CONTRAPPUNTI

Ranging from delicate acoustic balladry ('Frutto Acerbo') to Eno-esque synth explorations ('India'), via Classically inspired, piano-dominated, pieces ('Notturno'), 'Contrappunti' is perhaps the most original and experimental album by Le Orme.

Possessing an extremely spare and unusual sound that at times contains future echoes of production styles from the early 1980s, 'Contrappunti' remains both a highpoint for the band and Italian Prog in general.

The one regret is that the band didn't develop this highly evolved and unique approach further on any of their subsequent albums.

A little like the same year's 'Lamb Lies Down On Broadway' and its relationship to Genesis' main body of work, 'Contrappunti' is something of a one-off in the context of Le Orme's overall recording history.