Pollution

One of the few solo artists from Italy during the progressive era, Sicilian Franco Battiato was first heard as a beat singer in the 60s, as were many others of his generation. Battiato then signed to Bla Bla Records with Osage Tribe—defecting, however, for a solo career after just one single. His debut solo record, Fetus (with matching cover), was released in 1972. Primarily an acoustic affair, Battiato's songs were for the most part simple and almost folk in structure, albeit with a keen sense of melody. It's the production, however, that was truly innovative; Battiato used the studio to great effect, layering vocals, guitars, synthesizers and just about anything else he could find to create something quite sui generis. He continues in this direction on Pollution. The album saw release in late 1972, concurrent with the deployment of a giant magnetic stroboscope in Imola used to study the effects of the internal combustion engine. Again, it's a unique pastiche; but now much closer to rock progressivo Italiano, due to the instrumentation employed on the record. "Il Silenzio Del Rumore" begins with Battiato reciting something in Italian over a classical music tape, before diving into a hard-driving prog rock workout. The production once again sets it apart; Battiato synthesizer is uncommonly raw and unsubtle, riding up high in the mix. The fat synthesizer lines of "Areknames" carry the tune's infectious melody, sugarcoated with harmony and propelled by an offbeat rhythm; while "Beta" rides a stoner vibe. Battiato returns to more typical song structure on "Plancton," while the contagious melody and vocal harmonies of the title track close out. The album reached the Italian Top 20 in 1973.