“Atmospheres” is one of Piero Umiliani’s most interesting albums, published in a limited edition in the mid-Seventies. A period of musical confusion even though not for him, who had always been eclectic. The charming soundtracks for Luigi Scattini’s documentaries were already behind him, as was the great orchestral jazz production: his career had already been long and full of professional satisfaction. The present for the composer consisted of the scores for a number of Italian comedies and, most all, a set of sonorizations. These appeared projected into the future, thanks to their avant-garde attitude and the electronic sounds which seemed to arrive from a parallel universe. The sixteen tracks of “Atmospheres” belong to this group of works that were not tied to specific cinema projects, where the composer’s incredible imprint is at its height. In all this creative freedom it is clear how the titles of several pieces pointed to specific thematic suggestions so that they could instantly be adopted by producers and documentary film editors. A choice that is not accidental. Just like that of Musica Per Immagini which continues to select hidden treasures from the rich catalog of the maestro to be reprinted for the first time in over forty years, remastering them from the original tapes.
Brand new, never played, sealed