AKTUALA

Most of the Italian albums detailed on this site that came out in 1972 or 1973 are symphonic- influenced RPI albums, so Aktuala represents an interesting change of pace. Not working within a Genesis-influenced prog framework, and by all accounts not really moving in the same circles as the likes of PFM or Banco, Aktuala were instead conceived as a project that allowed the band members, who were collectors of ethnic instruments from around the world, to get a little use out of their collections. Dabbling in the folk traditions of several continents, the band produce music which is pleasant but not more than pleasant, never quite exploring any one tangent with sufficient depth to really develop their compositions. A fun little jam, but hardly a substitute for a proper exploration of the traditions it appropriates.