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THE REVIEW
You say dub in Italy and you can't help but think of Almamegretta, one of the most interesting projects in the rich Italian musical landscape of the '90s.
Already in "Anima migrante" multiple influences are evident, but by broadening the musical boundaries beyond the reggae of the beginnings, they crafted their masterpiece, between Naples and London, in 1995, with "Sanacore", relying on Adrian Sherwood, a great producer and key figure in the dub music scene and beyond.
Beautiful album, linked to its land, but also looking to Jamaica, merging African sounds (Ruanda), Arabic (Ammore nemico), reggae, ambient, electronic and dub (Tempo), gifting us a very atmospheric, magical ensemble work.
The whole is elevated by the most soulful voice we have in Italy, that of Raiss, who transports us, with the universal Neapolitan language, towards the Orient (Pè dint'e viche addò nun trase 'o mare), and later gives Almamegretta international breath, also thanks to his collaboration with Massive Attack in "Karmacoma."
Making 'Sanacore' a great album in particular are especially "O sciore cchiù felice", a delicate and dark reggae, "Sanacore" with tones of folk song, the very instrumental "Ruanda" and the psychedelic "Amore nemico"; but it is as a whole that the album reaches its full potential, achieving success even in Europe.
Equally important is "Lingo" (1998) which further expands the discussion with additional electronic, techno, funky, house, and pop inserts.
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Summary by Bot
Almamegretta’s album Sanacore is celebrated as a defining dub record from Italy’s 1990s music scene. Produced by dub legend Adrian Sherwood, it blends reggae, African, Arabic, electronic, and ambient sounds. Raiss’s soulful vocals add unique depth, carrying the Neapolitan spirit internationally. Notable tracks include ‘O sciore cchiù felice’ and ‘Amore nemico,’ culminating in a cohesive and atmospheric masterpiece. This album helped expand the group’s influence across Europe.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
Almamegretta
Almamegretta are a Neapolitan (Italian) band frequently described in the reviews as a major ’90s-era Italian project that made dub central while fusing reggae, electronics and Mediterranean/Arab/African influences, with Raiz as the iconic voice and D.RaD (Stefano Facchielli) a key figure in programming.11 Reviews
Other reviews
By Karimbambeta
"Sanacore is a huge magic bag that encloses scents, sounds, emotions all our own: Mediterranean, African, Arab."
"Talking about this album is like trying to describe the sensations, the smells, the colors that can be discovered in a Turkish (or even Neapolitan) market: wonderful, varied, and timeless."
