since 2019, they’re now making their official debut with this 7”, which will be followed by an album at the end of September.
The A-side track “Amo’”, which is about the overuse and loss of meaning of the word ‘love’ (amo’ translates as ‘luv’), makes their intentions clear. Zetas rap in the exuberant dialect and slang of their native city of Salerno, while their sound looks back to the ‘90s through a contemporary lens. Raw rhymes are delivered with an urgent flow over a beat that, rather than boom-bap nostalgia, is a modern take on classic production styles. The result is a happy medium between old school and fresh – one where the melody of dialect rap and rhymes blends wonderfully with the rhythms of funk, soul and reggae.

“Voce ‘e notte”, on side B, has a different mood, but the same approach. Here, Zetas weave wistful verses tinged with disillusionment and toughness on top of Tonico 70’s 808-led beat, paying tribute to a classic Neapolitan song also titled “Voce ‘e Notte”. The result is a rap serenade that transforms and reimagines the Neapolitan song tradition through today’s sensibility and, of course, through hip hop.

Out on 7 July 2023. Also available in digital format.

Provaci Anche Tu Lionel

Limited edition 7″

Out on July 2nd, 2023

SIDE A1: Provaci Anche tu Lionel (Poliziesco)
SIDE A2: Provaci Anche tu Lionel (Indagine)
SIDE B1: Provaci Anche tu Lionel (Discoteca)

A welcome addition to Four Flies 45s series, this is the first 7-inch release ever of one of the very few soundtracks written by Paolo Ormi, who is better known as a music producer of Italian funk, disco and library music, not only for big stars such as Raffaella Carrà but also underground projects geared to the disco industry.

The 7″ contains three uber-funky instrumentals, two of which previously included in Four Flies’ now almost impossible-to-find compilations Esterno Notte and Esterno Giorno (both of which feature unreleased film music from the archives of the former RCA Italy).

Composed for a negligible 1973 comedy – a weak parody of Woody Allen’s Play It Again, Sam starring dubbing actor Oreste Lionello, who for decades lent his voice to Allen – Ormi’s score is one of the funkiest blaxploitation-inspired soundtracks ever made in Italy.

The opening track on side A, with its stylish wah-wah guitars, pulsating bass, drum breaks and pronounced horn section, is a crime flick theme that clearly bears the influence of Isaac Hayes’s “Shaft”. Also on side A is a real gem – previously unreleased in any format – where funk meets b-boy breaks, while side B has more of a Latin groove à la Nico Gomez, with a tropical funk vibe that is reminiscent of some of the best music produced at the time by Ormi, such as “Cocco Secco” or the disco tracks released under the moniker Red Redford.

Three super-danceable tunes that will set any dancefloor on fire.

Limited Edition – be quick before all copies are gone!

L’Altro Dio

Limited edition 7″

Out on July 2nd, 2023

SIDE A: L’altro dio – Titoli
SIDE B: L’altro Dio – Seq.1

We’ve rarely listened to anything funkier by Alessandroni. Walking the line between disco and jazz-funk, our beloved Maestro penned the two irresistibly groovy gems in this release slightly before his blaxploitation-inspired soundtrack to Sangue di sbirro, and there are indeed similarities here – the horn and rhythm sections, as well as pianist Enrico Pieranunzi’s jazz phrasing.

Taken from the soundtrack to an obscure 1975 Italian film, Elio Bartolini’s L’Altro Dio, these two instrumentals might have remained in oblivion were it not that Four Flies rescued and included them in the compilations Esterno Notte and Esterno Giorno, both of which sold out quickly and have become almost impossible to find. It seemed more than proper now to release them for the first time ever on 7″ – perhaps the format which best suits them – as part of our Four Flies 45s series on rare Italian grooves.

Limited edition. Be quick before all copies are gone!

Oasi Nella Giungla (Dengue Dengue Dengue Remix)

Limited edition 7″ – 350 copies

Out on July 9th, 2023

SIDE A: Oasi Nella Giungla (Dengue Dengue Dengue Remix)
SIDE B: Oasi Nella Giungla

The second instalment in the 45 RELOVED series sees acclaimed world-electronic duo Dengue Dengue Dengue diving into the most intriguing side of Giuliano Sorgini, an undisputed heavyweight of Italian library music with cult soundtracks under his belt, such as The Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue and Zoo Folle.

