Name: L'uomo Elettronico
Brand: Piero Umiliani

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

FLIES50CD

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Colour

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2021-03-05

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

Kudos

Tax rate GB

Standard:20

UPC / Barcode

0652733414922

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Total Cap

1 / CD / Extended format: No / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No

Artist

Piero Umiliani

Genre GB

Electronic

Label GB

Four Flies

Four Flies is a Rome-based record label and music publisher specializing in Italian golden age soundtracks. The label is committed to digging up underrated scores and sounds – often ones that were never circulated outside the Italian film, radio or TV industry – and to unearthing master tapes tucked away and long forgotten in attics or basements. Like archaeologists of Italian library music, the Four Flies team go to great lengths to rescue from oblivion previously unreleased or lesser-known pieces by great film composers, making them available to listeners everywhere.

Piero Umiliani was an Italian composer of film scores and library music. He was born on July 17, 1926 in Florence, Italy and passed away on February 14, 2001 in Rome, Italy. Throughout his career, he composed and recorded numerous soundtracks, library albums, and TV title themes. Umiliani became famous for his song "Mah Nà Mah Nà," which gained worldwide recognition after being performed on The Muppet Show. He played a significant role in shaping the style of European jazz-influenced film soundtracks during the '60s and '70s.

Born in Florence in 1926, Piero Umiliani gained international recognition with his composition for the OST of "I Soliti Ignoti" (Big Deal on Madonna Street) in 1959. This marked the first time jazz music was used in an Italian comedy movie. His talent continued to shine through as he collaborated with renowned artists such as Chet Baker and Helen Merrill for other notable soundtracks like "Smog." In 1970, Umiliani established Liuto Edizioni Musicali publishing company and Sound Work Shop recording studio.

Liuto's catalogue includes some of the most memorable moments in Italian film music history. From "La Ragazza dalla Pelle di Luna" (The Girl with the Skin of the Moon) to "Angeli Bianchi … Angeli Neri" (White Angels …

Twenty years ago, what is probably still the best collection of music by Piero Umiliani, Musicaelettronica, was released on Easy Tempo (in our opinion, the finest Italian soundtrack label ever). The album, curated by Rocco Pandiani, focussed on the astonishing creative mastery with which Umiliani played around in his Sound Work Shop studio, where he had all kinds of analogue machines to experiment with.

Not only did albums like Musicaelettronica inspire the very existence of Four Flies Records, but our new Umiliani release, L'Uomo Elettronico, follows on precisely from where Musicaelettronica left off. While Pandiani's selection provided an insight into the playful, lighter side of Umiliani's electronic music, our release explores its introspective, esoteric side.

Thanks to unwavering support from the Umiliani family, who keeps granting us access to the Maestro's archives, we have been able to continue a journey we started three years ago with Studio Umiliani, this time unearthing some stunning electronic, cosmic pieces characterized by atmospheric vibes and carefully arranged sounds and sequences. Once again Umiliani emerges as a tireless, versatile composer whose output went well beyond 'Mah Nà Mah Nà', the hugely popular song that made him eternally famous.

The idea behind the album is to view Umiliani's electronic output as the work of a scientist of some sort – a chemist or master craftsman who created magic in his laboratory or workshop. There is a dreamy, ambient quality at work here: the Maestro builds hypnotic, minimalist sonic landscapes through layers of sharp synths, including Moog, Arp, and VCS3. This music could fit equally well in a sci-fi documentary, a post-apocalyptic film, a television report on climate change, or a journey through outer space.

L'Uomo Elettronico features 3 previously unreleased tracks, as well as rarities and hidden gems, all composed between 1972 and 1983 and remastered from the original analogue tapes.