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Whodamanny reworks Italian Electronic Disco & Boogie gems from the late ’80s! 2nd volume of 2. Strictly Limited Edition on vinyl.

Originally released in the height of the underground disco revival, The Sounds Of Revolution EP has since become a sought-after modern classic. After years out of circulation — and with original copies now trading hands for €80-100 on the second-hand market — this long-requested EP finally returns to vinyl.

Italian producer Giovanni Damico (aka G-Machine / Ron Juan) delivers four timeless boogie cuts that perfectly bridge vintage Italo, cosmic disco and modern club energy. From the euphoric synth hooks of the title track to the robotic funk of “Italians In A Line”, this EP captures everything that made Damico a staple in DJ bags across Europe.

Carefully reissued for a new generation of selectors, this release is equal parts heritage and dancefloor weapon — essential for fans of Italo, nu-disco, boogie and anyone building a serious disco collection. Expected shipping: End of May/begin of June 26.

‘Batteries Not Included (Brain Sold Separately)’ EP Arrives Via No Static Automatic

No Static Automatic is proud to announce the new EP from UK Electro legend Phil Klein under his Mental Note alias. Titled “Batteries Not Included (Brain Sold Separately),” this release marks the dynamic follow-up to the acclaimed 2020 debut “Voices In My Head (Noises In My Pants).”

Few authentic Electro producers from the UK can wear the badge ‘legend’ with the same level of justification as Phil Klein, aka Bass Junkie. Active since the late 80s, Klein has tirelessly shaped his distinct vision of Electro, both as a solo artist and through storied collaborations with icons like Dynamix II, Keith Tenniswood (Radioactiveman), and Si Brown (Dexorcist). As a DJ, remixer, live act, and the driving force behind the seminal Battle Trax label, his influence is woven into the fabric of the genre.

With essential releases on labels including DMX Krew’s Breakin’ Records, Andrea Parker’s Touchin’ Bass, and Billy Nasty’s Elektrix, the Bass Junkie sound seamlessly bridges the old-school beats of Electro’s origins with a potent, borderline-industrial edge. As noted by Andy Barton of Bass Agenda: “From funky to ferocious, Bass Junkie’s discography is a must-have for anyone claiming passion for the genre – influential, individual, and infectious with every beat.”

Now, as Mental Note, Klein continues his exploration of electronic psychedelia. The new EP, “Batteries Not Included (Brain Sold Separately),” is a four-track expedition through the Electro cosmos:

“Brainwash” immerses the listener in swirling, hypnotic synths.
“They're Not Blue, They’re Purple” delivers a masterclass in crunchy, textured drums.
“Primordial Soup” showcases frantic, intricate programming.
“Kluster Funk” offers a moment of deep, sonic relief and groove.

Each track reinforces Mental Note’s signature: a journey that is cerebral, raw, and irresistibly rhythmic.


About Bass Junkie/Mental Note:
Phil Klein, operating primarily under the alias Bass Junkie, is a cornerstone of the UK Electro scene. For over three decades, his work has defined and evolved the sound, earning him a revered status among peers and purists. His Mental Note project is a focused outlet for a deeper, more experimental strand of his production genius, further solidifying his legacy as an electronic music innovator.

UK Techno and House lynchpin Mark Broom returns to Radio Slave’s Rekids with the ‘Touch’ EP, landing 8th May 2026. Active since the late ‘80s and widely regarded as one of UK dance music’s most enduring figures, Broom’s catalogue spans key imprints including Warp Records, M-Plant, Hardgroove, and his own Pure Plastic and Beardman, alongside collaborations with the likes of Riva Starr, Baby Ford, and James Ruskin. Since fi rst appearing on Rekids in 2019, he’s gone on to deliver 13 further releases, including his five-part ‘Mutated Battle Breaks’ EP series on sister label RSPX.

Following 2024’s ‘Showtime’ EP, his last House-leaning outing for Rekids, Mark Broom now drops the ‘Touch’ EP.The title track leads the charge, pairing a nostalgic vocal with a Disco-House hybrid feel and jackin’ edge, setting the tone for ‘Eyes’, where he works the filters to build suspense as a loopy sample drives those feel-good dancefloor moments. The B-side shifts into Techno territory with ‘MXM’, a robust, driving groove marked by a machine-like swirl that steadily pushes the pressure, before closer ‘Don’t’ rounds things out with a hard-hitting drumline and tough, strobe-lit stab work.

Scruniversal never misses, no matter what he takes aim at, be it disco, jazz, funk or whatever else. Here, label head Scru's friends are assembled to edit and remix a fine pair of jams. The first is a curious one that marries clary 80s electro and hip-hop with a hint of Latin percussion and jungle bird calls, filtered spoken word and a taught bass twang. It's body popping bait at a slow, inviting tempo. Martem & Ferdi Ferreira then step up with 'Chumba Lala,' which has muscular analogue drums and grinding bass, snappy hits and old school house chords that all add up to a colourful wedge of playful, rigid proto-breaks funk.

Italian multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer and vocalist Alex Puddu is returning with at brand new album "Francia Meccanica" A strong set of songs with catchy hook lines and up tempo groove. Taking us back to the late ’80s and early ’90s disco-house production with refined, sexy vibes that introduces eroticism in both Italian and French. It’s a perfect cocktail mix that pairs seamlessly with Alex’s voice and performance, beats, funky bass, acid sax, and sultry French spoken words. Alex Puddu brings pop disco and retro vibes back in trend — always essential to his style and musical world — and sweeps us into wild French nights blending transgression and romance.

Die erfolgreiche Italo-Disco-Reihe „Best Of“ geht in die nächste Runde – und diesmal auf hochwertigem Vinyl!

Mit „Best Of – Duke Lake“ erscheint eine exklusive farbige LP, die die größten Hits des Italo-Disco-Kultkünstlers Duke Lake vereint.

Diese besondere Vinyl-Ausgabe bringt den authentischen 80er-Sound zurück auf den Plattenteller und lässt das Herz jedes Italo-Disco-Fans höherschlagen.

Mit dabei sind unter anderem die Klassiker:
Do You
Dance Tonight
Satisfaction, Love & Passion

Typische Italo-Disco-Synthesizer, treibende Drum-Machines und eingängige Hooklines machen diese Songs zu zeitlosen Dancefloor-Favoriten. Die sorgfältig zusammengestellte Tracklist präsentiert Duke Lakes stärkste Titel in einer hochwertigen Sammler-Edition.

Roberto Zanetti, better known as Savage or Robyx, is without a doubt a fully realized artist. When he stepped into the world of dance electronics in 1983, success came instantly. Not only across Italy, but far beyond its borders. Alongside his own chart-defining run as Savage, Zanetti was simultaneously shaping the scene from behind the desk, developing talent and refining a signature sound that would define an era. By the late ’80s, Robyx was already an established powerhouse producer. Around that time, he wrote three tunes for Maurizio Felici, performing under the alias Wilson Ferguson. These tracks carried all the hallmarks of Zanetti’s late-’80s aesthetic: lush melodies, smooth, flowing arrangements and high-energy grooves built for the dancefloor. In Europe, where house music was rapidly taking over, this sound faced tougher competition, but in Japan, where Eurobeat was exploding into the mainstream, these productions were untouchable. Felici’s rich, throaty vocal delivery gave the tracks an unmistakable emotional weight and identity.

