quête:house of disco

The Time Capsule label unites record collectors and DJs of Brilliant Corners and Beauty & The Beat communities in London. For each release, Kay Suzuki works alongside one co-curator to reinstate and repackage the music they hold dear into perfectly restored historic artifacts.

For the first release, Brilliant Corners regular and Meda Fury signing Ryota OPP curates the reissue of Il Guardiano Del Faro’s 1978 album Oasis.

Born 1940 in Milan, Federico Monti Arduini was a child prodigy who studied piano and was already performing at concerts from the age of eight. He composed pop songs for other artists which sold millions of copies, but his own solo success came after he encountered synthesizers in the early 70s.

Viewed as a precursor of New Age sound art, Arduini was one of the first producers in Italy to use the Moog synthesizer and a meeting with Bob Moog in New York only added to this obsession. He was also an early adopter of the tradition among electronic producers to use a moniker to disguise his identity. Il Guardiano Del Faro (translated as “the guardian of lighthouse”) is a nod to the small Italian fishing town Porto Santo Stefano, where Arduini created his studio in the mid-70s.

He produced a number of albums from this seaside idyl of electronic instruments and tape recorders, but Oasis stands out from the pack. Released in 1978, it became a cult classic for its experimental sounds and emotional expressions. Spiritual synth sounds cover the album in a dreamy haze, oscillating between ambient and psychedelic. Sparing deployment of the Roland rhythm box gives dance floor favourites ‘Disco Divina’ and ‘Oasis’ touches of space disco and even teases proto-house elements like the great Sun Palace.

“The passionate, sweet and dramatic sound of Il Guardiano Del Faro made me fantasise about so many romantic aspects of Italian culture. Oasis is sonically more interesting than his other albums and these exotic, eccentric rhythms sound quite familiar to the modern music fans.” – Ryota OPP

Following the resounding success of the first volume, which sold 600 copies during its confinement, Aktshun returns with a second E.P. featuring 6 vibrant, eclectic tracks. This new opus is rooted in smooth Detroit house, high-energy disco-funk, the wild nights of Paradise Garage and the unique ambience of Bronx block parties.
The Aktshun duo, formed by Marotti - producer and creator of electronic instruments - and Marrrtin - DJ, graffiti artist, producer and member of Funky Bijou -, unite their passions for house, disco, hip-hop, funk and musical illustration to offer a rich and captivating sonic experience.
The first track, “Light Headed”, featuring the American singer Saucy Lady, priestess of modern funk, who has collaborated with E Live and J-Zone, among others, blends frenzied percussion, warm Fender Rhodes chords and a heady melodic chorus, ideal for rocking dancefloors this summer.
“Respect” offers a hybrid fusion of house and disco, where we imagine Moodymann crossing paths with Chromeo, buoyed by a hypnotic Moog solo.
“Vibration” pays homage to Loleatta Holloway and her iconic ‘Love Sensation’, evoking David Mancuso's legendary evenings at the Loft, between gospel and dance.
“Brokjazz” has a deep house vibe, blending tropical vocals with bewitching sensuality.
“Chaussette” offers an irresistible jazz-funk groove, while ‘Gonalate’ is inspired by classic disco-funk sounds, with a piano reminiscent of the legendary compositions of bands such as Change, D-Train and West End Records legends.
Finally, the cover of this new E.P. is signed by Brazilian artist NIHAO, bringing a unique and colorful visual touch to this musical creation.

3kelves and Dylan C. Greene unveil their debut EP, THEY'RE NOT GONNA KNOW, a four-track blast of high-energy, filter-heavy disco house released on their San Francisco-based label C3DO Recordings. Inspired by early-2000s sample house and modern club energy, the EP opens with ISSINME, a hard-hitting disco cut with soaring string melodies, followed by SOGOOD, a slow-burn synth tool built for extended sets with a twist in the back half. SLIDE brings blistering uptempo energy and big chorus vocals, while FORYOU closes the project on an emotional note, celebrating the duo's journey so far.

The undisputed king of Disco House Purple Disco Machine returns to his club roots with retro-inspired release ‘Ghost Town’ ft. Rertosonix. Fresh off reworking the Hurts classic ‘Wonderful Life’ and delivering a huge remix for ‘Born Again’ (Lisa ft. Doja Cat & RAYE), the Dresden-born producer is once again ready to conquer the dancefloor with his signature sound. Tailor-made for that insatiable desire to dance, it’s a release engineered for movement, locking straight into the pulse of late-night energy and crowd euphoria. As such, the track is unsurprisingly becoming a favourite in Purple Disco Machine’s sets already, where dates in Mexico, the USA, and Spain have left the dancefloors anything but a ‘Ghost Town’. Armed with a dancefloor weapon, Purple Disco Machine drops the release early for DJs on Beatport.

