Various – Catalogue Issue [LP] (1984, IRA)

 

'Catalogue Issue' is a 1984 Italian various-artists compilation that holds a special place in the history of Italy’s alternative music scene. Released on vinyl by the independent label I.R.A. Records, it wasn’t just another compilation -it was actually the very first release by the label, making it something of a manifesto pressed to wax.

 
I.R.A. Records (often expanded as Immortal Rock Alliance or Immortal Record Alliance) was founded in 1984 by Alberto Pirelli along with Anne Marie Parrocel. The label had a clear mission from the start: to promote a new wave of Italian underground bands who sang in Italian at a time when many alternative acts felt pressured to perform in English. 'Catalogue Issue' perfectly captures that spirit. It was designed not only as a sampler of the label’s roster, but as a bold statement about the future of Italian independent music.

 
The LP features eight tracks split between four bands that would go on to become key names in the scene: Diaframma, Moda, Litfiba, and Underground Life. Diaframma appears with “Siberia” and “Delorenzo,” Moda contributes “Nubi d’Oriente” and “La Voce,” Litfiba shows up with “Onda Araba” and “Versante Est,” and Underground Life rounds things out with “India” and “Glasarchitektur.” All tracks were recorded at the Global Art System Studio in Florence, a place closely tied to the early development of this movement.

 
The release also had a strong visual identity. The cover artwork, designed by Fabio Galavotti of Moda Graphic Studio, played on the idea of a debut or launch -fitting for what was essentially the birth announcement of I.R.A. Records. The label even pushed the slogan “La nuova musica italiana cantata in italiano” (“the new Italian music sung in Italian”), underlining its cultural stance.

 
Never officially reissued, 'Catalogue Issue' remains a vinyl-only release, and original copies are now quite collectible. Some promotional versions were distributed as “Campione gratuito” (free sample) copies, which adds another layer of interest for collectors. Today, the record is seen as a landmark of the Italian new wave and post-punk era, capturing early material from bands like Litfiba and Diaframma before they became major names in Italy’s alternative rock history. 

 

Label: IRA – IR-LP2001 

Format: Vinyl, LP, Compilation 

Country: Italy 

Released: 1984 

Style: New Wave 

 

Tracklist: 

A1 Litfiba – Onda Araba 

A2 Litfiba – Versante Est 

A3 Moda – Nubi D'Oriente 

A4 Moda – La Voce 

B1 Diaframma – Siberia 

B2 Diaframma – Delorenzo 

B3 Underground Life – India 

B4 Underground Life – Glasarchitektur 

 

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