The original ‘Oasi nella giungla’ (which translates as Oasis in the Jungle) comes from the highly sought after Africa Oscura (Dark Africa), a sublime collection of tracks originally intended for use in television, all of which were recorded by Sorgini in the mid-70s by overdubbing synths, drums (both acoustic and electronic), a wide variety of percussion instruments, and field recordings.

Back in 2019 Four Flies paid tribute to Africa Oscura with two EPs of remixes by Italian producers from the cosmic/Balearic electronic scene. Four years later, Dengue Dengue Dengue’s mind-blowing rework of ‘Oasi nella giungla’ offers a great opportunity not only to go back to the fantastic sound of that album, but to fully appreciate the tribal element in Sorgini’s music.

In the hands of the Peruvian duo, the sonic geography of ‘Oasi nella giungla’ magically shifts from the depths of Africa to those of the Amazon rainforest, and the tribal percussions of the Savannah turn into an equatorial cumbia full of mystery and mystical echoes. The result is a mesmerizing fusion of tropical rhythms, dub, house and psychedelia, with an ancestral vibe that is perhaps even more pronounced than in the original track. Co-curated with Little Beat More.

Out on 7″ and digital formats

Notte Inchiesta

Limited edition 7″ – 500 copies

Out on April 21th, 2023

SIDE A: Notte Inchiesta
SIDE B1: Equilibrio
SIDE B2: Sambuca

After the successful 7-inch release of Agip, Roman producer and composer Azzurro 80 is back on Four Flies with another triple-single that continues his love affair with dreamy synth-pop and Italian Eighties culture and society.

“Notte Inchiesta”, on side A, could be the title music to an imaginary ’80s investigative/true-crime program broadcast on late-night television. Clearly reminiscent in mood and texture of the soundtracks of late-70s/early-80s Italian detective-action films, it brings back the jazz-funk, post-prog and fusion overtones that characterized the music of those films. In short: a contemporary-retro sound nestled somewhere between Goblin’s funk-oriented recordings, Azymuth’s “Jazz Carnival”, and electronic disco with a sprinkle of new wave.

Side B opens with “Equilibrio”, which could serve as additional, more dynamic music for the same TV program mentioned above. The style is once againelectronic jazz-funk, but here we have abreak built upon a trail of notes chasing each other.

In contrast, “Sambuca”, the single’s closer, is deliberately nostalgic and melancholy. Perfectly suitable for visual narratives of an Italy that no longer exists, it sounds like one of those great Italian soundtrack themes that are able to convey tension and calm at the same time. The track is titled after the anise-flavoured liqueur that Italians often drink after their espresso, because “making references in my music to things that are part of our national popular culture is really important to me”, as the artist has explained.

Cumbia Mahàre / Ophis

Limited edition 7″ – 500 copies

Out on April 14th, 2023

SIDE A: Cumbia Mahàre
SIDE B: Ophis

Drop a needle on Psyché’s debut double-sider – the debut album is out on May 19th – and you’ll see visions, or rather Mediterranean visions, be they of waves of heat shimmering above dunes of sand, or of women dancing around a bonfire on a rocky plain, or of bushy cliffs overlooking emerald-green and turquoise sea. The name Psyché is of course ancient Greek for ‘soul’ or ‘mind’,signifying the band’s love of psychedelic funk, but also the wide range of Mediterranean influences – from Southern Europe to the Balkan Peninsula, and from Anatolia to the Maghreb – that provide an endless source of inspiration for their hypnotic sound and minimalist style.

Psyché members Marcello Giannini (Guru, Nu Genea, Slivovitz), Andrea De Fazio (Parbleu, Nu Genea, Funkin Machine) and Paolo Petrella (Nu Genea) have been active in the Naples music scene for almost two decades, most notably during the first wave of the new Neapolitan Power movement (Slivovitz, Revenaz Quartet). Over the years they have often crossed paths and collaborated on side projects in various genres (math-rock duo Arduo and, more recently, Italo-disco duo Fratelli Malibu), before working together as the rhythm section of Nu Genea’s live band. Following their first tour with Nu Genea in 2018, they started Psyché with the intent of exploring more minimalist styles and making musicwith just a few elements.

