Antonio Infantino ed iL Gruppo Di Tricarico: I Tarantolati (Black Sweat)

Our own Brian Turner shedding some light on this frenetic archival release:

“Black Sweat has accomodated some wild sounds on this reissue of the 1975 recordings of illustrious Italian Beat figure Antonio Infantino's frenetic interpretation of regional Tarantismo.

Southern Italy's Basilicata region has long been studied and documented for these fevered events, the monicker arising from the hysteria induced by tarantula bite. With Infantino's song arrangements, a wild abandon is amplified to some states of high sonic ecstasy via a red hot live mix.

Frenzied percussion, radical/barked vocal performance and tranced-out melodies evoke some of the highest spirited moments of the Master Musicians of Jojouka, Ghaderi Sufi rituals, even Comus somewhat.

Massive drones loom over it all, menacingly, which at one point bring to mind the closeout of the first This Heat LP!”