Responding to long-standing requests from fans, Vintage Pleasure Boutique now revisits the most melancholic and emotionally charged of these three recordings: “I’m Singing Again”, a bittersweet tale of lost love told through the language of Italo disco. It’s a perfect fusion of Savage’s late-’80s sonic elegance and a truly distinctive vocal performance.

For this new release, the story is pushed one step further with a fresh remix, slightly faster in BPM and clearly nodding to Robyx’s classic Eurobeat instincts, a version built to move bodies while keeping the original’s emotional core intact.

The long-awaited reissue of Toba makes it clear, once and for all, to fans and industry insiders that disco music produced in Italy between the late 70s and early 80s had no chance of success. What was disparagingly called "spaghetti disco", considered a poor imitation of real American disco music, only good for Japanese cartoons. This was the main reason that prompted Italians to record their songs abroad, as Fratelli La Bionda with their pseudonym D.D.Sound in Munich. Luigi Figini, with "Supercool" and "Percussion Sundance" by Edo Martin and Pino Santapaga (the same as "Step By Step" by Koxo), claimed that Kash was a one-off Swedish disco project, a lie that came to light when an Italian test pressing from the previous year, made by GDB, was posted !!! Amin-Peck followed the trend of passing off their songs as foreign music on the intuition of their Roman producers. So ''Love Disgrace'' was released on 7'' by a label called Connection, which never really existed, created for the purpose by Giancarlo Meo, confident that this would bring success to the Bolognese duo who were already creating 'proto Italo-Disco tracks' with a new-wave trend. To make the whole operation seem real, the London agency Ellie Jay Ltd. was involved, contacting Andy Fernbach of Jacobs Studios Ltd. The vinyl was also produced in the UK, otherwise the deception would have been discovered, then imported to Italy by Best Record. Italo-Disco was officially born after this, in 1982, not before! Everything makes sense now ! Real events that actually happened and purely invented names and anecdotes. Just think, even the image of Tony Balch used for the cover of Toba was taken from Grand Theft's 1978 album "Have You Seen This Band?" and reproduced on the new redesigned cover, as were the heads of the other musicians. The idea of a real band called Toba had finally come to fruition and would lead to a second sensational success the following year. Now it all makes sense! Facts and anecdotes that really happened and names and circumstances that are purely fictional. Finally, everything adds up! Real things and invented names of musicians and collaborators. It's important to clarify what we've said above, but we haven't talked about "Make Your Mind Up" and "Don't Take It" and the two masterful remixes performed by Dave Mathmos. In short: with the original versions we'll make Italo-Disco purists happy, with the remix versions we'll please new younger followers with more modern sounds and versions more in line with today's tastes and trends.

The Owl (real name John Deevechis) has long used his Owl imprint to deliver high-grade, inventive and irrepressibly addictive re-edits. Here, the York-based producer hands over the reins to the previously unheard Nite Hawk, an artist whose identity has so far been a closely guarded secret. Our shadowy hero begins with the superb 'Disco System', an infectious, effects-laden revision of a low-slung, turn of the 80s disco workout rich in dubbed-out vocal samples, super-funky bass and piano loops, and tease-and-release dynamics that only add to the track's inherent energy. On flip-side 'Search Lite', Nite Hawk makes merry with a boogie-era workout, turning it into a glorious fusion of non-stop dub disco bass, rolling house beats and chanted vocal snippets.

This first new volume of edits from Big Baba finds Elado digging with intent rather than on a purely nostalgic tip. Fresh off his Razor-N-Tape run, he opens the series by rewiring rare global grooves for contemporary club floors. The EP moves fast and wide as Bollywood disco mutates into techno on 'Disko Disko!', while Yeah Yeah flips obscure 80s Thai boogie-funk into something elastic and punchy. 'EL SOL' slides in as a proto-house warm-up weapon, patient but charged. Then there's 'YOR YOR', a joyous Bukharian disco edit that feels almost mythical in its rarity. Colourful and confident, and full of heat.

Limited 12" sampler for the forthcoming Curses compilation: As much musical memoir as compilation of often impossible-to-find tracks, 'Next Wave Acid Punx TROIS' has joined the dots between industrial, post punk and EBM from the 70s and 80s with the emerging rave scene of the 90s and proven that this spirit is still alive by unearthing some of the best unreleased dark disco, techno and electro produced today. Extended versions only!

DJ Support: Phil Mison (Cantoma/Ambala), Charlie Bones (Do!You!!!), Frank Booker, Trujillo, Alice Palace, CIAN, DJ Aficionado, No Plastic, Jad & The, Leon D, Moe, Sadeedo, Longboss (Strangelove), Tom Kutsche, Marian Tone, Andy Pye (Balearic Social), Soft Rocks, Wrekin Havoc, Alfresco Disco, Manuel Darquart, Tom Bolas, Danny Russell, Craig Christon (Passport to/Beyond Paradise)
Many Hands - Basement Versionz #2, continuing from #1 with further excursions into Basement Balearica. From Bunker to Beach: Wiggy Dread Italo, Rebel Disco Reggae, Thai Boogie Funk and freshly creased 80s Steppers to help clever selectors get out of, or into trouble.

Colophon creates electronic music using synthesizers and drum machines from the '80s and '90s that are no longer in production. Everything beeps and crackles, shaping atmospheric soundscapes layered with deep basslines and melancholic pads full of character.

'Dimension Six EP' delivers a six-track journey, moving through techno, acid, slow burners, and ambient. Imperfections are left intact, giving the music a raw, human feel rather than something overly clean, clinical, or artificial. It's the meeting point between old and new technology that makes the process so fascinating and inspiring - the endless places you can go, discovering new sounds within sounds.

Alongside producing music, Colophon also runs 'Loop of Life', a record label where music, fine art, and graphic design converge, releasing limited-edition vinyl with handmade artwork covers.

Reviews
'The excellent, excellent sounds of Colophon' Ben Sims on NTS Radio, London
'My favourite tracks of the moment' ASOK on Rinse FM, London

Delivering the second sermon in their Disco Gospel series, Chicago’s Sadar Bahar & Marc Davis hand-pick and re-edit two more under-the-radar disco/gospel fusion tracks for the modern dancefloor.

Both revered selectors and producers, Marc and Sadar are integral parts of Chicago's underground music scene, sharing the city’s spirit with the world. Through his own label, Black Pegasus, and the Chi Talo series, Marc has become an in-demand DJ known for his raw and eclectic sets. He joins forces with good friend, DJ’s DJ and Soul In The Hole head Sadar Bahar, whose name regularly tops the bill at some of the finest clubs and festivals around the globe.

