Aktuala were a pioneering band from Italy, formed in 1972. The name comes from the Esperanto for "contemporary". Their music has been categorised as world music, progressive rock, psychedelic, or avant garde, or "sounding like that of the English group Third Ear Band". They formed in 1972 in Milan by husband and wife team Walter and Laura Maioli who were collectors and performers of ancient and ethnic instruments. For a while the group lived together in a musical commune, "picking olives and playing music". They played unconventional venues including asylums and wharfs. They signed with the Bla Bla label and released their debut, self-titled album in 1973. Two members, Lino Vaccina and Walter Maioli, left soon afterwards to pursue a collaboration with Trilok Gurtu. All three returned for their second album, La Terra, which was released in 1974. Following this, the band moved to Morocco to produce their third album, Tappeto Volante, in 1976. Many of the band members went on to other music ventures. Maioli went on to the Futuro Antico project, Cavallanti to the band Muzik Circus, Gurtu to world music.