“Volume Three” of the compilation on Slow Motion’s international sister label Wrong Era: “Sailor of Wrong Era”, named after the infamous Berlin boat parties that became a true happening in Summer 2021, is finally here. Ten tracks comprising the very own Wrong Era style, crafted by renowned veteran artists and upcoming international talents from all around the globe.
Brussels based master tastemaker & DJ (and producer), soFa deliver his first ever solo EP “All My Friends Are Witches”, tipping Planet Trip records into double digits. Take a head first dive down the wormhole of soFa’s dubbed out triiips made even more special with incredible vocalist collaborations with Saeko Killy, Ank and Nyati Mayi, plus a mind bending remix from fellow PT extended family Mogwaa to close out the EP. Recorded by soFa & friends during the first covid lockdown at Rocket 23 Studios Molenbeek – Brussels.
Pioneers, that’s what we call them. Not properly a giant team, but a bunch of forward thinking producers. In the heyday of the italo disco there was some forward thinking, a new way to address the club scene. 1985 is the golden year and if you want to get to the core of the synth-pop experience look no further ! This previously unreleased compilation collects a series of unbelievable tracks. An outstanding vision featuring la crème de la crème of the early 80s scene. All the way from electro wizard Alexander Robotnick to the astonishing performance of vocalist Mya Fracassini, through the French connection of Bigazzi brothers of Mon Bijou.
Killer rendition of the classic Led Zeppelin stomp, arranged by famous dj & producer Massimo Barsotti. Programmed by none other than Maurizo Dami aka Alexander Robotnick, this robotic version is delivered with alien vocals and cold as ice synth lines. Still a favorite for many international djs.
Royal Athlete Records returns to the great racetrack of the record industry with the latest instalment of their Various Artists series. Four dancefloor winners for any competition and worthy of only true contenders bags. Kicking off with the nine minute epic live-drums-meets-juno-funk of ‘Hustle Never Ends’ by Galaxians followed by UK legend Paul Withey with the oh so smooth 80s-esque groove of ‘Confessions’. Side B opens with the retro Jam & Lewis style slammer ‘I Believe In Boogie’ by Germany’s First Touch and rounding off the release is the amazing new-wave freestyle anthem ‘Tell Me’ by California’s Sky Tony.
Just in time for Hallween, ‘Night Of The Creeps’ is a fiery new disco single from Francisco and Malkuth that nods slyly to the 1986 cult comedy-horror movie of the same name, in which zombies, aliens and murderers all conspire to victimize their helpless captors. The track is a lo-fi electronic disco gut-puncher, replete with effortlessly processed vocals made to sound as demonic and low-pitched as LOTR’s Sauron. It speaks of nightmares, death, etc. On the B, Rodion serves up a nearly unclassifiable slice of horror acid, but to the trained ear it might be peggable somewhere between two interrelated styles, dungeon synth and EBM. Two absolute neck-biters from the Dutch camp, Bordello A Parigi.
2XLP celebrating Malka Tuti’s 7 years of Existence. The Sheva (Seven in Hebrew) compilation represents a large chunk of the sonic spectrum that is the Malka Tuti multiverse to date. From tribal to punk and from house to leftfield bits. All tracks on the compilation were meticulously chosen throughout the past few years and slowly stitched together to comprise what is now SHEVA.
Through darkness diamonds spread their richest light… Part five is here with Kiko & Endrik Schroeder from France, Club Mayz from Belgium, Martin Matiske from Germany and WLDV from Spain!
Originally released in 1981, this cosmic italian disco anthem written by Claudio Gizzi has charmed diggers the world over with its subdued mannerism and breathy vocals. Sounding like a Julee Cruise soundtrack cut meeting a Tuscan ‘theque, the song hears Italian TV presenter/actress Patrizia Pellegrino utter deep-resonating lyrics into a funky and dark beatscape, in what has been described as an ‘erotic futuristic ode to the cosmos’. Remastered and pressed to wax once more for your pleasure, ‘Miss You’ is a charmer and relationship-rekindler for the ages.