Digging deep once again, the pair serve up two certified secret weapons from their renowned collections. Finding that sweet spot that drew out the most uplifting, powerful, and danceable elements of both gospel and disco, they shine a light on two beauties from Myrna Summers and also The Yancy Family. Tweaked and re-edited with style and consideration, they re-work the tracks with DJs and dancers in mind.

As Robert M. Marovich of Journal of Gospel Music puts it, “The rise of contemporary gospel music in the 1970s and 1980s changed the style, if not the substance, of Black sacred music. Artists, including the Yancy Family and Myrna Summers, worked within the groovy new sound to attract the attention of a generation growing up on rock, jazz, pop, and soul. Bring them into the church through the music, the maxim goes, and they’ll stay for the sermon. Likewise, these two re-edited album tracks by Sadar Bahar and Marc Davis keep the gospel music heritage alive while encouraging a brand-new generation to dance through the church doors.”

Up first, Myrna Summers ‘So Much to Live For’ channels that straight from the heart passion and collective joy that gospel embodies. Bursting with uplifting lyrics, scintillating organ melodies, and an infectious sing-along spirit, Marc and Sadar give it a club-ready DJ edit, extending it for maximum dancefloor deliverance.

The B side sees the duo work their magic on, ‘Lifted Me Higher’. Written by Kevin Yancy and taken from the Yancy Family’s 1989 album From One Christian Family to Another, it features vocals from siblings Kevin, Judy, and Rev. Darryl Yancy, along with Lois Scott. The all-star team of Chicago musicians includes Sherwin (Butch) Yancy on organ, Michael Wade on piano and synthesizer, and Richard Gibbs (longtime accompanist for Aretha Franklin) on piano and bass. With a soulful boogie flavour, dripping in slap bass and ‘80s synthlines, Marc and Sadar rework the intro so it rides out on a section of delectable instrumental grooves, before letting the glorious vocals hit home.

AE Productions in association with Sure Shot Recordings and In Effect Recordings are pleased to announce a 10 Year Anniversary Edition of the critically acclaimed Phill Most Chill and Paul Nice album as the Fabreeze Brothers.

The hugely successful first edition which was pressed on colour vinyl and supplied in double fold out sleeve sold out in only 2 weeks from release date and then the 2nd pressing black vinyl edition sold out a little while later but has for years been out of print but is increasingly requested by shops, via email, social media, AE Productions website back in stock requests, etc…

As it has been 10 years since original release back in 2015 at the time of proceeding with manufacturing, it was the perfect opportunity to do a 3rd pressing to mark the anniversary but we had to pull out all the stops for a 3rd run of this incredible album and also make it subtly different again in packaging design from the 1st and 2nd pressings so that each has it’s own particular feel and quality.

With help from the original designer and all-round vinyl artwork supremo Mr Krum we have found some nice adjustments for the gatefold sleeve where the detail from the insert sheet found in the original issues is incorporated into the inside panels of the sleeve. We have also tweaked the hype sticker to mark the 10th Anniversary Edition and updated the vinyl labels so as to work better with the new Splatter vinyl which follows the original red and yellow vinyl but each splattered with the opposite colour.

For something a little extra we have compiled a Limited Expanded Edition Double Cassette Box Set that includes the original album and also a ‘Bonus Tape’ which features all of the remixes, alternate versions, Original Versions of album cuts and bonus tracks found on B-sides of the array of singles and we included for good measure 2 tracks that only appeared on the promotional only LP sampler that ended up being different on the final release. This is limited to cassette just for the non-vinyl heads as all of these tracks already appear on vinyl. The outer box is A5 card in black with gold foil Fabreeze Brothers logo and comes with discography booklet.

‘The Bonus Tape’ from the box set is also available as a standalone cassette release with alternate j-card art work so that it has it’s own flavour and so that anyone that purchased one of the original run of cassettes that sold out before we could even ship any copies, did not need to purchase the main album again unnecessarily and to make it noticeable from the Expanded Edition Box Set version.

This version also has an alternate shell design in keeping with the clear shell with dark liner that was commonplace back in the 90’s and the cassette geeks may note the red text on the spine as was also a common design back then – giving this a pseudonym of ‘the 90’s tape’ during the design process.

We couldn’t stop there so we also have an extremely low quantity Limited Edition Mini Disc version which is the main album plus 8 of the bonus tracks from The Bonus Tape – only missing the 2 least significant alternate versions but clocking in at just a few seconds under 80 minutes – the absolute maximum for the format! Mini Disc???!!! You’re probably asking – yes!

While looking into the cassette duplication options we realised that the duplicator also offers Mini Disc production so we thought that it may be worth doing a very small run just because not only are professionally manufactured Mini Disc’s rare in Hip Hop, they are rare within the entire music industry as they never really took off as a medium to purchase music but ended up as the choice for home recorded Walkman and car use. Indeed, AE boss Mr Fantastic still has his main machine, portable and old discs. Amazingly also, the sleeve artwork transferred brilliantly to the Mini Disc template. They are manufactured using high quality Sony discs using ATRAC 4.5 codec.

All releases are supplied with unique free download codes on cards that are included inside the packaging but also with the Expanded Edition cassette and Mini Disc having 2 cards – 1 for the main album and a 2nd card for ‘The Bonus Tape’. The free downloads are supplied direct from Phill Most Chill’s Bandcamp page keeping it independent.

Funkyjaws Music is back with more sounds to get those mouths and asses moving. It comes from Elado, originally from Poland, and an artist with a 30-year obsession with his craft. 'Love' is a big-hearted disco pumper with jangling riffs and bluesy vocals. 'Happy Days' has a similar vocal but more raw and guttural and offset by female harmonies. 'Benko' cuts back with a more supple, sun-kissed and Balearic sound with some nimble piano work bringing plenty of spice. 'Higher' is a smoochy 80s-influenced disco sound with vibes to spare.

Daniele Baldelli
"A pleasant surprise to find in this release various atmospheres and sounds that have always been part of my DJing. It even made me rediscover M’Bamina, whom I used to play back in 1974 at the Tabù Club in Cattolica.
There are afro vibes as well, with Black Line – Myele, which is featured on one of my Cosmic tapes, and Nowhere by the Stratosferic Band recalls a track I used to play at the Baia degli Angeli…
Excellent work!"

Voom Voom Music was an independent Italian record label based in Turin, founded and managed by record producer Ivo Lunardi (Turin, December 6, 1940 – December 9, 2010). A pivotal figure in the Piedmont music scene, Lunardi was active both as a DJ and as the owner of several disco clubs.

The label operated for several years in the latter half of the 1970s, releasing mainly productions connected to the Italian dance and pop scene.
Since 2016, the original master tapes from the Voom Voom Music catalog have been owned by Gianluca Pandullo (I-Robots), a close friend of Ivo and Luca Lunardi. Through his labels Opilec Music and Turin Dancefloor Express, Pandullo oversees their preservation and historical enhancement.

