American experimental composer Alvin Curran began his illustrious career in Roma, Italy, as a member of the legendary improvisational group Musica Elettronica Viva in 1966. Since that time he's released dozens of solo albums and collaborations highlighting his work with piano, synthesizer, voice and field recordings.

Originally released in 1980, The Works is arguably his finest work – comprised of a slowly developing piece where space and ambient tape effects are overtaken by raga-esque chanting, synth workouts and frenetic piano playing with a coda where the listener is "carried off on the wheels of the Berlin U-Bahn."