Search:italo disco hits

Repress.

The Italo dance classic that Carl Craig sampled for the legendary 69 track 'Rushed'

Finally available again on Dark Entries


We are honored to announce the next 12 in Dark Entries Editions is one of the all time Italo Disco club classics: My Mine - 'Hypnotic Tango'. My Mine were the trio of Stefano Micheli (vocals, keyboards), Carlo Malatesta (vocals, keyboards), and Danilo Rosati (drums, keyboards) formed from the ashes of Italian New Wave group Ipnotico Tango in 1982. They shifted focus from the experimental post punk sounds towards something more commercial with which to try and enter the market, namely to make a record. At that time Carlo was studying in Bologna and he had heard about producer and arranger Mauro Malavasi famous at that time for the many hits produced for Macho, Peter Jacques Band, Change, Luther Vandross, Ritchie Family. The group handed Malavasi a demo tape and four days later they were invited to Fonoprint Studios to record their first single, 'Hypnotic Tango'.

Utilizing new electronic instruments like the now legendary Roland TB-303, Danilo improvised a simple but effective synthesizer bass line and passed it through the Roland Echo until something magical came out. 'Hypnotic Tango' was released on Progress Record in 1983 and became an international hit across Europe and US dance clubs in New York, Detroit and Chicago, capturing the imagination of House and Techno producers. In 1987 the legendary Frankie Knuckles remixed 'Hypnotic Tango' at Seagrape Studios in Chicago, with assistance from studio engineers Tommy White and Brett Wilcotts. Originally released on Danica Records as the 'Powerhouse Mix' paying tribute to the Windy City club atmosphere and adding his own "sighs" in the track as well. The Hypnotic Remix This reissue presents 4 mixes of 'Hypnotic Tango' including the 'Hypnotic Mix' only appearing together once before in 1990 on Rams Horn Records. All songs are remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The vinyl comes housed in a jacket with original artwork and includes an insert with photos and liner notes by Stefano Micheli. 'Look on the floor and all is spinning round, Someone told me this was just a dance And take a chance I ain't met before..Do you think I really have a chance"

A collection of 18 rare disco tracks from Yugoslavia. Compiled by Leri Ahel & Zeljko Luketic from original master tapes. Fox & His Friends label owners Ahel & Luketic selected obscure 7'' singles, b-sides, out-of-print releases and digged deep into the vaults of Jugoton to tell the story of how disco infiltrated clubs and pop music. This compilation is vinyl counterpart to their pioneering research and work in two major exhibitions tracing roots, influences and social significance of disco in music, fashion and design held in 2015 in Klovicevi Dvori Museum and HDD Gallery in Zagreb. "Socialist Disco - Dancing Behind Yugoslavia's Velvet Curtain 1977-1987" double gatefold LP with extensive liner notes contains tunes from KIM Band, Gabi Novak, Arian, Ljupka Dimitrovska, Ana Sasso, Moni Kovacic, Milka Lenac, Rok Hotel, Ivica Surjak, Grupa ST, Nano Prsa and many more in various sub-genres including classical orchestrated disco, dance reworkings of international chart hits and synth-filled italo-disco stompers performed by Yugoslavian music stars, fashion models and even sports and football heroes. Disco, a vital Trojan horse (in local notion: a pop music you can dance to), stayed quite a long time In Yugoslavia, refusing to be silenced and refusing to jump into the bandwagon of expected. It was influenced by American and European disco sound, for example, by the Boney M, Amanda Lear or Love Machine, who all visited Yugoslavia and had live concerts. The producers and the big record companies like Jugoton, PGP RTB, Diskoton or ZKP RTVL, noted the hype in music and they constantly probed the market with limited run of seven inchers or special performances. Some artists were quite successful, but the rest were in the 7'' single empire which was free enough to experiment with all things disco had to offer - genre hybrids, use of electronics, sexual innuendo, bizarre lyrics and most importantly, great musicians and major composers having fun. The no-restrictions policy of disco was there to evade the rules and surely it did.

Toy Tonics ITALOMANIA Vol. 2 is a compilation dedicated to NEW ITALIAN DISCO. (Not Italo Disco.)
13 young contemporary Italian producers made new organic disco, indie dance, avant pop and house tracks with Italian vocals.