The artistic direction of Voom Voom Music was marked by a distinct sonic identity — eclectic yet visionary. The Turin-based label founded by Ivo Lunardi embraced a sound that blended disco, pop, and rock influences, interwoven with African American grooves in a pioneering, international perspective.

Voom Voom Music was among the first Italian labels to introduce this kind of musical language in the country. A prime example is the Italian edition of the debut album by B.T. Express, Do It ('Til You're Satisfied), released in LP, 8-Track Cartridge, cassette, and 7" single formats.
The label’s productions clearly reflected the influence of black and funk music, as evidenced by the references and inspirations running through its catalogue. The track “Lady Pick-Up”, for instance, includes direct nods to “Do It Good” by KC & The Sunshine Band and Manu Dibango’s iconic “Soul Makossa”, revealing a musically refined and contemporary sensibility.

Among the label’s most representative works is Splash (1977) by the Stratosferic Band, a project conceived by Luigi Venegoni — producer, songwriter, and guitarist of Arti e Mestieri. Venegoni’s artistic journey spanned from progressive rock to space and Italo disco. The album artwork was designed by Piero D’Amore (1944 - 2022), a charismatic and multifaceted figure of Turin’s art scene (one of his works was even acquired by the MoMA in New York).
The record includes a disco reinterpretation of Van Morrison’s classic “Gloria”, and “Splashdown”, a track fusing the disco-rock energy of Rockets and Space. In contrast, “Nowhere” revisits the 1975 single by Hokis Pokis, a soul/disco band from Nassau County (New York), transforming it into a vibrant disco-funk number.

Another significant expression of the label’s catalogue is the afro-rock sound of M’Bamina, an Italo-Congolese group whose rhythmic energy and dialogue between African percussion and Western funk evoke the style of international formations such as Osibisa — themselves linked to a rich artistic history in Italy.

Some 30 years after they first met in the DJ booth of Tokyo’s Spacelab Yellow nightclub, close friends François Kevorkian and Dimitri From Paris have finally joined forces in the studio. The result is The Nassau Excursion, a dazzlingly good three-track EP inspired by their joint love of disco and boogie-era dance records made at Island Records’ Compass Point Studio in the Bahamas.

Across three essential tracks, François and Dimitri explore and celebrate this distinctive Caribbean post-disco sound – one where weighty basslines and heavy drum machine beats rub shoulders with early ‘80s synths, dub-style production, heady hand percussion patterns and arrangements drenched in space echo and tape delay.

TSTD NEO returns with smooth slow disco remixes for three tracks, originally featured on THE SUNSET MANIFESTO Volume 2:
One of the standout tracks of THE SUNSET MANIFESTO 2, the super smooth Westcoast inspired "Hands of Love" gets an even smoother remix treatment by Liverpools BEN JAMIN, perfectly suited for your next late night bar dj sets.
Stockholm meets Mexico City! TSTD resident producer Monsieur Van Pratt returns from remixing Poolside on The Sunset Manifesto 2, and comes back with a romantic slow disco version of Kimchi's "Do You Ever"
Last but not least UK producer Matt Hughes already did a funky electro disco remix for Goodvibes Sounds' "Stay For One More Night" on The Sunset Manifesto 2. Looks like the original tune didnt leave his head, so he returned to his studio for new remixes. Here you can find the "Echo" version of his new 80s cinema sounding "Late Night Radio Remix", which would sit well in the soundtrack oft he Stranger Things TV series. The long version of this remix will be relased later digtially.

Chicago legend K. Alexi returns to Dark Entries with K.A. Posse’s Strkes Again, an EP of preleased unreleased acid and house mayhem. K’Alexi Shelby’s illustrious career has included releases on legendary labels such as Trax, DJ International, and Transmat, as well as collaborations with high-profile artists like Marshall Jefferson and Pet Shop Boys. But his musical journey began at the young age of 12, when he befriended Ron Hardy and Frankie Knuckles while frequenting the Music Box and Warehouse. In high school, he began to write songs and hone his poetic craft. “I recognized I had a gift to say what I was thinking. I would study Prince and Marvin Gaye, figure out what they meant and put my spin on it. The power of the word. I was writing love notes for all my boys in high school and making a killing. I would know what to say and what they should do.”

Dark Entries previously reissued Shelby’s debut record, Essence of a Dream, which was recorded under the name Risque III in 1987. Strikes Again brings us six tracks recorded in Chicago between 1988 and 1990, which come courtesy of Mike Dunn’s personal archive. This record showcases the rawer, more immediate side of Shelby’s sound, with tracks full of overdriven 808’s, careening sirens, and dangerously funky breakbeats. “Imported Taste” brings Shelby’s signature deep pads to the front of wild congo-laced percussion. “Suckas Be Ready” is a slamming hip-house cut featuring vocals from MCD-TA, while disco-samples duel with crunchy 909s on the jacking “Muzic Box.” Strikes Back showcases the real underground sound of Chicago, where sonic abstraction meets full-body kinetics. The record comes housed in a retro-styled sleeve designed by Eloise Shir-Juen Leigh.

After a series of successful outings alongside sidekicks Ofofo and Zongamin, studio wizard MYTRON turns in his debut solo full-length for Multi Culti World Records. With contributions on Invisible Inc, Calypso, Bongo Joe, Kalahari Oyster Cult, LYO, Codek Records and Earthly Measures, Mytron has carved out a name for himself in a carefully-curated left-field quadrant of the indie-dance galaxy. Tuning his oscillators to myriad sounds — from dub and disco to krautrock — the London-based producer perhaps most notably channels the pristine compositional style of Kraftwerk. While most apparent in the use of vocoder, there’s a consistent efficiency of arrangement that recalls the man-machine in effervescent, idealistic fashion. Mytron manages to keep it simple, funky and musical — whimsical tunes that bop along with analog grit, wilderness, and wonk. There’s a warmth and wit that shine through every synth line, an understated confidence that speaks of years spent tangled in wires and waveforms, with an inclusive sonic eclecticism that flattens hierarchies between genres, geographies, and generations. Each influence is invited to the table, treated not as pastiche but invited to dine and dance in a space where kosmische dub disco and Afro rhythms can coexist without borders. The sleeve design echoes this philosophy: video-feedback patterns hinting at our modern screens, both portals and filters — coloured, distorted intermediaries through which we perceive the world. In the trippiest sense, the record is both reflection and refraction — a sonic mirror held up to an interconnected, glitchy reality. Tailored equally for DJ use and home-listening head trip, the album is meticulous, mischievous and merry.

BanBanTonTon review:

On Mytron’s debut long-player for Multi Culti groovy 21st Century leftfield house gear collides with Daniele Baldelli and Beppe Loda’s hugely influential `80s afro / cosmic. The 9 tracks are chunky, chugging and full of funky, funny noises. Old school B-lines mixing with eccentric electronics. Spinning, spiralling sounds.

