Third time out for Francisco on Slow Motion’s strictly retro-dance-floor series – Linea Beat. Joined by partner in crime Cosmo, ‘System 3’ and ‘Get In’ are classic Slow Motion laser jams. Phasers set to stun and energy levels turned up to 11, the latest in the 12″ dance programme comes with a jacking bonus beat remix from Dephi of Tiger & Woods. Throbbing, electronic dance music for your mind, body, this is Italian dance music of the past, present and the future.
The undisputed one man army returns to Bordello A Parigi with the ultimate Sicilian holiday kit: an adventurous tour around his beloved island during the endless hot summer days. Palermo Disco Squad is Innershades aka the Belgian artist Thomas Blanckaert.
Bijou is back in the Bordello and ready to bring some cool to these hot summer nights. Sun countered by sea. Soothing synthlines, airy analogue tones and gentle currents characterise the two openers, Bijou calling on calming waves and peaceful percussion to begin. The Belgian producer allows the temperature to rise for ‘Reine Des Plages’, broad basslines and funk laden bars dancing late into the night. But those fresh breezes are ever present, closing in the beach bronzed beauty of ‘La Marée’.
Homesick #5 is the unplanned result of a tremendously funky DJ set by General Ludd in Hong Kong. Three tracks have been chosen by the Homesick team to reflect the intense disco inferno atmosphere we all felt on that unforgettable night.
Second volume from the mysterious Go Music collective. Wicked evocative melodies and weird electronics.
Justin Van Der Volgen’s My Rules label is back with its second release of 2016: the Lee Douglas edit of Soulful Dynamics – Jungle People. Given the nod and approved by the band, this is the version you’ve heard and been looking for over the last few years. Now finally seeing a proper release after many requests. Douglas takes the original, teases out the arrangement and turns the psychedelic knob to 100.
Hailing from Mexico, Zombies In Miami are debuting on Bordello A Parigi with a pair of late night burners. ‘Turquoise’ is a sliding snaking piece of synthesizer sorcery. Crisp beats are draped in hazy harmonies, reverb soaked bars rising amongst soaring keys and echoed vocals for a work of true elation. ‘Hipodromo’ follows, and starts as it means to go out. Drums crash before a floor melting synthline is dropped. The swirl of the mirrorball takes over as this duo whisk you into the warm and melting sounds of strings, rich bass and climbing claps.
Honey Soundsystem releases ‘Cosmologist’, the latest offering from Robert Yang aka Bézier. ‘Cosmologist’ explores Robert’s personal universe with three tracks that connect his varied musical lineages. ‘Cosmos’, a celebration of the late 80s/early 90s KIIS FM universe, is built around an infectious freestyle hook that morphs into a seven minute tour of intersecting styles. ‘Ether’ begins as gothic night-driving electro, but breaks into fantasy-scapes inspired by Italo and 1980s Japanese anime theme songs. The final track, ‘d. Quelle’, clocks in at over 11 minutes, incorporating bebop jazz solos drawn from his early exposure to improvisation techniques by Charlie Parker, and Cannonball Adderley.
Aux Tha Masterfader may sound like a creature beamed in from a distant galaxy, yet he’s the latest homegrown talent to join the Bordello. But don’t be mistaken, there’s a definite space influence to his sound. Drums come with a southern flavour in the vocoder dipped “Ready To Dance”. Steeped in the rhythms of Rimini, this is a track that will whisk you away into happiness. It’s the laser light synthlines that capture the ear in the clean and shining “Tennis Record”. Bars glide against an iced background, chords gleaming amongst claps and warming bass.
Giallo Disco dark overlord Antoni Maiovvi delivers a sprawling italo beast that will conquer all your inhibitions. On the flip, Lucas Savidis of the Rattler Proxy delivers a remix reminiscent of Badalamenti on acid.
For the second part of his “Connection Lost” series Massimiliano Pagliara teaches a lesson in how to translate Disco music in a modern language of sound. Without further ado “Trying To Hide But Then I Cried” comes across as pure dance floor material. Above a drum-fueled foundation various synths swell up and down while the bassline is pumping steadily for an irresistible groove. “If You Were Here” on the other hand benefits from similar ingredients but has a rather dreamy feel to it. Thanks to its elegiac pads and pensive synth melodies. “Ukulele Groove” takes its time to build things up but when the bassline and those distinctive synth stabs come in you can’t help but hope for a never ending summer. The final word here is “No More Love To Follow” featuring the vocal talents of Matthew Morris, a slow progressing, gloomy Disco ode to the ups and downs of love.
Pizzico Label head Billy Bogus is back on track, this time joined by Kasillen , mysterious producer and sound designer who comes from a hip hop and black music background, and is behind Italian pop projects. Bogus & Kasillen come up with two original tracks with the consistent help of a MPC 1000, blending old Italian horror soundtracks with dubby/cheesy analog sounds so to convey the sense of discomfort you feel while watching a thrilling Italian b-movie, but in a clubby way. The final punch comes from the acid psychedelia of a different version of the same track by In Flagranti and the 80’s space-like vibe of homeboy Ma Spaventi.
Electro and disco inspired modern club tracks with bubbling arpeggios, sizzling hi-hats and playful acid lines and tight percussion.
Disco Halal presents a reissue of Tony Carey’s album TCP originally released in 1984 on X Records.
‘Periplo’ marks the solo debut of Early Sounds Recordings co-founder Pellegrino S. Snichelotto, following occasional contributions to other material from the label’s extended family of artists. Pellegrino goes for a periplus around Mediterranean savors, dispensing a multi-flavored cocktail of fast-moving disco groovers, spacey jazz-fusion experiments and sun-bleached funky melters. Stylistically, most of the tracks sit somewhere between jazz-funk, cosmic funk, and the kind of melodious Afro-Cosmic fare that was once a staple of Northern Italy’s eccentric club scene. There’s plenty of hazy musical humidity to enoy, too, with the impeccable “Ad Libitum” standing out.
Hand-stamped white label business featuring 4 hot Italo via WBMX style edits from Chicago’s Chrissy featuring Lime, Webboes, Black Star and 1 mystery track.
The record begins with the motorik hypno drama of The Baron, followed by the post punk dub psych of Scratch and then the sprawling widescreen Technicolor of the title track. The B-side opens on the floor of a cosmic discotheque with Der Mond and then works its way through the minimalist -voodoo swamp funk of I Walk On Splintered Gilders before closing with the unhinged synth dancehall styling’s of Keep Your Head.
The Hipodrome Of Music 