Italian occult psychedelia (IOP) is a subgenre of Italian psychedelic musicAbdallah, Rudi. , The Quietus, London, 31 March 2016. characterized by obscure atmospheres. Italian occult psychedelia was coined by journalist Antonio Ciarletta in an article published by Italian music magazine Blow Up,Ciarletta, Antonio. "Italian occult psychedelia" Blow Up Magazine, p.56. Cortona, January 2012. in January 2012.Mattioli, Valerio. , Xl Repubblica, Roma, 02 July 2014.Stefanel, Renzo. , Rockit.it, Roma, 16 January 2015. A festival called ThalassaAlessandri, Birsa Francesco. , Vice Magazine, Milano, 03 Aprile 2013.Alessandri, Birsa Francesco. , Noisey, Milano, 28 March 2014. has occurred in Rome since 2013 to celebrate Italian occult psychedelia bands.Boheme, Caspar Tim. , Die Tageszeitung, Berlin, 8 April 2015.Karnik, Olaf Von. , Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Zurich, 20 March 2015. Etymology and characteristics The music form has emerged as a form of hauntology, an engine of reactivation of an Italian collective memory. The features of this shared past are related to the imagery of Italian genre films as cannibal movies, spaghetti westerns, Italian B horror movies and their soundtracks, and are related also to the violent, obscure and esoteric folklore so well outlined in the essays of Ernesto De Martino and in the documentaries of Luigi Di Gianni. "The darkness of human mind and the superstitions of old religions are leit-motifs that run through Giallo films and the music of IOP bands is hardly surprising: Italy is a country bound by belief and superstitions."Uzzell, Andy. "Italian occult psychedelia" Shindig Magazine, p.17. London, February 2016.
Other references are the stories and the characters of Federico Fellini and Pier Paolo Pasolini. Musically, Italian occult psychedelia is a cross of post-punk, psychedelic rock, Italian progressive rock, Italian library music and "Mediterranean vibes."Pasquarelli, Fabio. , Louder Than War, London, 30 July 2013. According to Rumore, also other influences that "goes from Krautrock to Italian B-movie soundtracks, from drones to analog electronics, from lysergic folk to free jazz."Pomini, Andrea, Pecorari Marco. "Italia Occulta" Rumore Magazine, p.30. Torino, September 2013. According to Joseph Stannard, "It's equally clear that Italian occult psychedelia is far from sonically homogeneous."Stannard, Joseph. "Global Ear Rome" The Wire Magazine, p.18. London, June 2014. Simon Reynolds identifies italian occult psychedelia as an Italian counterpart to hauntology.Reynolds, Simon. "Bands operating in this zone include Cannibal Movie, Donato Epiro, In Zaire, Orfanado, Spettro Family, Heroin In Tahiti...", Blissblog, London, 30 January 2012. Abreu, Miguel Rui. , Arte Capital, Lisboa, 06 February 2012.Fogel, Benjamin. , Playlist Society, France, 14 June 2012.
References
External links IOP at Rai Radio3 SentireAscoltare IOP festival Distorsioni.net IOP festival third edition review