Ranging from fuzzy disco to ambient soundscapes, the latest compilation of library music - stock recordings that soundtracked the heyday of B-movies, low-budget television and outsider-genre filmmaking - put out by Anthology Recordings is an impeccably-curated dive into the ether that is library music. Spread out over 2 LP's, these 20 tracks encapsulate this niche subculture where genres blurred and melded together to create music that is wholly unique. Library music allowed composers the freedom to stray from conventional musical tropes and create a kind of music that you just have to listen to to appreciate. From the funky horn-driven opening track "Funky Fanfare," composed by Keith Mansfield (and sampled by DANGERDOOM) to the knocking beat of "Feeling Tense" (by Italian film composer Stefano Torossi and sampled by Mndsgn) to the lo-fi disco track "Fancy Good" by Electric Machine, this compilation is pure fire through and through. Other tracks to check out include "Quips & Cranks," "Dissolves," "Survivor" and the ambient-juggernaut track "Group Meditation" which clocks in at just over 14 minutes of pure bliss. While I only selected a few tracks as notables, they're just a few of my personal choices; I'd go in depth into each track if I could. Featuring cuts sampled by The Gaslamp Killer, Gnarls Barkley, Homeboy Sandman, MC Solaar and Common, to name a few. This is a limited edition comp that should not be missed! It's a must have for heads looking to dip their feet into the ether of library recordings. 20 tracks in total spread onto 2 LP's. Released by Anthology Recordings.

• limited edition
• printed inner sleeves detailing the history of library music
• Anthology 2018

reviewed by RBG 12/2018