Sugar is an electro-pop, vocoder confection, cut from the same sonic cloth as cult classics like Codek’s Tam Tam. Created from tough trap drums, splashing effects and a mutant Giorgio Moroder bass arpeggio. The title track, Propellor, pits Kraftwerk-esque hardware harmonised vocals against a bongo loop and a whistling hook. Playground has simian shrieks surround tumbling tom-toms. Highway Maintenance adds kosmische synths to a dance of woodblocks and buzzing bottom end. Keep On Dubbing is an organ-led, clip clopping percussive canter.

Tracks such as Speaker Can Talk, shot through with disco lasers blasts and recalling Curt Cress’ Dschung Tek, also lift the tempo up, but the bulk of the music here is a mid-tempo, techno drum circle. Squelchy sequences gurgling in and out of programmed percussion. On Quasar, spiky acid edges in and slowly takes over.

Key references that come to mind are Baldelli’s own turn-of-the-2000s Cosmic Sound Project productions, and Wolf Müller’s scene shaking sides on Themes For Great Cites, from around a decade later.

“Crazy Funky” marks the official debut of Tommy Soul as a producer — a track born from the desire to blend the groove of 80s funk and disco with a contemporary sonic approach. A warm, dominant funky bassline drives the track alongside a vintage-flavoured, punchy drum groove, supported by modern electronic synths and sound details that firmly place it in the present.The lyrics and vocal melody sung by Tommy Soul, reveal an unexpected falsetto, especially in the harmonic tension of the hook “make me crazy!” The goal was to reinterpret the spirit of original disco productions and bring it into a modern, more electronic and club-oriented dimension, while preserving the analogue soul and authentic warmth of the sound. The result is a track with a strong character: a relentless bassline, gritty vocals, an infectious groove, and an energy built for the dancefloor.

The Libra LP finds DJ Dex searching for the perfect balance on the dancefloor. "Freeks N' Geeks" is a shameless party anthem asking dancers to get their geek and their freak on with stomping kick drums, percussion, acid funk, and hands-in-the-air horns. "Papa Was a 909" reinvents a classic Motown anthem via a relentless 909 drum machine workout. "Hoodrat" pays homage to Detroit minimalism and Chicago jack—doubles are essential for the creative DJ. "The Balance" merges an 808 kit with clever percussion, melodic chords, and sci-fi synths for a tense, building track ready for peak-time action. "Casa Oscura" takes equal inspiration from hi-NRG disco tracks and the funkiest aquatic synths of Drexciya for a vibe entirely its own. "Astrological" is the LP's polyrhythmic, thumping, big-room techno cut where cascading synth lines meet atmospheric pads and vocal samples.

The new album by the collective that for
over 25 years has been among the most
representative names of the Italian dance
and electronic scene worldwide.
“BLOOOM”, this is the title of the new release,
will be available in all traditional stores and
on digital platforms starting January 16.
Set against the soundscapes that have become
the Planet Funk trademark, the lyrics by Dan
Black attempt to give voice to a fragile and
contradictory condition of our time: an
intensified sensitivity that, instead of
turning into openness and connection, often
becomes emotional overload. A generation
constantly overwhelmed by excessive stimuli,
relentless information, anxieties, and fears,
called upon to find its way in a world thaoffers neither pauses nor silence. In this paradox, sensitivity is no longer just a natural gift, but
a daily effort: staying open and receptive without being overwhelmed, trying to preserve a human and
vulnerable gaze in order, despite everything, to fully appreciate life and the present moment.
The single’s artwork—like that of the album—curated by Nationhood, visually conveys this tension: the
distant sirens of a city that amplifies feelings of disorientation and loneliness even when we are
surrounded by thousands of people.
“BLOOOM”, preceded by the single “FEEL EVERYTHING”, arrives at the end of an intense, creative year
full of music, which saw Alex Neri (DJ, keyboards, synthesizers), Marco Baroni (keyboards, piano,
programming), Dan Black (vocals and guitar), and Alex Uhlmann (vocals and guitar) engaged between
studio work, collaborations, and live performances in Italy and abroad. A journey that today
transforms into new energy, into an even more open vision oriented toward the future.
Exactly one year ago, PLANET FUNK released “Nights in White Satin”, a single that reached the top
positions of the radio charts and launched a season rich in concerts and DJ sets in Italy and around
the world. The subsequent “I Get a Rush”, the collaboration with Alfa and Manu Chao on the remix of
their hit “A me mi piace”, and the track “È Naturale” together with Francesca Michielin, confirmed
Planet Funk’s ability to renew themselves and engage with different musical worlds while always
remaining true to their own identity.
Throughout this journey, music has inevitably intertwined with life. The memory of Sergio Della Monica
and Domenico “Gigi” Canu, pillars and founding souls of the PLANET FUNK project, is a living part of
this new chapter. Their vision, creative spirit, and way of understanding music continue to be a
constant guide, a deep root from which new ideas and new directions can grow.
“BLOOOM” is also this: a personal and artistic blossoming that, starting from the legacy left by
Sergio and Gigi, transforms into a living process of growth, metamorphosis, and discovery. An album
that does not look back with nostalgia, but forward with awareness, momentum, and a desire for
renewal.
Founded in 1999, for over 25 years PLANET FUNK have represented one of the most important, solid, and
influential realities in the international electronic music scene. Born from the meeting of Souled
Out! (Domenico “GG” Canu and Sergio Della Monica) and Kamasutra (Marco Baroni and Alex Neri), and
following their debut with “Non Zero Sumness” in 2002 (a gold record and a turning point for the
band), PLANET FUNK have managed to reinvent themselves over time while maintaining a unique sonic
identity. This has led them to collaborate with internationally renowned artists, deliver iconic
performances around the world, create soundtracks and international advertising campaigns, and
continue to demonstrate constant creative vitality

DJ Support by Fabrizio Mammarella, Sean Johnston (ALFOS), Erol Alkan, Ame, Fango, Jaye Ward, SHMLSS, Camilo Miranda, Marco Passarani, Logan Fisher, Massimiliano Pagliara, Otto (Bordello a Parigi), Phil Mison, Giulia Gutterer, Pete Herbert, Franz Scala, Lauer, Pedro Bertho, Feel Fly ...

New music from legendary Adriatic DJ and producer Verdo is as rare as an MP3 in the golden age of disco. Which is why you should be hella excited for GRATIS CLUB, his first full-length album and a love letter to the iconic club he once called home in Senigallia.

A true Loyal Hell Yeah Recordings member and consummate musician, Verdo brings his signature piano melodies to Italo disco, hi-NRG, and trance magic across X cuts that are equal parts dancefloor propulsion and cosmic exploration.

GRATIS CLUB captures the energy, eccentricity and euphoria of the club Verdo played and directed, translating the pulse of a local institution into a timeless, high-voltage record. With previous releases on Danny Was A Drag King and this label, including his 2020 Symmetry EP, Verdo continues to prove he’s one of Italy’s best-kept secrets with this new album.

