Italian producer DayVentura presents on his bandcamp a name-your-price remix for Effetto Joule – Robespierre, a modern basement vision of this dark and emotional masterpiece.
Dr. DayVentura with some italo & new beat edits, just in time for Xmas.
British producer Radondo makes a striking debut on Wrong Era with his EP, ‘Deluge’. His unique blend of influences, drawn from his time in the German Capital and inspirations within Italo Disco, creates a musical landscape that is both familiar and refreshing.
In 2012, Army of God released a cult cut of cold wave: “Salvation”. This was the only EP by the partnership of Aroy Dee and Miss Jagroe, the only EP until now that is. Army of God are back, after more than a decade the duo return with Endless Skies. Analogue warmth is sliced by surgical synth stabs and bittersweet strings, Jagroe’s unmistakable voice echoes into the distance with the beseeching mantra of “until the music dies”. Aroy Dee’s edit of the title piece fortifies drums for the floor, emotion is further stripped from the already deadpan lyrics as melodies bleed into distorted wonder. The black streak that characterises Army of God turns a shade darker for the flip. A throbbing bass is inked by off-kilter keys, clusters of claps piercing the thicket of static and chilling chorus of “Fear the Night”. Venturing ever deeper into the night, the darker version will set speaker cones shaking and shivering. Juddering and trembling, basslines are bolstered with vocals invoking the very darkest regions of the dancefloor.
Red Laser takes us for one last spin on the waltzers. Tried and tested at their road block parties in Manchester, these edits shine a light on four primo-grade Italo face melters. Fervently excavated by Bosco over countless visits to Bel Paese and streamlined for the hydrofoil, with some extra added calories for the club.
A rare German disco experiment from 1982 by Herbert Hildebrandt-Winhauer of Rattles fame and Peter Hesslein, delivering a sleazy electro-boogie groove with funky vocal layers on the A-side and a cosmic disco instrumental with thick drums and synth magic on the flip side. Originally released as a 7-inch, this remastered 12-inch edition includes Trent’s DJ-friendly extended edit of Erotica and a high-energy reimagining of Rado-Keno.
Red Laser Records continue their stellar form with another knockout release, blending Manctalo fire from old hands and fresh faces alike. Frank Butters opens the EP with The Call Of The Wild, a dazzling blast of crystalline synths, thunderous bass, and cosmic effects that showcase his forward-thinking production skills. Bob Swans delivers ‘Bodyform4U’, a dreamy arpeggiated groove that builds an uplifting, futuristic atmosphere, perfect for igniting the dancefloor. Lone Saxon switches things up with ‘Hypersleep’ a breakbeat-infused piano gem that oozes nostalgic charm, before Franz Scala and Il Bosco finish strong with Webo, a late-night, tension-filled Manctalo banger.
One of legendary filmmaker John Carpenter’s few forays into electro-disco proper, ‘Die Klapperschlange’ is an instant throwback, the title theme from the 1981 sci-fi film Escape From New York. It’s as if this track was made for the anarcho-discos of the future, its inherent darkness rendering it seemingly unassailable by the crumbling of society or public breakouts of violence depicted in the film.
Señor Chugger, a prolific Bristol-based producer and remixer, makes his debut on Wrong Era with an EP filled with his unique blend of euphoric synth lines and sophisticated, arcane themes. His music immerses listeners in a synth-ridden realm, offering a collection of instant classics. The EP, ‘Sunset On The A38’ , also includes remixes from Wrong Era Label heads Sesto Senso and fellow label affiliate Radondo.
First compilation album by Argentine synthesizer maniac Nacho Marty Meyer. Since the 80’s, Meyer has been interested in synthesizers and electronic music, and started making demos. The compilation includes the Italo disco track Magical Journey, previously released under the name Xarion, which is now a hard-to-find record.
Playful Italo-Disco project by Florentine Marzio Benelli, originally released in 1984. “Life Is Now” delivers a number of what seem to be almost very important life-teachings over a rather sloppy beat. The hi hats, although very present also make it clear “Spanish Crash” is in no rush to get anywhere any time soon, sounding almost off beat. What strikes the listener even more than the smudges of highly valuable advice in some form of English language is the creative usage of what might have been some of the latest studio recording toys to reach Italy in 1984, an array of rather unorthodox synthy effects, vocoders, trippy delays all topped off with imposing guitar riffs for good measure. Very much sounding like what could be the soundtrack to a bootleg Disney comic strip on acid. Castro’s “Paella Crash” shifts the original lazy gear into a dubbier, high BPM, striped down version of the original that is more club oriented.
Daniel Monaco returns on the Rush Hour Store Jams imprint with another disco heavy two tracker, with vocals from TK daMonza.
SIRS throwns in some free downloads of disco dance tunes that are mysteriously not so mysterious.
Doctr is no stranger to the Bordello. ‘Now You Can Fly’ is his third visit to the label, his first with company. Paired with Julia, the offering is pure peak-time elation. Bending bars are cut through by beats and synth stabs, Doctr building a palpable energy with vocals synergising perfectly. Daring key shifts unveil the full track, inspirational words and melodic wizardry waltzing arm-in-arm. Flying ever higher, electrical pulses of hi-nrg jolt this dancefloor burner. Julia’s vocals are parred back for the flip, leaving those sun-kissed synthlines to soar above calypso-infused percussion. Two works of sheer happiness; just what the Doctr ordered.
Discoring Records presents a 12″ white vinyl official reissue of 1982 classic, Klein & M.B.O. – Dirty Talk.
Finally the mystery is solved. After seeing air time by jocks like Harvey and Orpheu the Wizard and causing an absolute frenzy amongst diggers world-wide going into a hopeless hunt for what was thought to be a rare unearthed Cantonese version of “Spacer Woman” from back in the day. Only to find out that it was actually a newly produced cover version by Romain FX. Here it is, finally, after tumultuous negotiations with the original rights owners, Hong Kong raised Romain FX’s skilful efforts to give the absolute classic Italo-disco bomb a new facelift “Spacer Woman”, but now in Cantonese. Subtle but effective, he presents a new rendition with Cantonese lyrics by Cheung Yuen Tung along with a very respectful “Acid Trip Version”.
An Italo Disco rarity from 1984 now available again on a colored 12“ maxi single. Reissue of this italo disco classic from 1984. Comes with Flemming Dalum remixes.
Kid Machine presents the second release on his new label Electro Italo, featuring two more two Italo mid-tempo slammers.
Kid Machine presents two Italo mid-tempo slammers for his brand new label ‘Electro Italo’. These are tracks from the extensive archive which were made in 2020 and originally played as demos on the No Strings Attached Mix.
The Hipodrome Of Music 