The Tapes was founded by a young Giancarlo Drago in 1982. Dating back to 1986, "A Touch of Despair" was recorded live on a standard 2-track cassette recorder, using a 4-channel Fostex mixer, a self-built analogue echo unit, a Korg MS-20, and toy instruments. It is undoubtedly the darkest and most industrial work in The Tapes' production.

The cover features a photo of what the musician saw from his bedroom window: the rooftops of industrial factories, with a distant steel mill emitting smoke. Immersed in the music and industrial culture of the time (Throbbing Gristle, Cabaret Voltaire, W.S. Burroughs, J.G. Ballard, W. Gibson, B. Sterling, P.K. Dick), "A Touch of Despair" represents one of the brightest examples of the Italian "tape culture" of the 80's, as well as a significant testament to creating music that defies the passage of time by experimenting with extremely limited technical means and relying on passion, motivation, and creativity.

This reissue also features three additional unreleased tracks from the same period, providing valuable material for enthusiasts of the genre. An ideal soundtrack for your darkest and most solitary nocturnal reflections.

Ltd x 200 copies in a matt digipak.