For those unaware, The Underground Set is a cult Italian psychedelic and early progressive instrumental album originally released in 1970 and produced by Gianfranco Reverberi. Performed by members of Nuova Idea under a pseudonym, the record blends Hammond driven psych rock with film score influences, fuzz guitar and distinctive rhythmic motifs.

Long sought after by collectors of Italian rock and European soundtrack adjacent recordings, the album stands as one of the strongest examples of the era’s psychploitation sound. This re-issue edition preserves the original material while presenting it to a new audience discovering early Italian progressive music.

Deeply influenced by the spirit of late-sixties Swinging London, yet hailing from Genoa, a city steeped in the tradition of Italian chansonniers, The Underground Set were an instrumental rock band infused with psychedelic vibes reminiscent of iconic acts like Procol Harum, Pink Floyd, and Led Zeppelin.

Released in 1970, their debut album was produced by Gianfranco Reverberi – who was already working in the industry as an arranger for esteemed Italian singer-songwriters such as Luigi Tenco, Lucio Dalla, Fabrizio De André, and Bruno Lauzi – and included twelve tracks written by Reverberi and his equally talented younger brother, Gian Piero, at the time also an arranger for many famous Italian singers.

The self-titled debut is a pop-psychedelic journey filled with distortions, exhilarating rhythms, celestial melodies, and explosive organ solos, and where psalmodic vocals and enigmatic flutes interweave over gritty urban guitar riffs. Some of the tracks – most notably ‘Arcipelago’ – were recorded as part of the soundtrack for Franz Marischka’s 1969 film ‘Der Mann mit dem goldenen Pinsel’ (‘Let It All Hang Out’) and then also used as theme songs for RAI television shows, thus becoming popular with Italian audiences.

This brilliant compilation is a pop-psychedelic journey filled with distortions, exhilarating rhythms, celestial melodies, and explosive organ solos, and where psalmodic vocals and enigmatic flutes interweave over gritty urban guitar riffs. Groovy, baby!

1. Arcipelago [03:21]
2. Emisfero (1st Version) [03:02]
3. Atollo [03:10]
4. Longitudine Est [02:13]
5. 36° Parallelo [02:06]
6. Samba Natalizia [03:14]
7. Underground In Blue [05:22]
8. Shake 26 [02:45]
9. Equatore [02:37]
10. 7° Meridiano [02:25]
11. Emisfero (2nd Version) [03:39]
12. Tanto Per Cambiare [03:39]

Official Purchase Link