An original choice for an Italian group from the '70s, Automat was a duo from Rome consisting of two keyboardists, and a third musician, Mario Maggi, who was involved in programming the keyboards. Maggi was the builder of the MCS70 synth used on this record, and the sounds and possibilities of the new instrument were the basis of the inspiration for this album. At the same time as he was with Automat, Romano Musumarra also played in a completely different band, La Bottega dell'Arte, active between 1975 and 1984 with many hit singles. The other member of the duo, Claudio Gizzi, instead had a classical background.

Their 1978 album is quite a rare example of Italian instrumental electronic music, built entirely on synthetic sounds and rhythms, and is in the same style as the contemporary works of Kraftwerk and Jean Michel Jarre. Side A is entirely taken up by Claudio Gizzi's long suite Automat, while the B side contains three shorter tracks by Musumarra. One of these, Droid, was chosen as a theme by the Brazilian television network Globo TV, and the album and a single were released in that country.

Musumarra continued to compose keyboard music in the '80s, with soundtracks (especially in France) and work as a producer. Claudio Gizzi appears with a track as an arranger and conductor on the album My Favourite Tones, released in 1973 by the legendary Picci label.