Istambul Cafe
lounge, world | Italy

Istambul Cafe is a new project from Scenario Music featuring Massimo Lombardo aka DJ Phazer, surely the most eclectic and singular producer from the label's roster. After many productions like Sinclair, Cocktail Mood, and Headspace, plus his notable collaborations with high calibre artists and producers such as Alioscia & Royalty, LTJ Bukem, Nicola Conte, Salvo Lorusso, MC Conrad, Massimo "Clan" Greco, and Federico Montefiori, Lombardo surprises his ever growing public with Istambul Cafe.

A more "ethnic" sound is immediately evident, coloured by the musical cultures of the far east alongside soft vibrations of chill-out where references to the world of black music and strong nods to jazz are ever-present alongside recurring elements from the various experiments found in his Phazer projects. The album Passage to East is surely a work that signals a new level of artistic growth by the author who, in this case is accompanied by Alfredo Sette (horns), Gaetano Partipilo (sax), Stefano Geniale (guitar), Vito Gioia (sitar), Franco Colella (tabla), Pino Santoniccolo (bass) and DJ Rhodes. Passage to East is a mature album that shakes up the listener and projects refined harmonic solutions within imaginary oriental ambients riding atop the wheels of jazz as you find in today's club culture.

We believe that our Massimo, with "Istambul Cafe", has, without us knowing, brought us into that territory where all musical experiences are possible and where contamination from diverse musical styles is no longer itself, but it shines naturally in a place of temporal space that can't be defined.