A unique combination of psychedelia, groove and improvisation, the music of Psyché goes back to the roots of our future; it evokes visions of a mythical past, blending centuries-old music traditions and mixing them with modern genres. Like a warm Mediterranean breeze, it travels across lands, seas and eras, distilling essential rhythms and cosmic pulsations.

“Cumbia Mahàre”, on side A of the 7-inch, dives deep into the origins of rhythm, drawing us into the movements of an imaginary ritual dance (the term mahàre was used in Southern Italian dialects to indicate witches). Through the interplay between minimal synths and exhilarating rhythmic patterns of drums, percussion, guitar and bass, Psyché take a fresh and bold approach to contemporary afrobeat and cumbia fusion.

“Ophis”, on side B, is a mesmeric blend of African, Balkan and Turkish rhythms and sounds. Ethereal vocalizations and warm, hypnotic bass lines combine with psychedelic riffs and haunting melodies on guitar to evoke ancient cultures whose spiritslithers like a snake across the dunes of a sun-scorched desert.

Available as a 500-Copy Limited Edition 7-inch, and Digital.

Autumn 2021 / Autumn 2001

Limited edition 7″ – 350 copies

Out on March 3rd, 2023

SIDE A: Autumn 2021
SIDE B: Autumn 2001

Part of Four Flies’ RELOVED – a series where contemporary DJs and producers rework tunes from Italian golden age soundtracks and library music – ‘Autumn 2021’ is Free the Robots’ take on ‘Autumn 2001’, from the 1978 Italian library LP Futuribile (The Life To Come), a retro-futuristic masterpiece by Italian jazz pianist and electronic music pioneer Gianni Safred. This release – like all 7″ releases in the RELOVED series – is co-curated with fellow independent label Little Beat More.

A jazz musician from Trieste, northern Italy, Safred at one point began making music with ‘’his electronic instruments’’ (Minimoog, Polymoog, Arp Odissey, Arp Omni, Fender piano, Sequencer Roland, Space Echo Roland) in his own mini studio, eventually releasing three albums (now ultra-rare and highly sought-after). Futuribile, the second one, is an incredible electronic space-disco-jazz album, full of deep breaks and beats, along with dope overlapping synths, which often results in minimalistic proto-house tunes. A sound that takes you both back in time and forward into the future.

Chris Alfaro, aka Free the Robots, is a musician, beat maker and DJ known for his ability to jump in and out of different sonic worlds, creating a unique signature sound blending electronic, hip hop, jazz and psychedelia. His free-$owing imagination keep his productions constantly moving forward – away from robotic monotony, ultimately freeing the robots.
He is one of the pioneering artists to come out of LA’s beat movement, the epicenter of which is the music venue Low End Theory, whose weekly showcase for uncut beat-driven tracks has been a launchpad for the success of prolific electronic artists such as Daedelus and Flying Lotus.
He continues on building his line up of original recordings in unpredictable directions. The energy and technical skill behind his live performances have landed him a place among the greats, sharing stages with the likes of Flying Lotus, DJ Shadow and DJ Krush.

When we started planning the Reloved series, we immediately reached out to Free the Robots. Nothing made more sense than kicking off with one of the key figures of the West Coast experimental beats scene, a movement that has changed beat making globally, and forever.

Free The Robots says about the release: “The sounds used back in the ‘60s and ‘70s are partly where I model my own sound and many Italian bands from the era played a big role in the inspiration of my music. To add to the narrative is really just the continued preservation of classic sounds, re-told and flipped in my own way as a producer of this era. My take on Autumn 2001 was more a drum heavy, loopy and spaced out approach to the original song.”

Ufo Bossa / Intergalactic Porno Scene

Limited edition 7″ – 350 copies

Out on March 3rd, 2023

SIDE A: Ufo Bossa
SIDE B: Intergalactic Porno Scene

Cocktail and power-bossa vibes meet shots of clavinet-funk in the new single by Milan-based producer Larry Manteca, a relentless creator of soundtracks for imaginary films in various genres – from the erotic to the spaghetti western, and from crime to zombie-horror.

