Men With Secrets – Sand Clock LP [CITI034]

Cititrax presents Sand Clock, the new full-length album by Men With Secrets – the Italian trio of Donato Dozzy, Lino Monaco, and Nicola Buono (Retina.it). Born from a shared background in experimental techno under the name Le Officine Di Efesto, the three found themselves drawn toward something slower and more deliberate: the emotional directness of classic post-punk, minimal wave, and synth-driven pop. Sand Clock is the fullest expression of that devotion. Recorded in Rome and Pompeii in 2023, the album channels the melodic clarity and romantic tension of late-80s and early-90s darkwave while never losing the cool precision the trio carries from their electronic roots. Icy synthesizers curl around shuddering basslines; drum machines land with quiet authority; baritone vocals move between intimacy and quiet apocalypse. The result is music that breathes between the shadowed dance floor and solitary headphone listening—structured, emotionally exposed, and impossible to place in any single moment. This is not revivalism. It is the recognition that certain emotional territories were mapped but never fully inhabited—and a determination to go further in.

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Men With Secrets – Sand Clock LP [CITI034]

Men With Secrets – Psycho Romance and Other Spooky Ballads [BK041]

Donato Dozzy collaborates with Retina.it on a new dark and sleazy electro project, Men With Secrets. After Dozzy’s first project with Retina.it (aka Lino Monaco and Nicola Buono), under the moniker Le Officine Di Efesto on Spazio Disponibile, fresh ideas would fast unfold. “They quickly discovered a shared love of classic post-punk, wave, and synthpop, and not long after, Men With Secrets was born.” Drawing influence from the likes of Richard Bone, Cabaret Voltaire, The Human League, New Order, and even Dopplereffekt, the trio stamp out their own sound with ‘neither imitation nor rehash.’ Their debut thirteen track album, titled Psycho Romance and Other Spooky Ballads, will land on none other than The Bunker NY.

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Men With Secrets – Psycho Romance and Other Spooky Ballads [BK041]

Retina.it – The Last Day Of Pompeii [MDGEM02.1/MDGEM02.2]

‘The Last Day Of Pompeii’ is a compilation of hidden gems by Retina.it -most of them released via Chicago’s Hefty Records in early 2000- and few unreleased coming as a double EP. The records will have inserts presenting 2 halves of Karl Brullov painting from 1830 (that gives the name to the project). On the backside of the insert there will be anecdotes and pictures from the archives. Midgar want to pay tribute to the Pompeian duo, whose life has been entirely dedicated to music. The project ‘The Last Day Of Pompeii’ talks about their origins, early history and relationship with Hefty Records.

part1 / part2

Retina.it – The Last Day Of Pompeii [MDGEM02.1/MDGEM02.2]

Le Officine Di Efesto – The Elements EP [SPAZIO013]

Spazio Disponibile hits release number 13 in style with a collaborative effort between label co-founder Donato Dozzy and longtime friends Retina.it. It is a typically experimental release that features five weird and wonderful tracks, seeing the label taking yet another dip into the more leftfield areas of electronic music.

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Le Officine Di Efesto – The Elements EP [SPAZIO013]

Donato Dozzy / Retina.it – Officine Di Efesto [SEM075]

Officine Di Efesto is the latest 12″slab from Svreca’s ever on-point Semantica featuring remixes of two uncredited tracks from Donato Dozzy and Naples duo Retina.It, and the lack of further information doesn’t lessen the sonic impact. Dozzy features on the A-side, with his remix of “Automa Talos” a potent exercise in unrelenting techno hypnosis with a strange looped sound that is weirdly reminiscent of ducks quacking present throughout. The Retina.It take on “Automa Pandora” is a much more stripped back, minimal affair that is just as effective.

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Donato Dozzy / Retina.it – Officine Di Efesto [SEM075]