Opener and lead single ‘Let In The Light' is pure Italo disco adrenaline: shimmering arps soar over lush chords and retro analogue drums, igniting the dancefloor. Second single ‘Boulevardier’ is introspective yet radiant with rugged synths spiralling inward while shiny 80s chords inject colour and retro soul, all carried by supple, marching drums. 'Eyes Melody' is an ascent to a higher state with acrobatic drums and bass and more luminous synth magic, 'Ballad' has a more downbeat and late-night feel with pensive pads and sad vocoder, then the title cut is bold, bright and unabashed in its stomping disco brilliance. 'Our Love Come Back' has a sense of yearning that surely translates the sadness felt at the closing of Gratis Club, then 'Lest We Forget' is a reminder of how pumping and sweaty the main room got with Verdo in the booth. 'Little Blue's is the gentle comedown and comforting hand that leads you home in a reverie.

GRATIS CLUB is a pure hit of unbridled Italo disco joy.

By popular demand, here's the two long unavailable cuts of Wackie's cosmic dancefloor classic, "Rise Up." In 2023 we issued the previously unreleased discomixes of Tyrone's cut. On this new 12" we have the Max Romeo version, only released as an album track in the UK & Japan in the early 80s. This one is a duet of sorts, also featuring part of Tyrone's vocal. On the flip side, we have the original album mix of Tyrone's version, which compared to the discomixes, is more of a dubwise cut with less vocal.

Mit Money landete Mozzart 1987 einen echten Euro-DiscoHit, der bis heute als Club- und Genreklassiker gefeiert wird.

Treibende Beats, eingängige Synthesizer-Melodien und der typische 80er-Jahre-Disco-Sound machen diesen Track zu einem zeitlosen Highlight der europäischen Dance-Ära.

Jetzt ist „Money“ endlich wieder erhältlich – als limitierte Maxi Single auf farbigem Vinyl. Neben der originalen Version aus dem Jahr 1987 enthält diese Veröffentlichung brandneue Remixe, die dem Klassiker einen frischen, modernen Twist verleihen, ohne seinen ursprünglichen Charme zu verlieren.

Diese Maxi Single ist ein Muss für Sammler, DJs und alle Fans von Euro- und Italo-Disco.

GIOVANNI DAMICO strikes it hot again with his cult classic "NIGHT TIME" inspired by Italian and Nigerian interpretations of 70s-80s American disco and boogie. DAMICO pulls the band together for major vibes here on STAR CREATURE RECORDS. Vocal on A, Instrumental on B.

Ohio's O'Jays were a hugely popular part of Philadelphia's PIR stable throughout the 1970's and 80's.
They cut numerous sides for the label aided by the incredible production and arrangements of the infamous Gamble and Huff hit machine.

This special 4 track EP includes some of the absolute evergreen, stellar and downright soulful tracks they are most known for. It's all here. Influential, uplifting, inspiring and soulful music that will touch everyone. From the string laden and lush extended proto Disco joy of 1975's 'I Love Music', to the deep and soulful Philly stylings of 'Back Stabbers', 'Message In Our Music' & 'My Favourite Person', all of the music contained within this amazing collection is utterly essential if you dig Soul, Funk, Disco, Gospel and even House music. This is it. The real deal. These are some of the roots of contemporary dance music, the building blocks. On top of that, it's simply great music, a solid and essential addition to any record collection from one of the greatest vocal groups of the era, not to mention the world calls production, arrangement & execution from the legendary Gamble & Huff. A real no brainer this one.....

This is a fully legit reissue, made in conjunction with Above Board distribution and Sony music, sourced from their vaults using original source material and remastered and repressed to the highest standard for 2018 and featuring all original PIR label artwork.

Here's your chance to own yet another essential stone cold classic from the archives!

Daniel Vangarde is the father of Daft Punk's Thomas Bangalter, and back in the 70s and 80s he was a musician who had great success writing and producing for the likes of Gibson Brothers and Ottawan on his Zagora label. He also worked solo as Who's Who and in 1979 produced a now cult favourite record of cosmic-euro disco. Two tracks from it get reworked from the original tapes here by The Reflex. He brings dubby, mid-tempo drums to 'Hypnodance' while retracing its Eastern melodic charms and sense of sophistication. His take on 'Palace Palace' is more funky and upbeat with leggy drums and elastic basslines smothered in cosmic arps.

The Cosmic LP is an album that is fully part of the history of Italian dance music.
First released in 1984, it is a produc*on signed by SANGY, one of the founders of Italo-dance, who was
responsible for the composi*on, arrangement, and performance as a guitarist and mul*-instrumentalist on
most of the tracks.
Crucial to this project was the collabora*on with DJ Daniele Baldelli, who at the *me was the resident DJ of
the legendary Cosmic club in Lazise (Verona) and is s*ll considered one of the most important Italian DJs.
Collaborators also include the names of Sandy Dian, one of the most sought-a2er sound engineers of the*me, and a debutant M&G, who would later co-sign one of the most iconic Italian disco tracks, "When I Let
You Down," also in collabora*on with Sangy.
The sounds of this album were absolutely revolu*onary for the era because they blended funky, jungle,
Brazilian, disco, and fusion influences in a completely unprecedented way.
For these reasons, the Cosmic LP has remained an iconic piece of interna*onal discography, maintaining its
originality and sonic power intact more than 40 years a2er its first release.

2026 kicks off with a brand-new Dr. Packer remix of “Feel the Groove”, a track that had
already gained strong interna$onal support in its original version, taken from Embrace, the
album that reached No. 4 in the 2025 Top 100 UK Soul Chart (Year-End). Dr. Packer’s remix
debuted at No. 1 on the first UK Soul Chart of 2026

Club Splendore was born in 2022 in Modena, Italy, as an itinerant party and club format.

In just a few years, it has established itself as one of the most recognizable disco-oriented projects within the new Italian nightlife scene, exporting its sonic and visual identity to iconic clubs and international settings.

With over 20 dates in a single year, recurring sold-outs and a diverse crowd, Club Splendore has evolved into an experience that goes beyond the dancefloor: an inclusive, label-free space where music, style and attitude coexist under red lights and immersive atmospheres. The format has appeared in some of the most relevant venues across Europe, including Villa Delle Rose (Riccione), Palazzina Grassi (Venice), Matis Club (Bologna), Hierbas Club (Cortina), while also expanding internationally with dates at Do Not Disturb – W Hotel Amsterdam, COYA Mykonos, and House Party London, confirming the project’s ability to connect with an international audience. From the club to the record.

Club Splendore Vol.1 is the project’s first official vinyl release and marks a natural step forward: capturing on physical format the sound that has been defining its dancefloors over the past years. The record explores a contemporary take on Italo Disco, infused with classic disco, funk and modern house elements, delivered with an ironic, sensual and direct approach. A sound that reinterprets the aesthetics of the ’80s without nostalgia, translating them into a current, club-focused language. Behind the production and on the decks: Sparkling Attitude, Nicola Zucchi and Matteo Mussoni, resident DJs of the format and the core musical force behind Club Splendore.

