Sony Music / Italy / RE 2023 / LP, 45th Anniversary white vinyl
Originally released in 1978 by Dischi Ricordi, Juke Box is a fascinating chapter in Franco Battiato’s experimental period. The album was originally composed to serve as the soundtrack for a television film about the life of the great Renaissance architect Filippo Brunelleschi, but the tracks were ultimately rejected by the producers who judged them unsuitable for the broadcast. Featuring contributions from faithful collaborator Giusto Pio and Roberto Cacciapaglia, the record blends sacred music, minimalism, and avant-garde chamber arrangements across mostly instrumental pieces—including the soprano-led "Hiver" (with lyrics adapted from Fleur Jaeggy) and early structural motifs that would later echo in Battiato's wider pop breakthroughs.