If you like your Italo-disco bright, full-throttle and peak-time ready, Thomas Blanckaert’s occasional work as Palermo Disco Squad (he’s better known for his rave-ready techno jams as Innershades) should be on your radar. It’s been four years since he last used the alias, but the project’s belated return to Bordello a Parigi is predictably triumphant. He sets his stall out with the freestyle and Bobby Orlando-influenced shimmer of ‘After All These Tears’, before opting for more chugging sequenced synth-bass and undulating lead lines on the slower ‘L’amice Geniale (theme)’. ‘Loupara’ sounds like a shinier, more sun-splashed ‘Please’-era Pet Shop Boys instrumental, while ‘The Return’ is a rushing, feel-good slab of freestyle/post-Italo fusion that’s as sunny and joyous as they come.
Originally released in 1990 ‘Voaria’ was written by Benjamin Nhassavele and produced & arranged by the late Tata Sibeko, the revered South African producer and member of Kabasa. Taken from the LP of the same name ‘Voaria’ was released at a time when early house music was emerging as a key influence in the South African musical landscape, an evolvement of the Bubblegum pop sound that had fused disco and boogie with township funk. Characterised by Roland kick drums, Yamaha DX7s and Juno Synthesisers the Kwaito sound is the musical heartbeat of ‘Voaria’. Featuring Benjamin on lead vocals ‘Voaria’ comes in 2 versions, a main House mix on the A side and the Clubhouse mix on the flip which switches up the arrangement placing more emphasis on the groove.
The sixth release on Italian imprint Tempo Dischi comes from Alessandro Bernabeo, aka Raduan, the Italian DJ and producer behind ‘Taki-Naki-Naki’, one of the most eclectic and unconventional electronic records made in Italy in the late 1980s.
A tale of paramount love for machines and the inextinguishable power of subjugation that lies in these button-studded boxes teeming with cabled bowels that feel so intimidating to the uninitiated, Italo Brutalo’s longed-for debut album “Heartware” is a 12-track voyage across 25 years of intense synth collecting, fiddling, composing and endless loving for audio synthesis and the art of how robots make human bodies jack. Throughout the twelve cuts that compose “Heartware”, a feeling of retro-gazing, candidly playful glee prevails.
Förslag På Musik is back for his third strike on Sunken Rock Recordings in the format of a proper 7” inch double sider. In his charectaristic breezy style the A side moves around somewhere in between reaggae and dreamy synth vibes while the flip takes you on dubbed out excursion filled with heavy bass and drums.
Napolitano artist Tullio De Piscopo’s ‘Stop Bajon’ was a massive mid eighties club hit and Chicago House anthem. His Italo disco, proto house, balearic classic was made for warm summer evenings, a gentle breeze in the air, beer in hand and smiley faces abound. Michael Gray has kept the downbeat groove and added some great additional beat production on his new remix.
Emotional Rescue reaches its 100th reissue in its 10th year with a landmark, a collection of previously unreleased songs from Brenda Ray. Encouraged and cajoled since the label’s inception, Brenda Ray’s (Kenny) music has gone from cult curio to cult status in that time, as her mix of DIY/post punk, dub reggae, jazz and pop transcends reached admiring audiences. Following the completion of Naafi Sandwich in 1985 and the subsequent recordings as Brenda And The Beach Balls – the sought after Volume 1 LP in 1986 and three singles on Siren/Virgin in 1987/88 – her releases might of stopped for almost two decades but she never stopped recording. The 10 songs show not only continuous activity in her North-West home studio, but to be consistently creative, moving forward and relevant. Hip-Hop, Street Soul and House all feature alongside Brenda’s unmistakeable Be-Pop-Dub-Pop song writing. Working as always with partner Gerry Kenny aka Sir Freddie Viadukt, plus a cohort of friends joining across the sphere.
Members Only returns with 4 more Worst Edits. “Fake News” sets the tone with pulsing synth bass and New Wave guitar. Heady cut-up psychedelia and an appearance from John Cooper Clark on “Pagan Paradise”. The B-side opener is pure intensity, before a soft landing on tropical “It’s A Long Way Back”.
Members Only is back with another slab of heavy-psychedelic-cut-up-tribal- disco-funk-madness. The relentless tribal rhythms and chanting of standout “Journey Into Your Feelings” feel deeply ceremonial before eventually giving way to hands-in-the-air disco euphoria.
The Hipodrome Of Music 