Nico Fidenco - (2014) Emanuelle Perche' Violenza Alle Donne LP

Never say that Death Waltz Recording Company doesn’t plumb the depths of exploitation (or in this case sexploitation) to bring you great music, with a treasure being unearthed in the shape of Nico Fidenco’s score to Joe D’Amato’s EMANUELLE PERCHE’ VIOLENZA ALLE DONNE (a.k.a. THE VIOLATION OF EMANUELLE). Regarded as the best of the unofficial “Black Emanuelle” series, D’Amato’s film starts off with the same sexual freedom and exploration as the official one but ends up descending into a hard-hitting voyage of human trafficking and sexual violence. Fidenco’s music as presented mostly represents the character’s exploration of hedonism and philosophy, scoring hook-ups with a truck driver and a couple of Italian girls, and as such is pretty free-flowing and upbeat.

The fantastic main theme is repeated throughout the album alongside some interesting supporting material, including some great offbeat percussion and some slinky melodies with a surprising amount of wind instruments, along with a subtle female voice. Synths appear frequently, along with the expected driving bassline, and it’s not until the end when it gets darker and sleazier, as well as funkier in an almost prog-rock way. It’s a fascinating end to a smooth-flowing record that reminds us that music to sex flicks sometimes needs more than just a wah-wah pedal.

Death Waltz Recording Co. DWRSD007

Nicola Piovani - (2014) Il Profumo Della Signora In Nero - The Perfume Of The Lady In Black LP

Death Waltz Recording Company is proud to present another masterpiece from Italy, with Nicola Piovani’s gorgeous score to Francesco Barilli’s highly-regarded psychological horror IL PROFUMO DELLA SIGNORA IN NERO (a.k.a. THE PERFUME OF THE LADY IN BLACK). The tale of a successful career woman who suffers a downward spiral into a treacherous mental breakdown, the film has been favourably compared in some quarters to Roman Polanski’s REPULSION, thanks to a star turn from leading lady Mimsy Farmer and Piovani’s beautiful yet unnerving music. The score is perhaps less telegraphing than you might expect – at least initially – with the core being a stunning melody that will remain in your head for months.

First performed in a classical style, the theme is reprised in many stylistic variations throughout the score, from a straightforward rendition that seems almost naively innocent, to lush pastoral reprisals, and even a big band version. Piovani uses the theme almost as a comfort zone, a false sense of security, before jarring the melody with piercing strings and harsh percussion to make you bolt upright. The score is haunting in places, with surreal melodies that almost sound like whale song and a slow piano piece that perhaps had an influence on John Carpenter’s HALLOWEEN. A mesmerizing experience, that remains a highlight of Italian film music.

  Death Waltz Recording Company ‎– RSDDW006