Quattro Bambole Italy Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Campania-based combo Asakaira has delivered a genuinely brilliant debut album here. Rooted in improvisation and the collective's combined love of jazz, Afrobeat, jazz-funk, hip-hop and the Afro-cosmic sounds that have long been a staple of Italy's underground music culture, the album's six original tracks (the seventh is an alternate 'Night' take on the jaunty, energetic and percussive 'Skijii') bristle with imagination and inventiveness. For proof, check the tropical disco delights of 'Night Tales', the head-nodding hip-hop-jazz of 'Chatting With You' and the dubby jazz-not-jazz shuffle of 'Moon Phases', a track that just intensifies and gets bigger as it progresses.

Review: Rome's contemporary jazz maestro Stefano De Santis is back with his 'New Beginning' EP on the esteemed Quattro Bambole Music. Across four stunning tracks, Stefano's musicianship shines as he explores jazz-infused broken beat, boogie, deep house and lo-fi hip-hop. Highlights come thick and fast and include the mellow jazz landscapes of 'Roy,' the lush blend of slow-motion house and broken beats on 'Lie#3', the emotive, piano-driven 'Paths' and the 80s boogie vibe of 'Tokyo 80.' UK producer Sean McCabe mastered the EP but also delivers a deep house dub of 'Lie#3.'

Review: The third instalment in Quattro Bambole Music's Moderna Sonorizzazioni series is anotther doozy that explores instrumental hip-hop as a contemporary form of library music. Created by Roman producer Delphi, the album blends raw beats, nostalgic loops and samples to craft cinematic sketches. It captures moments tied to football and sports and evokes memories of family Sundays, street games and stadium atmospheres that you may not have actually experienced. With 12 introspective tracks, this record offers a more conceptual and emotional narrative than danceable rhythms which makes it all the more crucial.

Review: Italian producer GSQ adopts his given name for the very first time on a musical project here. That usually means an artist is bearing their soul and being more honest and vulnerable about the music they want to make but either way Francesco Fisotti does a fine job of captivating us here. The tress on the cover look very LA but the sounds inside are all Italo - deep house, downtempo, disco and Balearic all feature with distinctive synth melodies from Southern Europe. 'Mercedes Fantasy' has some great odds school raps, 'Bootyyy' bounces with some hip-hop charm and 'Mezza Estate' is a lush jazz-funk pearl.

Review: Francesco Fisotti is the leader of the new Italian disco-funk band Le Dune and this makes their debut release. 'Sugar' features a fusion of electronic drums, synths and groovy bass with a retro feel but fresh modern production flair next to vibrant guitars. When you pair all that with catchy, pop-driven vocals you have a timeless disco vibe that will unique all manner of dancers. Alongside the original version, the Extended Mix emphasises the groove, the Instrumental Version' leans into a percussive, tribal sound while the 'La Notte Mix' co-produced by Issam Dahmani delivers a late 80s proto-house feel.