Manteca’s debut on 7″ vinyl could only have happened under the aegis of Four Flies Records, whose team went and hand-picked two of the grooviest tracks in his bulimic output, both recorded in 2015 for the sci-fi/erotic-themed album Mutant Virgins From Pluto (the title says it all!).

“Ufo Bossa” is a delicious, uptempo bossa-jazz number cast in an ultra-lounge style and spiced up with references to Les Baxter’s and Martin Denny’s exotica, as well as to pop/erotic sci-fi soundtracks like Bob Crewe’s Barbarella, with the added bonus of Yasmine Zekri’s sexy scat singing. On the flip side you have “Intergalactc Porno Scene”, a typical poliziottesco theme where clavinet and flute interweave into a super-funky groove, before synths come in and send us into erotically-charged space orbit.

Available as a 350-Copy Limited Edition 7-inch, and as a Digital Remaster.

DREAMIN’ / GERONIMO

12″ Vinyl Black

Out on January 27, 2023

TRACKLIST:

A1 – Dreamin’
B1 – Geronimo

Italian groove at its finest.

In the early ‘70s, after relocating from his native Genoa to Rome, young saxophonist Gianni Oddi was beginning to establish himself as a super-cool arranger thanks to a series of cover albums recorded for RCA Italy. They contained funk, soul and easy-listening versions of contemporary pop hits, but Oddi often managed to include one or two original compositions of his own – like the ones contained in this new instalment of Four Flies’ 12-inch vinyl series for DJs.

The luscious funk of Dreamin’, on side A, shows Oddi as an Italian master of groove. Warm, sexy and nocturnal, the song combines breaky drums with tantalizing vocals (provided by Baba Yaga’s Isabella Sodani), adding a romantic, dreamy vibe in the special with strings and piano (the latter played by Oddi himself) that are at once reminiscent of soulful black music and influenced by the melodic tradition of Italy.

Geronimo, on side B, is almost a tribute to Manu Dibango – a favourite of Oddi’s at the time. Here, Oddi’s signature groove, at once refined and infectious, is driven by Mario Scotti’s pulsating bass, Silvano Chimenti’s wah-wah guitar, Oddi’s own persuasive sax and, in particular, sound engineer (and former drummer) Enzo Martella’s ‘moose call’ sound (made by sliding a thumb across the top of a conga). In a nutshell: Africa reimagined in Via Tiburtina (the street in Rome where RCA Italy’s recording studios where located).

Both tracks are perfect examples of Oddi’s sound and… Style (yes, his 1974 album for RCA Italy’s SP series). The same sound (and style!) characterizes masterpieces like Le Montagne della Luce (co-written with Romolo Grano), La Sbandata (the funky theme from Domenico Modugno’s soundtrack, which Oddi arranged and produced) and Mondo di Notte Oggi (co-written with Gianni Dell’Orso). All of these have been released by Four Flies, which continues to celebrate this fantastic groove maker.

DEDY DREAD DJ’S CHOICE BUNDLE

DJ’S CHOICE presents a special bundle dedicated to DEADY DREAD installments for the label:

– 7” Cover Me (2022)
– 12”Quero Ver Você Dançar (2021)
– 7” Don’t Wanna Wake Up (2020)

PELLE DI LUNA / PELUCHE

Limited edition 7″ – 500 copies

Out on JANUARY 13th, 2023

SIDE A: Pelle Di Luna
SIDE B: Peluche

LIMITED EDITION TO 500 COPIES 7″ VINYL WORLDWIDE

Franco Esse is the moniker of Francesco Semproni, who in the late 60s began working as a music and recording assistant in major recording studios in Rome, Italy. He started out at Dirmaphone (then located in Via Pola) under sound engineer Gianni Fornari, before following him to the Emmequattro studios in Viale Mazzini, which at the time were the headquarters of Edipan, the record label founded by composer and conductor Bruno Nicolai after parting ways with friend and fellow composer Ennio Morricone.

Semproni tried to become a singer-songwriter in the early 80s, when he recorded a number of demos with the session musicians who gravitated around the studios. None of these demos was ever released though, for reasons that are still unclear today – his thorny and stubborn personality may have been a factor, since it apparently made him reluctant to compromise with the major record labels of the time.

