The Italian-Irish connection returns on Lunar Disko. Bari’s Armonics delivers yet another EP of Italo wonders. Three tracks of synthesizer magic from a fast rising master of the modern Italo-disco sound. Massimiliano Pagliara brings us on a cosmic trip with his ‘7-07AM’ remix of ‘Indigo Voyage’…a disco bomb for the early morning dancefloors.
Too Many Cars Records from north of France is back with four electro tracks from Betonkust and Franz Scala & Malkut.
Ma Spaventi is a wonderfully versatile artist. Over his decade-long career, the Italian musician has turned his capable hand to everything from ambient to techno. Once again, he is expanding his sound palette and challenging expectations with “Vicino Lontano”.
In a future that is closer than it may seem, a vessel is sent back to earth, to find out what caused the final demise of human kind. Reporting and recording their findings, Lords of the Future are sending us tunes of sad robots, lonely algorithms and artificial intelligence in moral conflict with itself.
Glasgow’s Seated Records return with more archival Scottish New Wave material; this time, in the form of Pop Wallpaper’s disco-not-disco interpretation of the Shuggie Otis classic, ”Strawberry Letter 23”. The Edinburgh band first released ”Strawberry Letter 23” in 1986 as a double A side 12” alongside original song, ”Nothing Can Call Me Back”.
‘Advanced Process’ presents itself as a distinguished LP, oozing with Marcello Giordani’s innate talent to evolve the classic Italo Disco sound into consistently ear catching productions of the future. Crisp, analog drum machines and glistening synthwork are a constant. Giordani captivates you with compelling arrangements and considered hints to electro in the likes of ‘Metamorphosis’. Powerful vocals from Fred Ventura and Ready In LED feature on the two alluring singles ‘Mysterious Calls (In The Night)’ and ‘Fase Rem’. Encapsulating, intelligent acid work is heard in ‘Forbidden Pleasures’. Marcello’s clear love for analogue authenticity is at the forefront of this LP. Crisp, analog drum machines and glistening synthwork are a constant.
Members Only is back at it with a double 12″ featuring 8 previously unreleased tracks of the off the wall lo-fi edit madness they’re known for.
From over the hills and far away, the cobblers and their boots are here to stay. The sartorial scallywags return with another collection of kaleidoscopic, Italo-tinged party pleasers. First off the block, London royalty Super Drama team up with homeboy Kayroy for ‘Something New’, a cut of propulsive glitterball synth-funk, with just the right amount of cowbell. Next up, Italy’s Disco Mortale and Futuristant take us for a tour of the dark side, with cyborg vocoders and cyberpunk arpeggios painting a vivid dreamscape of neon and steel. ‘Until Forever’ flirts the line between sinful and sincere, abandoning you to the rise of the machines, and a dance-off to the death. Flip that wax and step on the gas because Gabto reunites with collaborator Kauan Marco for the colossally cool ‘Ki Ko Ho’. These brilliant Brazilians have delivered a bonafide gem, complete with drums that hit you in all the right places, and a killer synthesiser solo – brilliant stuff. For the cherry on top, Marching Machines bring their intoxicating and hypnotic flavour of Belgian chug and psychedelic dark disco to the table with the festival-ready epic ‘Seraphic’ – molto bene!
An electrifyingly eclectic and adventurous collection of toe-tappers and hip-snappers, made with love and coming soon to a discoteca near you.
One of Stockholm’s finest exports, Elfenberg arrive at Bordello with four slices of synthesizer goodness. The duo open with “Forever Alone”. A cruising arpeggiator steers its way through glistening snares, rolling kicks and classic italo vocals. Night falls in the jungle “Conga Coronation”. The treetops bristle with birdsong, thickets of bongos, toms and rain sticks lead a path to dawning melodies. A wonderfully textured percussive piece, the track is intricately carved and demonstrates the diversity and depth of Elfenberg. The disco dipped futurism of “Sphere Of Missing Out” follows. Echoes of “Conga Coronation” rhythms are countered by beaming synth bars and vocoder lyrics with the Swedish pair pushing for the floor. “Cosmic Tribune” is the curtain close. Astral chords, spiralling key shifts and incising drums coalesce in this space inspired finale.
