Italy’s Archeo Recordings released only one album in 2020 – the percussion, keys, horns, and guitar fusion-esque mediations of Maras Posillipo Proietti`s Sfumature. For a variety of reasons, public and personal, obvious and not so, the prolific reissue imprint slowed to take stock over the last 12 months. Label head honcho, Daniele “Manu” Dallerba assures me that there’s plenty in the pipeline for 2021 (see his answers to the final 2 questions below) – both archival excavations and fresh remixes – expect collaborations with Hear & Now, Leo Mas, Lenny Paradise, and more.
Manu`s boundless enthusiasm for music of all genres hasn`t been dampened one iota by a world gone crazy – and is demonstrated here by a huge list of balearic bounty. With ears like a magpie`s eyes – these are songs that kept him sane through the lockdowns…
Words and selections by Manu Archeo.
Top 12s
Buena Onda Balearic Beats / Hell Yeah Recordings
Okinawa Delays / Just A Little Lovin’ / Archipelago Records
Top 45s
Pablo Color / Los Claveles 36 / Ish
Reggae Disco Rockers / Groovin’ / Flower Records
Pellegrino Pres. Zodyaco / Caucciù / Early Sounds Recordings
Top Cassettes
Manu•Archeo / Alicudi / Paesaggi Records
Buena Onda: Balearic Beats / Hell Yeah Recordings
Hiroshi Yoshimura / Green / Light In The Attic
Top Digital
Tuccinelli / Moments / Modern Manners
Ambala / Sergios Theme / Music For Dreams
Don Carlos & James Doman / Passage From The Moon / Music For Dreams
Top Albums
Hear & Now / Alba Sol / Claremont 56
Claremont Editions One & Two / Claremont 56
Seahawks / Island Visions / Be With Records
Top Compilations
Retour Au Club Meduse / Spacetalk Records
Oto No Wa: Selected Sounds Of Japan 1988-2018 / Music For Dreams
Virtual Dreams / Music From Memory
Top Reissues
Fulvio Maras Alfredo Posillipo Luca Proietti / Sfumature / Archeo Recordings
Nicky Robson / Stars / Neppa
Special Touch / Garden Of Life / Heels & Souls Recordings
This will be hard to answer, but all being “well” what plans do you have for 2021?
Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, in 2020, I had to change the dates of some releases. In the background I’ve been working on a lot of new projects – which has sometimes been difficult because of the lockdowns and restrictions on our movements – with everything done at a distance. Archeo might have slowed down, but that’s OK. There’s lots on the way for 2021: There are a couple of new releases in the Tony Esposito “Tonyism” series – which began with the wonderful rework of Rosso Napoletano by my dear friends Mushrooms Project – there will be remixes of Tony’s music by Colossius, from Florence, and the Perugian duo Hear & Now – I love their sound – ethereal, dreamy and so magical. Then there’s a 1990, previously unreleased, LP by the duo of Manrico Mologni & Nicola Calgari – which will have two new special balearic versions by Ed Longo. Finally, Archeo will launch a series of compilations. The first will be curated by a great friend and digger – I really love him and his taste – whose name I can’t reveal to you now, but it’s worth staying tuned! It will be a series of compilations dedicated to diggers, DJs, producers and musicians, with rare gems to be rediscovered. I’m so excited about that!
A little further off is a reissue of Il Canto Dell’Arpa E Del Flauto by Pepe Maina. In 2019 I reissued his beautiful Scerizza LP. Pepe is such a unique and talented but at the same time humble artist. I love his lo-fi style – he is extremely accurate and always on point. We have not yet met in person and this is of course difficult right now. He lives isolated in the hills outside Milan – but we regularly have long and pleasant chats via email. He is a real gentleman and I really love his music.
There are also 3 or 4 new killer projects and collaborations with my dear friend Leo Mas in the pipeline. These are currently suspended but I’m really looking forward these. Then a collection of unpublished material taken from the 80s and 90s archive of Fulvio Maras – with a remix – finally! – by my super talented friend Lexx, then another collection of private songs by the aforementioned Pepe Maina with related remixes, a 12″ by the singer Sara Loreni entitled Neve A Maggio – which will include 4 new remixes – by Mushrooms Project, Leo Almunia and Deep88. We will also reissue the rare and sought after Ettika by Ettika, with new versions, including one by Craig Christon (Passport To Paradise) and have planned a fantastic release with my friend Bottin – working on an unreleased Lucio Dalla track… It will be a rich and exciting 2021, yessssss! Fingers crossed!!
Is there any way that I, we, others, can help and assist you in achieving these goals? Are you looking for partners for any forthcoming activities?
That’s very kind of you, Rob. I’m always open to new collaborations, suggestions and exciting projects. I’ve been planning a collaboration with my dear friends Rob at Be With Records and Chuggy at Emotional Rescue for years – we are looking for the right one! I hope this can happen soon. It would be a real pleasure and honour. I`ve also been thinking about a way to involve DJs, producers and musicians from our big global “balearic” family – hence all the new remixes and reworks. I`m trying to organize this so that the remixer / reworker gets to choose a track that they really love, and perhaps have a personal history with. To do this I need to have a release schedule way in advance – to let people choose. This is what I’m working towards.
You can check out Archeo Recordings extensive catalogue over at their own website and on Bandcamp.
Ban Ban Ton Ton 