The keen reader might remember Italian composer and musician Marek De Vann from a feature we published in June last year, praising ‘Fuggiasco/A Mano Armata’ as “part of obscure Italian soundtracks, especially drawing inspiration from iconic 70s crime movies”. It turns out that was not a one-off exercise in cinematic music, as De Vann and collaborator and Hammond expert Paolo Apollo Negri are now back with a whole album built around the same influences, ‘Stereotyping’.
When approaching the record, one can consider ‘A Mano Armata’ as the first piece of the puzzle, the track that started it all for De Vann and Apollo Negri. From there, they move into cross-genre pollination, still staying authentic to the true-crime ethos, but also bold enough to go outside its historical borders. Take ‘Fourteen Trains’, for instance, with its hip-hop-infused beat and soulful arrangement. ‘Downtown Drift’ is another strong example of that.
Delving deeper into the core creative concept behind ‘Stereotyping’, De Vann explains: “I have put one poliziottesco stereotype into every track on purpose. It’s my way of saying where this music comes from, without making a period piece.” That’s the key to interpreting the album in the correct way: paying homage to a lost era, while still embracing a highly personal and eclectic character. Don’t call it a stereotype!
Recommended! Discover ‘Stereotype’ now: