GW Edits - Adriano Italiano EP [GW Edits]

If there was ever a dance oddity, it is the unique and oddly titled single Prisencolinensinainciusol, released in late 1972 by Italian entertainment icon Adriano Celentano, which first appeared as a 45 on his own label, Clan. A full-fledged cult favorite, GW Edits inaugurates his label with an exquisite edit that links the A and B sides of the record into an 11-minute masterpiece titled Adriano Italiano.

Renamed The Language Of Love (Prisencol…) for the UK market, the original failed to chart in Britain, instead becoming a cult treasure for DJs. The fact that it has been reissued regularly over the years since demonstrates its enduring appeal.

The novelty of its title and nonsensical gibberish lyrics may have caught attention, but what really made it stand out was that groove. Additionally, Celentano's vocals (as well as those of his wife Claudia Mori, who contributed the brief female segment) imitating how English sounded to non-speakers, are now perceived as proto-rap, receiving recognition as such in recent times. The track is, without a doubt, an anomaly, unrelated to hip-hop culture, but somehow unconsciously anticipates it.

The B-side of the record, appropriately titled Disc Jockey, also featured that infectious rolling groove with the off-beat hi-hat. However, it was not as DJ-friendly: the drums didn't come in until after the first minute, and it also incorporated a more traditional song in Celentano's native tongue, instead of the rhythmic, nonsensical rap of Prisencolinensinainciusol.

Here, both tracks come together to form the full-length Adriano Italiano, just over 11 minutes long, with the addition of a two-minute instrumental version. This full version appears on vinyl for the first time, and along with the original Adriano Italiano, kicks off the GW Edits series, bringing this eccentric favorite to a new generation of DJs just in time for its 50th anniversary next year.