Everything on this compilation has been produced in 2023. Fresh dance music by Italian indie electronic star Myss Keta together with DJ Severino (of Horse Meat Disco) and newcomers Sam Ruffillo, Fimiani, Magou, Tommiboy, Daniel Monaco, Giovanni Damico. And new music by artists Stump Valley (from Dekmantel), Munk (Gomma records), Rodion (Slow Motion Records) and DJ legend Lele Sacchi,

The ITALOMANIA compilation was initiated by Toy Tonics boss Kapote. The idea is to show the status of Italian Disco of today. It’s like a „manifesto“!
Kapote invited the most relevant Italian producers to make new tracks with Italian vocals and show different styles of modern Italian disco, dance and house music.
with Italian vocals. All tracks compiled by Kapote aka Mathias Modica aka Munk. Italo-German producer, DJ, keyboarder and head of Toy Tonics and Gomma records.

Italian Disco is not Italo Disco.
While the last years the slightly trashy pop music of the 1980’s called Italo Disco (with English lyrics) had a big revival. But now also the attention for more quality and organic dance music with Italian language is rising. This compilation is about this Italian Disco,
It’s a fact that not just in Italy but also in France and Germany there are now artists singing in Italian or using Italian words and names - even if they are not Italian.

Let’s not forget: The world’s culture of party, dancing, showbizness and pop music would be unimaginable without the heritage and creativity that Italians contributed.
Italy is not just the country of good food, beautiful beaches and high fashion, but it’s also the original country of dance music. Since almost 3000 years, since the ancient roman times the Italians have been making (dance) music culture, creating popular culture and being the maestros in organizing parties.
Also the disco wave of the 1970ies and the Pop music of the 1980ies has been co-created by Italians (and Italo-americans in New York).

The ITALOMANIA artists & tracklist:

M¥SS KETA
The most famous artist on the compilation is singer M¥SS KETA. The Italian press calls her "the Italian Lady Gaga“. M¥SS KETA is an edgy performer that reached the top of the charts with indie pop songs, but is also well rooted in the Milan art, fashion and LGTB scene.
To create a song for Italomania she teamed up with DJ Severino. The Italian part of London’s Horse Meat Disco DJ collective. Probably the world leading queer DJ team. (M¥SS KETA recently was invited to perform Berghain in Berlin).

Sam Ruffillo
Sam Ruffilo has contributed a new (party) version of his song Mediterranea. A organic disco track with lyrics in Neapolitan dialect. Sam Ruffillo is an upcoming Italian DJ and producer and one of the lead artists of Toy Tonics (along with Coeo, Kapote and Cody Currie). He had a few underground hits combining leftfield disco and Lofi House with Italian vocals creating a new genre that is finding lot of fans right now. One of his songs (Chiamami Subito) made it into the rotation of big Italian radio station M20. On Instrgam you can see his DJ sets where hundreds of Italians sing his songs at Toy Tonics parties.

Munk
Toy Tonics head honcho Kapote reworked the Munk song ‚La Musica‘ for this compilation. Munk is the former producer name of Mathias Modica aka Kapote. The creative mind behind Toy Tonics and Gomma records. ‚La Musica‘ is an Italo house song that he originally released 2010 when he was doing his former label Gomma records. Now there is this new version of this catchy dance song with the Italian hookline that became almost iconic when first released.
It made sense to include a new version of this track on ITALOMANIA because its a blueprint of italian disco and sounds so fresh again now.

Giovanni Damico
The south Italian DJ, producer made „Tropica“. The song is a tribute to the music of the Italian discos of south Italy of the 1980ies. A Balearic session that can be great at a beach in the afternoon, but also for dancing in the early morning. Damico is part of the new Italian disco scene releasing his dance tracks on international labels like Lumberjacks in hell and White Rabbit records since 2013.

Kapote
His new song „Sono tropical“ is an ironic Latin pop song based on a classic salsa piano riff and a strong Latin soul bassline. It reminds the big tunes from the 1970ies New York Salsa Scene (Tito Puente, Willie Colon, Fania All Stars). The vocals performed by Kapote are a mix of Italian and Spanish. The girl’s voice is also performed by Kapote. But transferred into a female voice by an AI. All instruments played by Kapote who before starting to get into the DJ and label business used to to study jazz piano. Before starting Toy Tonics Kapote he released 3 albums under his former name Munk and produced records with big names from the electronic music scene like James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem, Peaches, The Rammellzee and three albums of Danish band WhoMadeWho. Mathias/ Kapote also worked with artists like Franz Ferdinand, The Rapture and Asia Argento.