A master of channelling the nostalgia of dance music’s beginnings and blending it with a modern-day flair, Purple Disco Machine has expertly crafted a record reminiscent of throwback disco cuts. The soulful vocals come courtesy of Retrosonix, successful songwriters who have come together to specialise in retro disco vocals that ingeniously feel straight from the archives. You’ll be sonically transported back to a time when disco was heard on every corner. Tactfully letting the powerful hooks and provocative lyricism lead the rhythm for the tune, Purple Disco Machine’s iconic groove-driven beats and mesmerising synths lay the foundation for a dancefloor classic. Crafting breakdowns dripping with funk, the disco maestro builds to a crescendo that will undoubtedly be a crowd pleaser for his many shows in 2025.

On the release, Purple Disco Machine said: “While a number of my recent records have referenced the more electronic 80s disco sound, I never lost the love for the classic funky disco of the 70s - which in many ways was the original blueprint - and so it has been equally inspiring and enjoyable to work with this palette again. I'm hoping that the listeners are as haunted (in a good way…) by Ghost Town as I am !”

20/20 Vision marks its 30th anniversary with another great release here in the form of some remixes of Crazy P's iconic single 'Stop Space Return'. The late Danielle Moore's unmistakable vocals shine across two stellar reworks from Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy who infuses her cosmic, acid-laced disco energy into the track. Her Cosmodelica Remix and Dub version blend trippy 303s, cowbells and deep grooves into something suitably fresh. Also included are two classic Unabombers mixes from 2009, and they offer raw house heat and dubbed-out psychedelia that serves as a fine floor-focused reinterpretation of a beloved anthem.

Chicago DJ/producer SEAN SMITH brings 3 classic dance floor weapons. The A-side contains an edit of disco funk classic "DANCE ON THE FUNK" alongside a dub version, while the B-side offers an edit of 90's jazz house track "GOOD BEAT." Proper weapons for today's dance floors. White label 12" in paper sleeve

Mexico City based "street jazz" maestro Soni Orbita is on a spiritual quest in sound. Jazz is what he uses to communicate messages of love and freedom, and this new album for Departamento does just that across 8 magnificent new tracks. They are brilliantly complex in their arrangements but also hugely accessible thanks to their universal grooves and emotions. Elements of house, funk and disco all feature with piano anchoring each piece. The result is a deeply personal and meditative body of work that invites introspection while moving the body and soul with endlessly rich harmonies. This is bold, brilliant jazz for anyone seeking a path to higher consciousness.

Toy Tonics ITALOMANIA Vol. 3 is a compilation dedicated to NEW ITALIAN DISCO. (Not Italo Disco.) 14 young contemporary Italian producers made new organic disco, indie dance, pop house tracks with Italian vocals. Everything on this compilation has been produced in 2024. Fresh dance music by Italian artists Paul Older, Riva Starr, Valentino Vivace, Sam Ruffillo & Fimiani, Kymono, Mille Punti, Mind Enterprises, Bruno Belissimo and legendary cosmic disco pioneer Daniele Baldelli + french italo hitmakers Dov'e Liana. The ITALOMANIA compilation was initiated by Toy Tonics boss Kapote. Italo-German producer, DJ, keyboarder and head of Toy Tonics and Gomma records. ITALOAMNIA is a MANIFESTO to show the status of Italian Disco of today. Kapote invited the most relevant Italian producers to make new tracks with Italian vocals and show different styles of modern Italian disco with Italian vocals.

Italian Disco is not Italo Disco. The last years the trashy pop music of the 1980’s called Italo Disco (with English lyrics) had a big revival. But this compilation is about something else: It’s about this Italian Disco. Because the popularity of good Italian pop music is rising all over the world. And Toy Tonics want to show a new way to combine Italianity with dance culture. Its funny that also in France, Swiss and Germany there are new artists singing in Italian. Let’s not forget: The culture of party, dancing, show bizness and pop music would be unimaginable without the heritage and creativity that Italians contributed Italy is not just the country of good food, beaches and high fashion, but it’s also the original country of dance music. Since the ancient roman times the Italians have been the kings of entertainment. And if it comes to music; The DISCO wave of the 1970ies and the Pop music of the 1980ies has been co-created by Italians (and Italoamericans in New York).

BIOGRAPHY BY IRVINE WELSH
I discovered the Beta Band, like I discovered a lot of great music, basically through eventually surrendering to the enthused urgings of a mate who was cooler than me. He continually evangelized about the EP's. I was lost to the concert hall and firmly ensconced on the dancefloor by then and highly resistant, but quite taken by the idea that a band would bring out extended plays rather than singles. When I did check them out, I was instantly smitten by their originality and power.

The band, therefore, were pivotal for me in terms of my own musical journey, in that they represented a gateway back into indie guitar music, which I'd basically given up since becoming obsessed with rave and acid house.

