MUSIC IS PAINTING IN THE AIR (1974-1977)

Ah, compilations! The obligatory contract-fillers for many bands, lazily put together with little care or love, and with a couple of throwaway bonus tracks slapped on the end as a cheap way to squeeze a couple more bucks out of your faithful followers, what good are they? Well, Franco Falsini, main man of Italian space-rockers Sensations' Fix, bucks the trend and offers a highly desirable and worthwhile assortment of thirty pieces compiled from the early to mid 70's years of their recordings, as well as unreleased tracks and related material from his own solo music. Entitled "Music is Painting in the Air (1974-1977)" and spread across two compact discs, although there's short gaps between tracks, all of the pieces take on a gentle, continuous flowing atmosphere, and it's the perfect overview of their wondrous music.

Many of the works included in this set have been slightly remixed and brought up to date with modern techniques, but they never lose their vintage magic, instead taking on a richness and fuller sound that they never had before. Admittedly calling Sensations' Fix a `space-rock' band is selling them a little short, as they work so many other subtle styles into their fragile and euphoric music, very much in evidence on this set. Primarily instrumental, some tracks have been subtly remixed from their original studio versions, so knowledgeable fans of the band will enjoy hearing what little touches have been added to the compositions. Tracks like `Leave My Chemistry' from `Portable Madness' have been beefed up with extra heavy snarling bass, and the eerie deep-space of `Left Side of Green' takes on even more unease with it's relentless bass.

`Scraping Delay' is a dazzling pretty starfield set to music, `Cosmic Saudade' a phasing liquid drone, `Warped Notions of a Practical Joke' an acid-country drowse. `Chelsea Hotel Room' is a machine-like brood, `Strangelands' sounds like a harsh electronic nightmare, and the light ethnic flavours mixed with electronics during interlude `Overflowing Ashtrays' remind of German band Agitation Free. The melancholic chiming guitar and bass ruminations of `Acudreaming' is hypnotic, the up-tempo guitar victories alongside tasty Moog ripples of `Fragment of Light' take flight, and there's an uplifting floating hopefulness to `Into The Memory'.

Of the few vocal pieces that show up occasionally, `Grow On You' is a loved up grooving acid-rocker, `C'E Nessuno' a warm Italian-sung acid-folk acoustic ballad, `Dark Side of Religion' a sighing thoughtful reflection, `Cold Nose Story' a wilting lullaby laced with melancholy, `Fortune Teller' a wasted psychedelic ballad.

Included in the mix are some absolute Sensations' Fix classics such as the dramatic `Map', with it's confident acoustic guitars gliding over subtle synth washes, the joyful and positive foot-tapping `Music is Painting' seems like the soundtrack for loving life itself, and `Crossing Berlin' is, with that title, unsurprisingly is a longer pulsing electronic soundscape in the manner of the early Klaus Schulze albums. Also especially precious are the trickling pretty ambient washes from the various fragments of Franco's electronic classic `Cold Nose' album sprinkled around the two discs. Strangely, Franco chooses to close the album with an assortment of unreleased `Darkside' pieces that are supremely gloomy and tantalising alien electronic pieces, quite daring after a run of joyous and more likeable tracks in a row just before it.

Housed in a unique cardboard pouch that includes two CD slipcases and a lovely booklet, it simply reinforces what a special and precious release this is. Despite much of it being over forty years old, their music hasn't dated at all, is frequently daring, evocative and still effortlessly cool. But best of all, `Music Is Painting...' never comes across as a cynical cash- in compilation. It truly is a labour of love for Franco Falcini and his band, with each piece being carefully considered and arranged in an order to offer as much gently unfolding musical bliss as possible, and the production tweakings means this music sounds better that ever. With only a few Sensations' Fix albums having been reissued on CD, this compilation is the easiest and currently best way to enjoy their music. It's also the ideal start for curious listeners, and hopefully it paves the way for a full set of Sensations' Fix album reissues in the near future.

Five stars for such timeless beautiful music.