Killer Groove Records proudly presents “Cacopoulos,” the debut single by Italian cinematic funk trio Atabasca, out now on all digital patforms. A syncopated journey where funk, psychedelia, and cinematic tension merge into a timeless narrative suspended between rhythm and vision. Pre-Order limited-edition 7″ vinyl (300 copies WW), out on January 23, 2026.
LISTEN & ORDER 45: HERE
“Cacopoulos” marks the birth of Atabasca’s sonic universe: the first glimpse of their self-titled debut album, due in spring 2026 on limited-edition LP, CD, and digital formats.
From the first beat, listeners are drawn into a dry, dusty landscape driven by a primal drum groove and the acid twang of a guitar that evokes the spirit of classic Westerns. It’s an impetuous, visionary ride that fuses the power of instrumental groove with the evocative imagery of library music and Italian golden-age soundtracks. Indeed, “Cacopoulos” pays homage to I Quattro dell’Ave Maria (Ace High) and to the legendary Eli Wallach, the sly outlaw who turns deception into revenge. A subtle yet powerful nod that ties the trio’s sound to an imagery steeped in dust, dreams, and redemption.
The single drops with an official video: a psychedelic Western journey into the protagonist’s mind, charting a chase between him and the light. Shot entirely on Super 8 film, the video explores the thin line between reality and perception in a suspended, hallucinatory atmosphere. The video is directed by Marco Mazzone, with cinematography by Claudia Sicuranza. Both based in Rome.
Director and editor: Marco Mazzone
Director of photography: Claudia Sicuranza
Colorist: Alberto Bandini
Actor: Matteo De Liberato
Like a desert blooming within the evergreen forests of the planet’s far north, a unique, alien, disruptive environment. This is the vision behind Atabasca, the project of Luca Mongia (guitars, lap steel, keyboards, vocals), Paolo Mazziotti (bass, keyboards, vocals) and Valerio Pompei (drums, percussion, vocals). Individually active for over twenty years on both the national and international scenes, the three musicians came together in 2023 to create a project that merges experience, experimentation, and creative freedom. Their music is imaginative and at times dreamlike, blending the classic concept of the instrumental trio with the worlds of film scoring and sound design. Atabasca’s sound moves through jazz-funk, world, and cinematic territories, weaving together afrobeat, desert, and psychedelic influences into a personal and timeless language. Each piece is a scene; each sound, a fragment of a world, a journey between reality and imagination where groove, texture, and organic timbre merge into a singular sonic ecosystem: a perpetually shifting balance that generates new inner landscapes.
Fans of Khruangbin, Surprise Chef, and instrumental psych-funk take note!