The Beta Band were definitely a band for the cool cognoscenti- like my buddy- the ones you make a bit of a tit of yourself trying to convert quite straight boring people to.

The emotions they induced were a kind of throwback to school days when you were very pompous and prescriptive about what you liked, and derisive towards non believers. It's a testimony to the power of the music that they could take me to the raw state of the younger man.

I took it personally that they didn't hit the mainstream commercial base. At least two of the three albums they made deserved quadruple platinum status. Hot Shots II and Heroes to Zeros are permanently lodged very high in my top one hundred albums of all time.

So, the return of the Beta Band has me moving into the same mode of immature, adolescent anticipation. Everyone should have the Beta Band albums and EP's in their collection. It still kind of annoys me - in fact it bugs the shit out of me - that most of them don't.

And that really is something.

From his early-’60s days as hip shaker Twistin’ Harvey to his late-’70s nights on the light up dance floor in search of a “Disco Lady,” Harvey Scales survived scrapes with the pop charts, bankrupt record companies, walk outs, sit ins, strikes, price hikes, lay offs, and under table payoffs over a 40 year career. Compiled here for the first time are Scales’ Cuca and Magic Touch recordings, 27 slabs of cracker jack R&B, stomping northern soul, divorce-ridden deep soul, feverish funk, and hustling disco spread across 2 LPs and housed in a deluxe gatefold jacket.. Bill Dahl’s in depth notes document the entire sordid affair, with dozens of period photos and ephemeral bits illustrating the accompanying 20 page book. So necessary.

From his early-’60s days as hip shaker Twistin’ Harvey to his late-’70s nights on the light up dance floor in search of a “Disco Lady,” Harvey Scales survived scrapes with the pop charts, bankrupt record companies, walk outs, sit ins, strikes, price hikes, lay offs, and under table payoffs over a 40 year career. Compiled here for the first time are Scales’ Cuca and Magic Touch recordings, 27 slabs of cracker jack R&B, stomping northern soul, divorce-ridden deep soul, feverish funk, and hustling disco spread across 2 LPs and housed in a deluxe gatefold jacket.. Bill Dahl’s in depth notes document the entire sordid affair, with dozens of period photos and ephemeral bits illustrating the accompanying 20 page book. So necessary.

+ 7 tracks for the first time on vinyl
* 5 tracks previously unreleased

- Following on from the success of the 2024 editions of The Age of Consent and the incredible viral activity for 'Smalltown Boy', London Records follow up with Forbidden Fruit - a remix compendium to The Age of Consent. Similarly to 1995's Hundreds and Thousands album, The Age of Consent has been re-interpolated to create a new remix album - traversing Hi-NRG, House, Italo Disco and more - while working together as a cohesive listening experience.

Gelateria Fisotti (a real gelato spot located in Otranto, Apulia) chose to give life to the "Gelato Italiano" project in 2023, with the idea of creating a soundtrack that would be able to enter the Gelateria spaces as a protagonist. A compilation that presents the contributions of different artists, moving between disco, house, broken-beat, with different nuances within it, almost like the various flavors of an ice cream and which this year reaches its 3rd volume. The sound is unfailingly summery, in balance between "body" and "sweetness"

Known for her delicate, subtly psychedelic approach to production - all subtlety is thrown out of the window on the opener, “Parents and God”. We are immediately confronted with a slamming Chicago house style beat in style of Mr Fingers at his most utilitarian. It slams, jerking in and out of tempo like Ron Hardy in beast mode.

Out of nowhere a soulful church organ arrives - at first for a brief respite - but then for an extended solo, which gives way to an 80s electro style breakdown before reverting back to form. It shouldn’t work, but somehow it does - to a dizzying extent - and heirin lies Mayurashka’s magic: a blatant disregard for norms and a deft touch that makes the unorthodox so compelling.

“Notango" takes another big left turn - sitting somewhere between tribal seance and rain dance, it’s mostly organic drums and otherworldly sound effects that combine to drag us deeper into the wormhole before “ Vat Murmur” takes us back into the light with its uptempo disco energy and giving way to heavy chugging bass. This one is equally for fans of idjut boys and Larry Levan.

The EP rounds off with the title track “ LSI dreaming” - to try and describe it is almost impossible, but let’s say it starts of with a mid 2000s Perlon-era tech house energy before things quickly escalate beyond all recognition and then just hover with lysergic intensity. If I ever closed panorama bar, this is the track I’d end with.

House music doesn’t get much funkier than Demuir’s ‘New spirit’ EP. Whether it’s the classic sampling on the title track – an homage to his mother-, or the rolling funk bass and vocal chops on ‘Ain’t no stoppin’ ‘, Demuir brings an unstoppable groove with his 2nd release on Heist.