Lele Sacchi
Lele Sacchi is an Italian DJ legend and host of Italy's most important DJ radio show on RAI national radio. He has been djing all around the world playing from Circoloco Ibiza to Avalon LA. He has Besides being on Italian national radio he has been doing shows on NTS Radio or guest on BBC Six. He produced for labels like Soul Clap, !K7, Internasjonal, Nervous, Snatch, Crosstown Rebels, Poker Flat and his own Stolen Goods imprint.
Sacchi teamed up with young vocalist Elasi, a new talent from Milano that is making waves in Italy for a few songs she released in a indie disco style. Their song is an interpretation of late 70’s cult slow disco pop classic ‘Malamore’ by the underdog Enzo Carella. A mix of slow house and playful pop with a slight touch of acid!

Tommiboy
Tommiboy made a nasty, disco rock song called Sfinge. Only 26 years old he is one of the most hyped up Italian disco diggers and collectors. Originally from Rimini, the capital of discos, he is the son of a father who was a regular dancer in Rimini’s clubs of the 1980is and fed his son with all things disco.
Tommiboy started to do parties and compilations under the name Disco Stupenda three years ago. By now he and his parties are a big thing in Italy and has fans all around the country. He also is DJ for fashion brands like Gucci and he is the guy who re-introduced 1980s stars like Pino D’Angio.

Fimiani aka BPlan
The DJ und producer from Napoli is part of the new, vibrant disco scene from Napoli. (NuGenea, Mystik Jungle, Manny Whodamanny )
His collabo with italian 1980ies crooner Angeleri called SessoSpaghetti is a remake of a song originally released in 1983, but never became famous when it came out. The drums on the song are played by Napoli legend Tullio De Piscopo and the guitar by Lucio Battisti guitar player Massimo Luca.
The new version is a ironic summer disco with sexy vocals and Italian fun rapping about beach life, beautiful girls and sex on the beach. Fimiani also does edits of rare italo disco under the name of BPlan

Daniel Monaco
Daniel Monaco is a multi-talented artist, producer, and bass player DJ, bandleader and producer from Napoli - but has been living for many years in Amsterdam where he hosted show on Red Light Radio released on Labels of the likes of Rush Hour and Bordello a Parigi. Is one of the key figures of the scene due to unique fusion of Italo Disco, Proto House, Obscure Disco, and a captivating tropical touch. His latest EPs came out on Slow Rush Hour records and Periodica Records contributed the song ‚Milly‘ for Italomania. Played with a 5 person band.

Stump Valley
The two DJs, producers and vinyl collector are experts in all things Italo Disco and Balearic music. Before joining Toy Tonics they released an album on Dekmantel records. One of the guys (Brain de Palma) is the favorite DJ of Peggy Gou. He is regularly opening the shows of Peggy as a warm up DJ and releases his solo records on Peggy's label Gudu records. For this compilation they made Non dire di no. An old school piano house track with catchy vocals in the finest tradition of the piano house style that Italians invented in the early 1990ies.

Endlich sind die HIts von Cyber People wieder als Vinyl erhältlich.
Italo Disco und Spacesynth Fans dürfen sich auf folgende Titel freuen:
Polaris – Void Vision – Doctor Faustu's – Digital Signal Processor
Die Erstauflage in farbiger Vinyl ist streng limitiert.

Der Italiener Miko Mission gilt als einer der Vorreiter der Italo
Disco Welle in den 80er Jahren. Mit dem Titel “How Old Are
You“ landete er einen Hit in vielen europäischen Discotheken,
bevor er mit “The World Is You“ auch die Deutschen Single
Charts entern konnte.

Unsere erfolgreiche CD-Compilation-Serie ZYX “Italo Disco History“ gibt es jetzt auf vielfachen Wunsch unserer Italo Disco Fans auch als Vinyl Ausgabe. Wie bei der CD-Serie starten wir im Jahr 1982. Auf 2 farbigen Vinylen gibt es die großen Italo Disco Hits aus dem Jahr 1982, In Zusammenarbeit mit der Italo Disco Legende Flemming Dalum werden wir chronologisch die große Italo Disco Ära der 80er Jahre beleuchten. In diesem Jahr konnten sich erste Künstler etablieren, die in den folgenden Jahren große Erfolge feierten, wie z.B. Den Harrow oder Koto. Als Bonus gibt es einen exklusiven Megamix von Flemming Dalum, inkl. der Titel, die sich auch auf der CD-Serie befinden. Abgerundet wird diese Compilation von Liner Notes von Flemming Dalum.

