Australian world music buffs have become more aware of Southern Italy’s rich folkloric history in the past couple of years, in particular the delights of tarantella, courtesy of visiting bands such as Kalàscima, Officina Zoe, Nidi d’Arac and Riccardo Tesi’s Banditaliana. Newpoli, formed a decade ago by homesick Italian jazz students at Boston’s famed Berklee College of Music, are dryer, more academically and acoustically inclined than any of the aforementioned acts. However, the eight-piece covers a reasonable spectrum on their third album, starting with a traditional song that unexpectedly morphs into a moresca, a 16th century pantomime dance tune, and ending with a Middle Ages love song delivered a cappella and a traditional tarantella-pizzica from Salerno. Newpoli is well served by the sweet voices of its female lead singers, who duet impressively on several Neapolitan canzones. Tarantellas from Puglia are more prevalent, although some renditions of the region’s staple 12/8 and 6/8 rhythms seem a tad subdued, ‘Pizzicarella’ and ‘Mamma La Rondinella’ excepted. Traditional Italian percussion (mainly tambourine), accordion, classical guitar, flute, double bass and violin accompany in various combinations, but with classical reserve. Tempo Antico was recorded live in a church, which accounts for a somewhat echoey sound.