L'imboscata

For this album Battiato changed his songwriting technique, composing most of the music on the guitar and not on the piano.^[2]

The album was recorded between June and August 1996 at Plus XXX Studio in Paris and Digital Studio in Capri.^[3] Among the musicians who collaborated to the album, were David Rhodes, Gavin Harrison, Antonella Ruggiero, Giovanni Lindo Ferretti, and Nicola Walker Smith (the wife and collaborator of composer Geoff Smith).^[2][3]

Antoine-Jean Gros' Battle of the Pyramids was chosen as cover art.^[2][3] The album was dedicated to the Sicilian novelist Gesualdo Bufalino, who had died in June.^[3][4]

Anticipated by the lead single "Strani giorni", the album was released on 24 October 1996.^[3] It was the first album of Battiato with Mercury Records, after 17 years with EMI.^[3] The album was also released in a limited edition, which included a booklet with writings of Sgalambro and Battiato, plus Battiato's paintings illustrating each song.^[4] In 1997, it was released a Spanish-language version of the album, La Emboscada.^[4] The same year, it was released the VHS L'Imboscata Tour 1997, with the songs of the album performed by Battiato in a concert at Forum di Assago on 4 April 1997.^[4]

The album marked a return to commercial success for Battiato, and in a few weeks it sold twice as much as the previous album.^[2]

1. "Di passaggio" - 3:35 (lyrics: Franco Battiato, Manlio Sgalambro)
2. "Strani giorni" - 3:57
3. "La cura" - 4:01 (lyrics: Franco Battiato, Manlio Sgalambro)
4. "... ein Tag aus dem Leben des kleinen Johannes" - 3:47
5. "Amata solitudine" - 4:04
6. "Splendide previsioni" - 3:52
7. "Ecco com'è che va il mondo" - 4:21
8. "Segunda feira" - 3:59
9. "Memorie di Giulia" - 3:16
10. "Serial killer" - 4:06

• Music by Franco Battiato. Lyrics by Manlio Sgalambro except when noted.