Italian outfit Infradisco’s album, Aqua Cheta, is dedicated to, and inspired by their homeland’s longest river, The Po. A force that fights its way down from Manviso, the highest peak in the Cottian Alps, leaving countless tributaries in its wake, to Venice and the Adriatic Sea, 650 kilometres away. The track titles are cryptic clues. Referencing shellfish and high-end bottled water. The music is presented in a package that includes a 12 and a CD, originals and a series of remixes.

It’s a “song” cycle of sorts where the final track, Surgiva, is an ambient reprise of the first, Caduca. An atmospheric 6-string and synth wash memory of the opening jazz-inflected romantic, instrumental pop. Reflecting nature, the universe’s flow. Hear & Now take that opener and radically reshape it as uptempo house. Built on a breakbeat, and bubbling TB-303. Claudio Zanoni’s horn leads Dulcis’ sophisticated novo bossa nova swing. Something that Manu Archeo then sets to slo-mo echoed beats. A sampled voice reassuringly stating that “Peace all around you”, as (more) cowbell gives the BPM an upward turn.

Fluminea mixes mid-tempo beats with a moody Julee Cruise / Twin Peaks melody. A piano playing, and Corrado Terzi’s reed snaking, in its dark. Mushrooms Project’s Natural Grow makeover transforms the tune into a tribal trance ritual. Starting slow, but rising to racing robotic berimbau variations. The rushing percussive rhythm shadowed by nocturnal rainforest noise.

Marina is full of seabirds, and sultry, smokey sax, but the bass-line and some very Balearic bongos drive this track. A super nice slice of Sade-esque paradise, it’s a stripped back Latin rumba, complete with virtuoso Spanish guitar. Ocean Moon keeps the wildlife and surf, but has them shimmying instead to a heavily sedated shuffle. Surrounded by swells of sustain, and tickled by electric tremolo touches, Terzi’s jazz now way off in the distance. Viewed from a desert island shore.

The progg-y Pluvia is a great gurgling, chug. It showcases accordion, oud, and Andreas Fergio’s sitar, which all combine and synergise on an incredibly catchy hook. The Middle Eastern exoticism conjuring images of colourful bazaars, bedouins, and bellydancers. Clouds of narcotic smoke.

You can find more info on Infradisco Aqua Cheta over at Archeo Recordings.