Baffo Banfi

Artist: Baffo Banfi & Matteo Cantaluppi
P: 2015
FrontEra is the new project of Banfi/Cantaluppi, and the first album of Baffo Banfi after almost 35 years of absence from the scene. Baffo Banfi was a founding member of the progressive rock group "Un Biglietto per l'Inferno", which split up after only two albums. Meanwhile Banfi published a first 33 rpm entitled "Galaxy My Dear", of a more electronic and 'kraut' kind, and came into contact with the legendary Klaus Schulze, founder of Tangerine Dream, as well as pioneer modern electronic music. Through his label "Innovative Communication", Schulze produced two of their albums, "Ma, Dolce Vita" (1979) and "Hearth" (1981). After a spell as a sound engineer in the recording studio "La Basilica" (Milano), owned by Mina, Baffo disappeared from the music scenes to devote himself to the world of video production and post-production.
In 2010 he met with producer Matteo Cantaluppi, multi-instrumentalist and a great connoisseur of the European electronic scene of the 70s. In Milan, Cantaluppi opened the recording studio Mono Studio from the ashes of the video production studio of Banfi. From there, a relationship of mutual respect was born, which will result in the album "FrontEra". "FrontEra", totally realized in Italy after several years of production, is composed of six long and mainly electronic instrumental tracks. The taste for the melody of Baffo, combined with the productions of Cantaluppi and the presence of strings and wind instruments, provide an imaginary that is Mediterranean at times and sometimes 'lunar'.

Artist: V/A
P: 1998
A collection of the best tracks from the early years of the IC Label.

Baffo Banfi, remember him, then gives us ‘O.R. Tens’ . Based around a bass sequence, various lead lines and motifs weave a very appealing pattern. ‘First Steps on Mars’ by Mysia, like its predecessor initially uses a sequence as the core of the track but it isn’t long before a superb drum line and guitar are the elements that grab the attention and turn it into a prog rock track. This is a fantastically infectious number at times sounding like a dead ringer for Camel. One of the the best tracks on the album, if you enjoy your EM with a heavy dose of rock that it. Robert Galla comes up with a very melodic number, sounding a bit sweet for my tastes but if you are into a good tune this will probably be for you. ‘Oriizzonte Melodica’ by Federico Lentini is like a cross between melodic EM and a military band, not the best track on the album.

Kryptasthesie gives us a fine example of trad ambient with ‘Drogeno’ then we get ‘La Seduzione Del Silenzio II’ by Runes Order. Ominous deep bass drones are added to by a high register sequence. Very atmospheric. ‘21st Century Suite’ by Gianfranco Grilli is split into two parts totalling over fifteen minutes. The first half of part A was very laid back and drifting but then a jaunty rhythm comes in to shatter the tranquillity. Part B returns to the space music of before, a slow rhythm being added near the end which works particularly well. Empire State Human brings the album to a close with ‘Element #1’ which sounds a bit like an updated version of Walter Carlos’ ‘Sonic Seasonings’.

The compilation covers many different styles but there is some very good music here. Most of the names I haven’t heard of before which isn’t surprising as Italy isn’t a country which previously I thought of as producing much EM. Look like I will have to change that view immediately. Finally a special mention must also be given to the sumptuous 28 page colour booklet which gives basic details of all the artists complete with discographies and contact addresses.. (DL)