Side A features “Drink Campari”, an italo disco track built around warm, enveloping textures, elastic basslines, bright synths and a late-night groove. A story of summer desire and endless nights, playing with the iconography of Italian Red Passion in a light, effortless way.

Side B hosts “Madame”, a bonus track and electronic ballad with a more intimate, suspended mood. A track designed for the final hours of the night, when the club slows down and the dancefloor gives way to something more personal.

Club Splendore Vol.1 is not a compilation, but a statement of intent. A first chapter that brings the club experience beyond the club itself, staying true to the promise that has defined the project from the very beginning: “We will bring the light into the darkness of the night.

ROTCIV is back with his new EP ‘Memory’, which marks the 20th release on Beartrax’s label Melodize. Throughout the record, the Berlin-based and native Brazilian producer explores his signature dark, mysterious, and atmospheric vibes shaped by the underground and queer club nights and dance-floors that fuel his sound, refined by over almost 30 years behind the decks.

Maintaining Melodize’s specialized sound deep-rooted in moody electronic principles, the EP opens with ‘Memory’, a piercing, dark, synth dynamic alongside rich tonal textures in both harmony and melodies alike. Unapologetic, yet calming and reminiscent of a slow drive through the winter nights; cold, yet bold, sharp, and comforting.

First to remix ‘Memory’ with a nostalgic, synth-heavy 80’s remix is Frankfurt-based DJ, producer, and visual artist Chinaski. Integrating his signature bold synth hooks into the track, Chinaski knows how to roll in with longing sentimentality. The remix features a bouncier approach with re-envisioned acoustic percussion and catchy synth arps, along with an eery dark disco feel.

On the B side, Rotciv kicks in with ‘Trintage’, which gives a sinister sensation with its hypnotising bass synth lines alongside contrasting, choir-like pads. Seeping with articulate poly-rhythmic synth arps, Trintage guides the listener to be indulged into a dream-like state on the border between both digital and analogue soundscapes, blurring the lines between fantasy and reality.

Next up is New York-based and founder of Samo Records, Facets, who takes on the next remix for ‘Trintage’ with a more electro-grunge techno approach consisting of heavier four to the floor kicks in company of Rotciv’s hypnotic textures. Having shifted the synth melody rhythmically, a sense of space and tension is created within the soundworld of this track. The play between gritty bass-end synths along with softer, textured high-ends helps emphasize the groove injected into this remix.

One last remix of ‘Memory’ by Melodize’s own label founder, Beartrax, rounds out the EP. Available exclusively via digital bonus, Beartrax features his deeply hypnotic aesthetic by driving in ethereal synths alongside cosmic arps and slow-rolling rhythmic and pulsating groove lines.

Jana Koubková has long been one of the leading figures of Czech jazz, defined by rhythm, improvisation, playfulness and atmosphere. These new reimaginings of her tracks open a fresh chapter within the LBDISSUES series.

The original recordings, released in the late 80s, are almost impossible to pigeonhole into any single genre. Call it world music, call it jazz, call it avant garde, and you would be both right and wrong at the same time.

These remixes work for adventurous DJs as well as for listening in one continuous flow, where they almost read as a mini album. Trent's take on "Nijana" reshapes the piece from a tropical tribal mood into a cosmic downtempo roller, while Prague based artist Desteffan brings a completely new perspective to "Pipu", "Horor" and "Krocej". His versions draw from downtempo and trip hop influences, spontaneous live instrument jams and even flashes of EBM. And last but not least, "Vanany Vanyna" marks the return of label mainstay Regular Customer, whose reinterpretation expands the rhythm of the original into mid-tempo territory with a disco leaning feel. They all honour Jana's original sound while pushing it into unexplored terrain.

Now in her eighties and still performing, Jana is not being revisited here for nostalgia's sake. These tracks represent the next step in her remarkable and ever-evolving musical journey



c 03: Horor (DeSteffan Remix) [feat. Panta Rhei]
[d] 04: Vanany Vanyna (Regular Customer Remix) [feat. Panta Rhei]

“The group has no niche, it doesn’t fit in anywhere,” explains Necessaries drummer Jesse Chamberlain in a 1980 Melody Maker interview. “We just state the facts about life in America, like The Clash did about England, but we’re not so heavy about it.” The Necessaries rose from the ashes of Harry Toledo & The Rockets, a little-known New York art-rock band playing gigs at Max’s Kansas City during glam’s metamorphosis into punk. —From the liner notes by Michael IQ Jones The Necessaries came together in 1978 and in the too-brief lifespan of the band counted among their members, Ed Tomney (Rage To Live, Luka Bloom), Jesse Chamberlain (Red Crayola), Ernie Brooks (Modern Lovers), Arthur Russell (The Flying Hearts), Randy Gun (Love Of Life Orchestra). First championed by John Cale on the strength of Tomney’s songs, Cale produced their first single for Spy Records (under the I.R.S. umbrella) which was released in 1979. With the forward momentum brought about by the single, the band set about tracking demos intended for Warner Bros., but The Necessaries ultimately would sign to Seymour Stein’s Sire Records. These rough demo basic tracks lacked overdubs, mixes and any finishing touches that would have made them viable for commercial release, but due to tour commitments, the band had to put the sessions on hold to hit the road. While on tour, the band was shocked to discover that Sire had issued the unfinished tracks as their debut album Big Sky (issued in 1981). The band had Big Sky withdrawn and replaced with Event Horizon (issued in 1982) which included half the original tracks from Big Sky and continued to record throughout 1982 aiming for a follow-up. It was not to be and their final studio sessions remained unissued until now. Completely Necessary (Anthology 1978–1982) is the first authorized collection of recordings by The Necessaries and includes 37 tracks, 28 of which are previously unissued. Completely Necessary represents the most accurate musical history of the band laid out across three albums. Disc one is the band-approved first album Event Horizon, followed by Pilots Facing North, a disc collecting studio recordings spanning 1978–1981 and disc three finally sees the release of their final sessions, Songs From The Blue Colony. Album notes by Michael IQ Jones trace the history of the band for this compilation produced by The Necessaries’ Ed Tomney and Cheryl Pawelski (Omnivore Recordings). The audio has been restored and mastered by Michael Graves at Osiris Studio, and both the 3-LP and 2-CD sets feature previously unseen photos across the package. Finally, an essential missing piece of the late ’70s/early ’80s New York scene that was just slightly ahead of the college alt-rock soon to come, is finally available to rediscover—this time it’s authorized and absolutely necessary. BUY! HERE’S WHY! • The first authorized and comprehensive anthology by The Necessaries. • Mid-’70s/early ’80s New York rock/punk/art scene band included members: Ed Tomney, Ernier Brooks, Arthur Russell, Jesse Chamberlain, and Randy Gun. • 37 tracks, 28 previously unissued. • Liner notes by Michael IQ Jones, plus unseen photos.

