The name Joe Tossini might be familiar. If you were lucky you enough to pick up a copy of the Sky Girl comp, back in 2016. Tossini`s Wild Dream being one of the shots of “Outsider Pop” selected by respected esoteric experts, Laurent Richard (AKA DJ Sundae) and Julien Dechery. I`d have said a standout, by everything on that comp is a standout. A cross-genre set of genuinely unique music. Tossini`s contribution sharing the same eccentric quality as that of someone like, say Bob Chance. Where his fantasies of outer space, other worlds, and visits to planets of love, are sung in a 50s croon, backed by Bontempi rhythms and punctuated by 80s arcade game sound effects.
Efficient Space have now helped Joe reissue the 1989 LP, Lady Of Mine. A collection of Tossini`s Torch songs, in both English and Italian, that are, yeah, schmaltzy, but rendered completely without irony. Lending them a rare honestly, that might normally be associated with a savant like Daniel Johnston. Without a flying one for the vagaries of vogue or fashion, or what anyone else might think. Positioned out on an a defiantly independent edge. Joe pulled together his “friends” for the recording, who provide female harmonies, muted trumpet and saxophone. Joe`s keys moving between bottom-end riffs that recall House music anthems, and Mediterranean accordion. Recreating a vintage Jazz swing. Boogaloo breaks that rattle like the intro to Booker T`s Soul Limbo. His close mic`d lead resembling a Mario Lanza beamed in from a parallel galaxy. A Cosmic Tiki lounge Exotica. Singing confident, sincere serenades that could be Lewis (Balfoue) covering Grace Jones covering Edith Piaf.
You can order a copy of Joe Tossini`s Lady Of Mine directly from Efficient Space.
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