The man behind so many great house records has kept himself rather busy with building his own fanbase, openly debating the role that big platforms play and the firm grip they have on talent. Rather than conforming to the standard route, Demuir chooses to navigate the winding road of building his own following through his production classes, engineering and music releases through artist-first channels like Patreon.

His recent move from Toronto to Chicago feels perfectly in line with the sound Demuir is bringing forward on his first record on Heist since his 2019 classic ‘Werq, feel, gruv, vogue’. Those 6 years were well worth the wait: The ‘New spirit’ EP is a perfectly-balanced mix of creativity, confidence and character. The Demuir sound is instantly audible throughout the release and he’s not afraid to make bold choices. Each track has its own identity, its own place on the record and it’s one of the things that make this record stand out in the best way possible. The forward-leaning grooves, the tight mixing and the classic use of soulful samples are a treat to listen and dance to. There’s hints of the 90s New York sound (New Spirit), soulful disco-tinged grooves his new home-town is known for (Ain’t no stoppin’), lean-back and summery melodic grooves (No minions allowed) and deep, bassheavy dubby grooves (Whatchu want is all I got) to remind everyone that Demuir is an absolute master of modern day house music.

We’ve been playing all these songs for a while and we’re happy to finally share these with you.

As always, enjoy the music and play it loud!

Lars & Maarten

US veteran JT Donaldson makes the sort of killer tech house that immediately makes you want to move. This time out the Dallas, Texas resident lands on Dolfin Records with a deeper sound that is raw and heavy. 'Choose' rides on knackered-sounding kick with just deft synth smears for company. 'Don't Sweat' has a double-time rhythm with sombre chords adding the soul and 'Want Her Around' gets the hips swinging with its lovely claps, muted, softly glowing sustained synths and lumpy deep house drums. Flipping the script yet again. 'Sunday Drive' is a more nimble and jazzy dancer and 'Take 2' is a sunny house sound with hints of Metro Area nu-disco synth magic and a big fat bassline.

Due to the overwhelming response and high enthusiasm of this record-pressed on BLACK VINYL, Selling out in literally an hour, we are now letting go a LIMITED amount copies pressed onto Green Color Vinyl of Deodato's "Whistle Bump" remixed by Joaquin Joe Claussell.

Deodato's "Whistle Bump" remixed by Joaquin Joe Claussell should not be mistaken for one of his highly sought after Edits & Overdubs Series. Whistle Bump is a full on remix produced directly from the actual multitracks resulting in a. stunning extended version that breathes new life into the piece while staying true to the original composition. This carefully crafted remix extends to almost 14 Minutes. The record is housed in a special Japanese thick Cardboard Jacket along with the Promo one sheet mimicking the special Warner Disco 12 inch Promotional Copies from back in the heyday of Disco Promos. Tested for several years on dance floors across the globe, the record is finally here.

Misty Lane paves a path to Dark Entries to deliver some quirky Quebecois disco pop. In 1983, producers Michel Bibeau, perhaps best known for his work on Pluton & Humanoids’ “World Invasion,” and Fitz Roy aka Ralph Mashats teamed up with singer Elaine Desjardins, the eponymous Misty Lane.

Mashats reminisces about bringing his Roland TR-808 and TB-303 to Michel’s Studio 21 in St. Eustache, two units he regretted later selling for “a slice of bread.” Michel added hooks with his Roland Jupiter 4 and various studio effects. Their sessions produced “Energy” and “Contrôle,” two cuts of slinky synthpop with French-Canadian flair. “Energy” pops off with proto-house vibes thanks to snappy 808s and Desjardin’s naive-but-enthusiastic vocals, and would fit right into a mid-80s WBMX Radio mix. “Contrôle” is a mid-tempo groover with tropical atmospheres, sitting perfectly next to to Junior Byron’s “Dance to the Music,” which was another Bibeau production.

Energy comes in a sleeve featuring Elaine at The Chivas Club in Montreal. Fans of Italo, Canadian disco, and oddball wave will rejoice in these artfully produced gems.

Cody Currie & Kapote together in the studio! Delivering a 4 track EP that connect proto-disco, neo soul, Chicago house beats and jazz funk in a very spontaneous, super catchy way.
Cody, the London multi-talent musician and Kapote, the Berlin based creative head of Toy Tonics have a lot in common. Both come from studying jazz, knowing different instruments, having played in bands and at the same time being DJs with a huge passion and the skill to rock thousands of people every weekend at the Toy Tonics Jams with a wild mix of different music. They have what we call THE VIBE. Soulful, catchy, intense. When they play records at a party and when they work on tracks. Both play keyboards, bass, guitar and drums. Both sing. And both have funny nicknames that journalists gave them: Cody Currie was called "the Tom Misch of House music" and Kapote the "Wes Anderson of electronic music". Makes us laugh, but also fits well. And yes: Both are a bit crazy... like every extremely talented musician.