INTEGRATI... DISINTEGRATI

Amazing electronic synth experimentations for tow long "epic" pieces that includes classical motifs. Franco Leprino is less known than others "avant garde" progressive Italians as Franco Battiato...However his unique musical universe really deserves a listening for all fans of Italian Progressive rock and for those who enjoy deep listening. "Integrati...Disintegrati" features formidable musical dialogues between lyrical aspects of classical music, electronic weirdness and synth meditation. "Part 01" starts with pleasant floating keyboards, accompanied by "poetical" acoustic guitars sections. The atmosphere is full of colour and beauty, always exploring the introspective side of musical creation. The track ends up with sumptuous evocative, echoing guitar chords. "Part 02" delivers a more "difficult" composition, including psychedelic synth moves, collage sounds, noises. It carries on a very pastoral & enchanting "trip" for flute and guitar then turns to something really ethereal and mysterious for melodic (almost symphonic) synth lines. A forgotten 70's prog masterpiece.

Unbelievably beautiful.

Franco Leprino, a rather obscure artist in the '70s Italian prog scene, released only this one album, Integrati... Disintegrati, which has gone most unnoticed - such a shame considering that this album is so heartbreaking in its beauty that I feel the need to suggest this to anyone who is at all interested in Italian prog, electronic or not.

This album is two long form compositions, each taking up an entire side. "Lalo A" begins with lightly swelling electronic drones and soft repetitive nylon string guitar playing that is reminiscent of the texture applied by fellow Italian prog band Il Paese Dei Balocchi. The guitar motif repeats as the electronic drone in the background swells larger and becomes more symphonic until is takes up most of the listening space and finally fades off into the distant, allowing for a jovial classical piano moment before spacey electronic density takes over. Finally, before finishing, classical piano makes another entrance as do multiple other instruments in a very classical manner. This whole side is very dramatic and beautiful in a most enlightening way.

"Lalo B" has many of the same ethereal and uplifting elements as the previous side, but is overall much more avant-garde. It starts off with a beautiful guitar loop over simple electronics, but the electronic element takes over in an almost dissonant and Messiaen- esque kind of way (if you're a Messiaen fan, as I am, then there's no reason to complain). Again, it breaks off into another echoed guitar passage with lightly ringing electronic backdrop that is atmospheric like looking down an endless, dimly lit hallway. Eventually drama is increased and the track becomes heavily symphonic and heavenly, beautiful nylon string guitars reprise the wonderful motif, the track ends and the resulting feeling of bliss is all consuming.

Definitely not ambient, but the relaxing effect of Integrati... Disintegrati is basically the same. The difference is that, to most people, this album will probably be thoroughly more engaging than something like Steve Roach's work. Fans of the '70s Italian progressive rock scene will be very comfortable with the tonality of this album and all of the instrumentation. This is a very chill album, but I feel very confident that anyone with patience and an ear for beauty will find Integrati... Disintegrati to be a very delightful experience. A strong must-have in the '70s one-and-done Italian prog elite.

This was Franco Leprino's only release back in 1977. A forgotten gem out of Italy with two side long suites made up of synths, acoustic guitar and tape loops for the most part.

Part 1 starts off with faint spacey sounds that build as acoustic guitar joins in around 2 minutes with the spacey sounds slowly pulsing. They stop as the guitar leads then the synths join in after 4 1/2 minutes. These pulsating spacey waves are back after 6 minutes and I can't but help think of "The Sky Moves Sideways". Beautiful stuff and of course much earlier than PORCUPINE TREE's example. It changes after 10 minutes as samples of different sounds come in including a crying baby as the piano gently plays. It turns electronic before 12 minutes as sounds twitter and it's fuller a minute later. Piano only after 14 minutes then flute a minute after that joins in. A change again 17 minutes in as strummed guitar and atmosphere eventually take over.

"Part 2" has a lot more changes throughout it but I do prefer Part 1. A synth pattern to start then acoustic guitar takes over. It changes 2 1/2 minutes in with solemn synths and what sounds like organ. Another change before 5 1/2 minutes as gentle guitar and synths take over. I like it. A change a minute later and it sounds like a crowd roaring and a baby crying as they join the electronics. A calm 8 1/2 minutes in as pleasant and spacey sounds take over. Nice. A symphonic flavour comes in after 12 minutes with flute and acoustic guitar. It changes 14 minutes in to more of an electronic sound then the acoustic guitar joins in followed by spacey synths that sweep across the soundscape. A calm 17 1/2 minutes in. It's dark 19 minutes in then acoustic guitar comes out of it and it all starts to brighten.

For me this is a 4 star album that I can highly recommended.