“Stereotyping turns familiar crime-film sounds into something fresh, letting vintage funk, dramatic organ lines, and electronic textures tell a new story.”
There is a particular sound associated with 1970s crime cinema. It is tense, stylish, slightly dangerous, and often driven by a groove that feels just as important as the action on screen. Marek De Vann taps directly into that world on Stereotyping, his new ten-track album made with Hammond organist and composer Paolo Apollo Negri. Released digitally on October 9, 2026, through IRMA Records, the record draws inspiration from Italian poliziottesco films and American police television themes, but it does not simply attempt to recreate an old soundtrack. Instead, De Vann takes the sounds that made those scores memorable and rebuilds them through modern electronic production, jazz funk, and a deep appreciation for vintage instruments.
The album’s appeal lies in how it balances recognition with surprise. Fans of composers such as Stelvio Cipriani, Franco Micalizzi, and Goblin will recognise the dramatic instincts behind the arrangements, while the influence of Herbie Hancock and the JB’s brings a strong funk sensibility into the mix. Moog synthesizers, drum machines, bass, and Negri’s Hammond organ, Rhodes, Clavinet, and Mellotron provide the foundation. These elements give the record its own character, moving between suspenseful atmosphere and danceable rhythm without losing its cinematic focus. The sounds may recall an earlier era, but the production gives them room to breathe in a contemporary setting. Opening track “When a Plan Comes Together” establishes this identity immediately. Featuring vocals by Maddalena Conni, it sets a tense yet inviting mood, introducing the album’s mixture of groove and screen-ready drama. Rather than feeling like background music waiting for a scene to happen, the track has enough personality to stand on its own. Its title suggests the careful preparation of a crime-film operation, and the music fits that idea, creating the impression that something is unfolding just beyond the listener’s view. Conni’s contribution adds another dimension to the instrumental arrangements, helping the opener stand out while preparing listeners for the shifting moods that follow. Across the album, De Vann treats familiar genre conventions as creative tools. A police siren, a slinky bassline, conga percussion, wordless female vocals, or a sharp Clavinet part might immediately bring a particular film or television scene to mind. Rather than hiding these references, he deliberately builds them into the compositions. That decision gives Stereotyping its title and central idea. Each track contains a recognisable signal from the sound world that inspired it, but those details become part of new arrangements rather than simple imitations of the past. It is a playful approach that rewards listeners who know the references, while the strong rhythms and distinctive instrumental colours give newcomers plenty to enjoy. The tracklist also suggests a record designed to move between different shades of the same cinematic universe. “Fourteen Trains,” “Gioco Sporco,” and “Via Po Explosion” continue the album’s intrigue, while “True Crime Love” hints at a more intimate side of its crime-film influences. “Il Fuggiasco” and “A Mano Armata,” previously introduced together as a single, connect the album to the project that first brought De Vann and Negri’s collaboration into focus. “Downtown Drift” and “Ghetto Funk” offer further opportunities for the rhythm section and keyboard textures to take centre stage. The closing track, “Nucleo Antirapina,” is the album’s only cover, written by Bixio, Frizzi, and Tempera. Its inclusion acknowledges the tradition behind the project while placing that influence within the album’s larger vision.
The record is also the result of considerable work behind the scenes. De Vann spent eighteen months developing the material in his home studio, composing alongside Negri before arranging and mixing the tracks himself. His experience as a bassist and drummer across instrumental surf, stoner rock, and other styles helps explain the album’s attention to rhythm. Negri brings a complementary musical voice through his work on Hammond, Rhodes, Clavinet, Mellotron, and other organs. Additional contributions from drummer Federico Rivoli, guitarists Andrea Cravedi and Dario Cabisto, trumpeter Gianni Satta, and vocalist Conni expand the palette without taking attention away from the central partnership. Alberto Callegari handled mastering at Elfo Studio in Italy, while Gut Feeling created the artwork. For De Vann, whose solo electronic project began in 2022, Stereotyping brings together several longstanding interests: synthesizer-driven music, retro screen culture, and the dramatic sound of Italian crime scores. His inspiration stretches from the soundtrack composers he discovered as a teenager to television themes such as The Streets of San Francisco, Starsky & Hutch, and CHiPs. Yet the album’s strength comes from how confidently he uses those influences to shape original compositions. These are not attempts to reproduce a lost decade note for note. They are new pieces built with an understanding of why those older sounds remain so compelling. With its combination of vintage keyboard character, tight funk rhythms, electronic detail, and cinematic tension, Stereotyping offers an enjoyable meeting point between soundtrack culture and contemporary instrumental production. It invites listeners to recognise the familiar codes of crime cinema while hearing them used in unexpected ways. The grey marble vinyl edition, co-released by IRMA Records and Other Eyes Records on October 24, gives the project a fitting physical release. More importantly, the album shows how a sound rooted in the past can remain vivid when approached with curiosity, craft, and a willingness to play with its own conventions.
English