Italian composer Ludovico Einaudi has a reputation for merging the classical world with the sounds of pop, folk and world music. Just check out his past work, which has included working on the soundtrack to French film The Intouchables as well as Shane Meadows’ This Is England.
His latest album, Taranta Project, was released earlier this month and is based around taranta, a dance said to cure the poisonous effects of a tarantula bite. Described by Robin Denselow in the Guardian as “a colourful, highly original set”, it embraces sounds from North Africa and Turkey, as well as music from the Southern Italian festival La Notte della Taranta, which is dedicated to the local taranta dance.
You can watch a video for the lead single Taranta below – it’s made up of clips from two black and white early 60s documentaries about the dance. Have a listen and let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
