Disagio Sociale (reissue) vinyl

Collectors have long regarded Ruscigan's 1971 debut album, library music classic Disagio Sociale, as something of a curio. For years, its origin was shrouded in mystery. According to the liner notes for this official re-release, it's the work of former Stockhausen student Guido Baggiani, and soundtrack composer Piero Umiliani. Musically, it's undeniably superb, flitting between haunting, flute-heavy pieces, jangling, Ennio Morricone style themes, organ-heavy horror weird-outs, and evocative, guitar-laden oddities. Many of the track titles make reference to issues haunting Italy at the time - unemployment, social class, and so on - adding additional weight to the album's often dark, evocative and bittersweet mood.