LYO is back and ready to take your breath away with the third volume of their compilation series “Driving Blind”. They follow up on their second exquisite offering with a selection of 23 tracks from captivating artists from all over the globe. Selected with care and love, it will bring you on an electronic journey pushing boundaries of style featuring only fresh new original music.
The new Syberian release release is fully occupied by dark-disco champion Disco Morato. Here you find two expressive electo-shaped hits together with two straightforward synth poems.
Completing a trilogy of reissues from the Indipop label, Emotional Rescue celebrates its 10th Anniversary by looking again at the ground-breaking music of Steve Coe and his label. Having worked with Steve right at the start of Emotional Rescue, it’s fantastic his special mix of Indian Classical and Dance Pop under the spotlight once more, highlighting his role in helping to kick start the 1980s huge interest in world music, while achieving considerable commercial success and cross-appeal.
20 years after he released the superb (and subtly eclectic) “Super EP”‘”, Morgan Geist has prepped a follow-up of sorts – or at least a new three-tracker that takes the same ‘mixed up’ approach. “Duper” is a not-so-subtle callback to his 2001 EP, “Super.” On “Twilight Express,” the playful OSCar synth riffs and sweeping disco strings (courtesy of Kelley Polar) echo the palette of Geist’s cult classic “24K” and early Metro Area. “Black Test Car” is a unique collision of minimal, Krautrock-style drums, sound library textures and spacey percussion. Wrapping things up, “Feeling Is Mutual” is a rare acid outing that pushes beyond the usual comfort zone, the 303 acting more as feather than hammer above major-key modulations. Weird acid meets “quiet storm” R&B? Super-Duper!
Masterful sample based collages of old disco tracks by Trent, resulting in highly effective dancefloor DJ tools adorned with heavy percussive elements.
Through Twelve is an electronic-dyed combo powered by 80’s synthpop and shiny post-production by Italoconnection. Their Mini LP “Inner bridges” is full of layered basslines, pulsating rhythms, catchy vocals and retro synth warmth. Tracks such as the richly melodic “Silent Radio’ and the New Order-ish sweeps of “New Town” are irresistible invitations to stand-up and move your hips. T12 have a tendency for emotive analogue leads, expressive pads and inimitable synth sequences, in duet with electric bass phrases. T12 signature sound becomes immediately recognizable in the dancefloor-ready song “This Love”, starring Italo disco icon Fred Ventura. “Silent Radio” receives an exuberant electro-remix treatment from Italoconnection and “This Love” goes hand-in-hand with Mono Han version.
Dark Entries has a surprise delivery! Malebox brings us six previously unreleased funk-fueled jams from the archives of the cybernetic disco titan himself, Patrick Cowley. Best known for his chart-topping disco anthems, Cowley left us with an incredible body of work before his tragic death in 1982 due to AIDS-related illness. Since 2009, Dark Entries has been working with Cowley’s friends and family to uncover the singular artist’s lesser-known sides, including his soundtracks for gay pornographic films on compilation albums School Daze, Muscle Up, and Afternooners. But Malebox gives us more of the Cowley we know and love: churning disco-funk and hi-NRG tracks that are spacey and sleazy, gritty and sublime. Recorded from 1979-1981, these six tracks illuminate what was one of Patrick’s most creatively exciting periods. “If You Feel It” and “Love Me Hot” were both early Paul Parker demos; the former is a peak hour hi-NRG bomb, while the latter dips into Cowley’s zoned-out space disco sound. Jeanie Tracy’s soulful vocals feature on the demo version of “Low Down Dirty Rhythm”, which was later re-recorded by Sarah Dash. The slower, less-varnished rendition here hits with a wild psychedelic edge. Meanwhile, Patrick’s gifts for careful orchestration and infectious melodies shine on “Floating” and “Love and Passion”, which were likely demo tracks for Loverde. The songs on Malebox display the vitality and inventiveness of a brilliant composer taken from us too soon.
The Hipodrome Of Music 