lino capra vaccina: antico adagio

Before an aberrant idea of progress and workaholic ethic ludicrously sped up our daily lives, even in the hectic city of Milan it was possible to "play slowly" -- with little or no pressure, simply following the path your art was showing you. After a classic artistic beginning and an experimental stint with Aktuala and other brilliant fellow musicians (Franco Battiato, above all), Lino "Capra" Vaccina, near the end of the '70s, recorded Antico Adagio, an amazing work that anticipated countless others in the field of so-called "new age" and world music, yet remains at the crossroad between those genres and experimental and electronic music. Apart from a few violin parts and the extraordinary vocal lines (sung by Vaccina himself and Juri Camisasca), Antico Adagio is an album fully built on percussion. At the same time, it's the farthest thing from the typical idea of percussion. You won't find a single trace of African or primitive beats: instead, this is a collection of rather long, subtle and thoughtful compositions, crafted with vibraphones, marimbas and gong. Together they create a work which will remain unique -- both in Lino Vaccina's discography as well as in a more general sense. The edition is comprised of two individual and separate LPs: Antico Adagio and Frammenti da Antico Adagio, which features previously-unreleased material from the original 1978 sessions. The deluxe CD edition contains both albums. From Kieran Hebden/Four Tet's liner notes: "There are records I have found in my life that I was almost wishing existed before hearing them. Recordings with new combinations of sound and atmosphere I knew could be wonderful to me if I ever discovered them, and then on discovery the sound was even better than I could have imagined. I felt this way when first hearing music by Alice Coltrane (Journey to Satchidananda) and Don Cherry (Organic Music Society) and I also felt it with Antico Adagio. The combinations of the rhythms and melodies resonate with me in a very clear way and I feel transported by this music every time I hear it. I first heard this record when it was posted on the Mutant Sounds blog a few years ago and am very happy to see it get another release. The music is timeless and brilliant and maybe there are other people out there wishing for a sound like this too, who will now have chance to find it."