


Fancy cars, fast money and fabulous women. Mario Moretti is back in action with his 3rd release on the Bordello A Parigi label.


Threemore edits from one of the original house music creator Ron Hardy. Patrick Cowley – Mind Warp, King Sporty & the ExTras – Haven’t Been Funked Enough, Strafe – Set It Off (instrumental).


Gianluigi “Gigi” Farina and Francesco Rago are to be counted among Italo disco’s true originators. Operating as a duo under many monikers, they brought us masterpieces such as Wanexa’s “The Man From Colours”, ‘Lectric Workers’ “Robot Is Systematic”, and Decadance’s “On And On”. Their sound is propulsive and ethereal in equal measure – dense, psychedelic, and tinged with melancholy. Their first composition was under the name Expansives. “Life With You” was recorded in Milan in 1981 and released on Leader Records in 1982, and features then 16-year old Xenia Monneret on lyric-writing duties. They wanted to incorporate a more electronic sound to break the classic disco mold, and in the process, they created an early, raw example of what would come to be known as Italo Disco. A thumping bass synth and processed drums set the groove, while Francesco sings of his loneliness. Tension is released when he later breaks into a Bee Gees-esque falsetto, but in the context of such an unusual song, the uncanny becomes familiar, the familiar becomes uncanny. Unfortunately they were not able to afford a professional recording studio and had to re-record each take over the same reel of tape. This caused a subtle surface noise buzz that adds to the warm analog feel of the song. On the B-side is the instrumental version with extended breaks, drum claps and dubbed out bass line.


Tabernacle Records just launched a new cassette series called I’m Afraid It’s Not Fresh. Part 2 includes 2 italo tracks in cocoa brown cassette, clear case with full colour printed manila J-card inserts.

The third release of the ”Obscure Cuts” series, curated by the Italian disco pioneer Beppe Loda, represents the electronic dance movement that formed in the late 70s – early 80’s in Italy. It features a few obscure productions that were inspired by Giorgio Moroder and other European electronic music of the time.

The long fabled ‘Elisabetta’ project, conceived by Giuseppe Alcheri, scored by Marco Segreti and eventually cancelled entirely by shady producers has long been lamented by fans of Italian Cinema and Disco aficionados alike. ‘Elisabetta’ was to be a return to Alcheri’s erotic thriller roots after (what some may consider talent wasted in) the Euro-Crime genre of the late 70s. Though, despite the predictable trappings of previous efforts, Alcheri’s flair for stylised dramatics and profound statements on the human condition bubbled under the surface, even in films such as “Legge Rotto” and “Sono Unica Difesa di Questa Citta”, but it was the melancholic power of early hits such as “Angelo Della Pelle” or “Pianto Vergine” that serious fans were crying out for. All of which was to be delivered with ‘Elisabetta’ which promised to be his most ambitious and emotional film in years. Concerning a writer driven to suicide by a lost love, told mostly through typewriter monologues, conversations with “Little Grey”, a pigeon and late night cruises through the discotheques of the mid 1980s, ‘Elisabetta’ was to be an epic poem on the nature of love and fidelity, sadly lost much like the lover in the film. Marco Segreti’s credentials should need no introduction, originally the drummer and leader of “Bruciando Roma” a group of anarcho-session musicians, playing on many 70s disco hits, the synthesizer revolution of the 1980s allowed him to break out into independence. Dripping with vintage reverbs and mourning melodies, the soundtrack, presented here for the first time ever is all that remains of this remarkable project.

Initially released by Materiali Sonori in 1985, San Giovanni Bassista’s ‘Don’t Go’ EP embodies what made the alternative italo disco scene of Florence so thrilling. Fresh, packed with humor and ahead of its time in so many ways, these three tracks are thoroughly modern and are definitely still dancefloor burners. Famous for ‘Don’t Go’, it did not take long for the audience to fall in love with the other two tracks of the EP: ‘Summer Sweat’ and ‘Hot Socks’. To pay hommage to his dear friend Claudio Bonaiuti, who passed away suddenly, Alexander Robotnick re-released the EP in digital format on his very own Hot Elephant Music label in 2010. Fast forward to 2016 Bordello A Parigi is pleased to bring you this release on our beloved vinyl, remastered with refreshed artwork. All in cooperation with mister Robotnick himself who also supplied us an edited version of Hot Socks. Sit down, lay back and enjoy the sun while drinking a cocktail on a beautiful beach and mumbling the silly blend of English and Spanish lyrics.

Spinning gold is pretty difficult. But that’s what Franz Scala does. Simple when you know how, and this Italian does. Three tracks of pure italo sunshine. Snapping beats and cocktail chords meet on the dancefloor for ‘Discoteca Paradiso’, sleek synthlines keeping time as the pair turn and twirl. ‘Gun Theory’ works in moonlit. Clean drums are sullied by dripping keys, a cigarette locked in the teeth of this after hours affair. And the lights aren’t up yet, Scala has one more floor filler up his sleeve. Pulsing rhythms say there still hope, she’s style out there; but the bitter sweet melodies disagree. A lilting heartbreaker, in the elegant form of ‘Riflessi’.

Axodry was the duo of Andreas “Talla 2XLC” Tomalla and Ralf ”Ra/Hen” Henrich, who formed in Frankfurt, Germany in 1982. The two met at City Music record store where Talla 2XLC worked, supplying the local DJ scene with dance 12”s. From 1984 to 1991 they released six maxi 12” singles. Both members were leading figures in the European electronic scene during the 80’s and 90’s, forming bands like Bigod 20, Tribantura, Micro Chip League, Moskwa TV, Pluuto and Robotiko Rejekto. In 1988 they released the maxi 12” single “You” on ZYX Records/Combeat. Influenced by Depeche Mode, Gary Numan and John Foxx, the duo crafted high impact Industrial, Synth Pop and Electronic Body Music. Their basic set up for recording at RaHen’s home studio was a Moog Rouge, Roland SH-101, Teisco synthesizer, Linn Drum and Fricke sequencer. Ra/Hen performed dramatic vocals, which tell of a lost love found in dreams. Included here are the Beauty & The Beat Mix and the Beasty Dub Mix from the 1988 single. On the flip is the Razormaid Remix, performed by Art Maharg and Joseph Watt, that originally appeared on the ”Welcome To The Technodrome” compilation in 1989. Also included is “Mechanic”, originally released in 1991 as the B-side for their final single “Losing You”.

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.

The second release of Disco Segreta – catalogue number DS M 002 – is titled “Stranamore” and comes after the successful release of the first label imprint “Andromeda”, already turned into an underground disco classic. Sung in italian by mysterious singer Brina, “Stranamore” and “Per Te” are two italo-disco tracks written in the ’80s by Mario Baldoni (aka Miro) of the “Safari of Love” fame: a teenage girl shares her heartbreak, then it’s just the instant magic of italo, italian language and those synthesizers, in a freeze-frame taking back to that spring of 1984 with the car windows open, listening to the radio, waiting for summer to arrive.