The unsuccessful efforts to launch his solo artist career led to a personal crisis, and Franco Esse eventually quit music to go to work as a sales assistant in a toyshop in Rome’s Prati neighbourhood.

Today he seems to have vanished without a trace, but after extensive research, we managed to dig some of his demos out of an abandoned archive and miraculously bring back to life two semi-instrumental tracks he recorded in 1983.

Both of them reveal Franco Esse as a refined musician with a reserved personality, an almost minimalist approach to lyric-writing, and a strongly cinematic synth-pop style that is in line with the musical trends of the time and gives a nod to the soundtracks of Fabio Liberatori, falling somewhere in between slow-wave and new-romantic.

These two ballads would have been the perfect soundtrack to cold winter nights in the early 80s, with snowflakes floating down on ski slopes, people clad in puffy down jackets, and music pouring into headphones from walkmans kept in back jean pockets.

COVER ME

Limited Edition 7″

Out on December 2, 2022

A1 – Cover Me (feat. Blacc El)
B1 – Cover Me (The Rebel & Shiny D Remix)

DJ’s Choice is back with a new 7″ single! “Cover me” is the long-awaited collaboration between veteran Portuguese DJ/producer Dedy Dread and rising Hawaiian singer Olivia Ruff.

On side A, Ruff’s soulful voice rides over Dedy’s ‘rhythm’n’bass’ instrumental and combines with the captivating flow of Denmark-based MC Blacc El.

The flip side contains a special remix by label founder The Rebel and Roman pianist and producer Shiny D, a modern tropical rework of the original track that many DJs will appreciate.

Wait For Me – Aspiettame (Re-Edit)

Limited edition 7″ – 300 copies

Out on September 30th, 2022

SIDE A: Franky Selector feat. Banda Maje – Wait For Me – Aspiettame (Re-Edit)
SIDE B: Franky Selector feat. Banda Maje – Wait For Me – Aspiettame (Re-Edit) [Instrumental Version]

LIMITED EDITION TO 300 COPIES 7″ VINYL WORLDWIDE

Four Flies is thrilled to present a fresh little gem of a 7 inch where the Salifornian funk collective Banda Maje put their spin on “Wait For Me”, a disco-funk track by Canadian multi-instrumentalist Franky Selector originally released in his album Never Better – which last spring was fully reinterpreted by a number of Italian artists, including Banda Maje, in the digital album Italians do it (Never) Better.

The full, vocal version of the re-edit, on side A, sees Franky Selector himself sing in perfect Neapolitan amidst irresistible backing vocals, while the instrumental version is provided on side B.

Both versions brim with joy, funk, and Salifornian energy, bringing Italy and Canada closer than ever. Infectious groove has no boundaries.

Vic’l / Fantasie (Sampled Version)

Out on September 9th, 2022
SIDE A: Tonico 70 – Vic’l
SIDE B: Tonico 70 – Fantasie (Sampled Version)

From an offshoot of Salifornian funk/soul collective Banda Maje, here comes a new 7″ single penned by the rapper, producer and band’s co-founder Tonico 70. “Vic’l / Fantasie” is a tasty prelude to Tonico 70’s forthcoming album “Antonico”, due out this November on Four Flies Records.

Like the rest of the album, the two tracks on the single have been co-written and co-produced by Peppe Maiellano, Banda Maje’s other founder, and offer a more intimate portrait of the artist. Tonico has put his ‘tough-music-smuggler’ persona aside to let his soulful side shine through.

“Vic’l”, on side A, is a very autobiographical song. The flow of words you hear, almost a stream of consciousness, took place late one night in the privacy of home and was recorded on the spot. Tonico 70 evaluates his personal history, speaking about the people who are or were there for him. The sound is smooth and sweet, rife with contrapuntal notes and harmonies (those played on the Fender Rhodes and the flute especially stand out) and clearly reminiscent of 70s soul.

In the funky, uptempo “Fantasie”, on the flip side, Tonico 70 lets his Salifornian flow roam free totalk about the strong bonds that bring us together and make us feel good.

Both tracks evoke images and stories while enveloping you in a warm embrace. Not unlike Banda Maje’s music, they have a strong cinematic quality that Tonico 70’s rap adds to nicely. We can’t wait to listen to what’s coming next!