2025 REPRESS ON TRANSPARENT GREEN VINYL


Compiled by Philip King “And then came the rise of synth pop : blokes with dodgy haircuts hunched over keyboard-operated machines stuffed with wires and do-it-yourself tone oscillators making sounds like a brood of geese passing gas in a wind tunnel. Whoopee! This is the way the ‘70s ended : not with a blood-curdling bang bang but with a cheap, synthesized, emasculating whimper.” NICK KENT, NME. All The Young Droids: Junkshop Synth Pop 1978-1985 is a new compilation that charts the underbelly of the epoch-defining sound of the synthesiser in 80s popular music. Compiled by Philip King (previously seen compiling All The Young Droogs, Glitterbest and Boobs - The Junkshop Glam Discotheque), the music here connects the dots between DIY synth enthusiasts grappling with new, cheap synthesisers at the tail-end of punk and wannabe, jobbing songwriters enthral to the new music pioneered by Gary Numan, Depeche Mode and Daniel Miller’s Mute Records. Featuring rare tracks of auto-didactic progressive pop music, proto-techno punk, shoot-for-the-stars-land-in-the-gutter chart flops and heralded, underground synth classics, School Daze paints a picture of beautiful failure. Complete with extensive sleeve notes written by King and never before seen imagery, all 24 tracks were remastered by RPM in-house engineer Simon Murphy, many from vinyl copies due to lost master tapes. The story told on All The Young Droids is one of the dawning opportunity presented by both the emergence to the market of cheaper analog synthesisers and the distribution networks plus indie labels that exploded with the advent of punk music in 1976. While the music that sprouted out all over the globe in the wake of these factors was decried as fake, plastic, a refutation of punk’s guitar-led revolution, it’s telling that much of the music on All The Young Droids.. was created in bedrooms, ramshackle studios and home-made set ups with often borrowed equipment. In the era of record labels jumping to capitalise on the success of The Sex Pistols, The Clash (both on major labels, of course) these artists struggled to stand out from a new gold-rush with next to no budget or PR team. With radio and labels desperate for the new Yazoo, what resulted was a testament to necessity being the mother of invention. At the time, the synthesiser was the music of the future, a shiny new machine that could paint like an orchestra with a single finger and a 4-track. In the hands of Manchester avant-pranksters Gerry & The Holograms it’s a pulsing, sardonic weapon.. the only instrument on the Messthetics classic lampooning of New Wave fashion. In Hamburg, a 16 year old Andreas Dorau used it to write and record (with his female classmates on vocals) a global smash in Fred Vom Jupiter (later licensed to Mute Records). The hard-to-find English version (Fred From Jupiter, natch) is included here. Many artists with alreadystoried careers caught the bug and recorded synthesiser-fuelled peons to space, computers, the future and, of course, love-interests. Harry Kakoulli, late of Squeeze, recorded a solo album in 1979 that included the incredible power-synth-pop smash-that-never-smashed I’m On A Rocket. Similarly, Ian North of Neo and American Power Pop stalwarts Milk ’n’ Cookies bought a Korg MS20 and used a tape machine to record We’re Not Lonely, an absolute lost-classic of minimal synth pop. We’re Not Lonely also features on the Junkshop Synth Pop sampler 7” twinned with John Howard unreleased track You Will See, released April 12th 2025. There are plenty of compilation debuts in evidence. Sole Sister were a mysterious trio who were featured on the Scaling Triangles compilation of female-fronted, queer-adjacent post-punk / underground music that also featured The Petticoats. Selwin Image were from San Francisco and featured members of the recently defunct power pop/punk group The Pushups. Their stupidly catchy The Unknown fizzes with New Wave energy - think XTC to Sparks but remains unreleased until now. Dream Unit’s A Drop In The Ocean is an early synth wave cut, positively teaming with Joy Division instrumentation, previously only released on a long-forgotten and super rare, self-released EP. Incandescent Luminaire’s Famous Names belies an archetypal struggle of a small-town trying to make it in a cruel industry but is a thrilling New Romantic-Synth Wave cross over with a OMD gloominess that’s a joy to hear. Feminist Minimal Wave track I Am A Time Bomb by performance artist Peta Lilly and Michael Chance is a revelation destined for new found cult status. It was released on 7” and lost until now. The flipside to the subterranean, never-made-it synth pop mentioned above are the ambitious, even fruity attempts at success that have a perennial elegance to their confidence. New Jersey-ite Billy London (real name Ed Barth) tried to cash in on the synth boom with Woman, released by a major label, a lurching new wave track built on the Louie Louie rhythm and a wonderfully camp Lou Reedstyle sleazy vocal before exploding in the synthesised chorus. The song bombed but with a chorus like this, you have to wonder why? Ex-Glitter Band member John Springate’s My Life is truly epic, with doomed chord progressions and massive sounding drums turning into at least 3 different songs in the course of the track. Before you wonder what’s going on the song resolves with a glorious return to the main refrain. The dry-ice-dressed dance floor is well catered for too. Design’s Premonition and Vision’s Lucifer’s Friend are stone-cold minimal synth bangers, well loved but given a new lease of life here. The Warlord’s The Ultimate Warlord was released in 1978, a homespun proto Hi NRG banger that was later re-recorded by The Immortals in Canada who had a club hit with it. One-man- band Disco Volante’s No Motion was re-issued by Synth wave label Medical in 2012 but makes its first vinyl compilation appearance here. Close your eyes and you can imagine what Lawrence of Felt would have sounded like with some cheap Korgs a little earlier in his career. Gibraltar-based trio The Microbes imagined a computer programming people to dance - how prescient - and ended up with a propulsive, robo-funk track with splendid rubbery bass playing over a tectonic drum machine. Previously picked up by Belgian label Stroom TV, Dee Jay Bert & Eagle’s heavily Euro-accented I Am Your Master demands the listener to “come to paradise!” In a frankly terrifying manner. All The Young Droids is the first compilation to peel away from the narrative that dour, Minimal Synth and Cold Wave were the only musical children of the first rush of synth pop. Philip King and School Daze Records describe a much more complicated world: along with the austere, Brutalist children of Daniel Miller (who produced Alan Burnham’s Bowie-Low-influenced Science Fiction here) was a plethora of desperate cash-ins, accidental mainstream hits, ambitious pop dramas and major label punts that went nowhere. Crucially, the compilation blurs the line between junk and treasure. What if the two things are interchangeable. What if it’s all science fiction?

Brooklyn's elusive Tom returns with the first release on Sweet Breeze Sound, a new label launched by Washington, DC's Marc Meistro of Sol Power All-Stars, aka Glenn Echo. He has already turned heads with a fine set of 12"s on Razor-N-Tape and Sol Power Sound, and here brings some dubby disco grooves and infectious samples. Side A leans into loved-up feels, looping an irresistible 80s r&b vocal over bouncing bass and layers of percussion. The B-side shifts to a more melancholic mood and is run through with a feeling of longing through a single repeated phrase supported by deep dub bass and driving disco rhythm. This is a great inaugural release from a label sure to become essential.