Musikdeutschland erwartet ein spektakuläres Album der anderen Art. Denn Roy Bianco & Die Abbrunzati Boys bringen im Frühjahr 2024 ihr lang ersehntes drittes Studioalbum. Ihren neuen Langspieler: »Kult«. Als zeitloses Meisterwerk im schillernden Gewand des Italo-Schlagers reiht sich das Album in die begonnene Serie der vorherigen zwei Alben »Greatest Hits« und »Mille Grazie« ein und vollendet so das gesamtkünstlerische Triptychon des Projekts: Eskapismus à la bonne heur. »Kult« steht für sich und Roy Bianco & Die Abbrunzati Boys stehen für Kult – es ist ein musikalisches Denkmal, das man sich so fast nur selbst setzen kann. Und sie tun es.

ZYX Italo Disco: Best Of is the ultimate new vinyl compilation series for Italo Disco fans worldwide, now entering its 6th edition. Of course, this edition is once again available as a 2LP box set on colored vinyl. Discover 15 unforgettable hits and rarities from the 80s in impeccable sound quality. Den Harrow - Don‘t Break My Heart / Ranko - Happy World / Alan Ross - The Last Wall / Baby‘s Gang - Challenger and many more.

Danny Keith is one of the big names in the Italo Disco world having delivered numerous hits during the 1980s including 'I Feel Right' and 'Dreamer'. 40 years on from his first release 'Keep On Music', the sound of Danny Keith goes back to the early days of Italo Disco with the deep, driving sounds of 'Dangerous'! Written by the talented Mirko Hirsch, this release includes a Lamborgini on the front cover and the obligatory 'Night Version'. Not to be missed!

Pieces well and truly picked up by a who's who of collectors and selectors, the TD team follow Bobby Snacks' super smash with some seriously synthy slices from good buddies Miserymix.

A collaboration born behind the Piccadilly Records' counter, Miserymix is the dark disco alias of Goth Spice (Kohl AF, dressed in black and armed with nonpliments) and Mushy P (a toothy and goofy Talking Drummer). Based a mere 192 away from Senor Snacks in the thriving metropolis of Levenshulme, this pair of disco delinquents share a penchant for pingers, Prosecco and the lesser known corners of Europe's 80's club sound.

After a mysterious appearance on one of Duca Bianco's brilliant V/As, Miserymix drop their debut EP on Drum Chums, aiming directly for the dance floor.

The Italo-noir of 'Sexy Cowboys' gets the set off to a sleazy start, its seductive synths and strangled guitars riding throbbing bass and leather-clad percussion right into the darkroom, where the yelping vocal echoes over the creak of a swing. Miserymix push the tempo for the pacey disco pump of 'Proverbial S.O.B.', a peak-time stomper dubbed senseless for the perfect tops-off groove. Subtle kalimba, cut up vocals and orchestral hits find every sweet spot atop the one note bassline, while those airy piano chords steer us straight into the sublime.

Kicking off the flip is the uber-anthemic, endorphin-laced and mid-paced dancefloor destroyer 'E Motion'. Our disco duo spend plenty of time on the foreplay, teasing every ounce of ecstasy out of the nuanced perx, rolling bassline and sparkling synths before unleashing some flawless Francophone vocals on the way to a colossal chorus. Smouldering like a Propaganda club mix, this Europop obscurity has been upgraded into an accidental pill tune of perma-gurn proportions - this one is a road-tested dance floor sure shot.

Indulging the afterglow, Miserymix sign off with the superb synth pop of 'Name Game'. Stomping drum machines play host to an insistent bassline and some slinky keys, while the cucumber cool Euro vocal serves cabaret camp and maximum vamp.

Remember folks, the TD crew (drum)rolls deep...

100% Drum Fun Guaranteed!

Einer der größten Hits der Italo Disco Ära aus dem Jahre 1984 jetzt wieder als 12“ Maxi Single erhältlich:

Radiorama were one of the most successful Italo disco projects in the 1980s.

With hits like „Chance To Desire“, „Aliens“ and „Vampires“, the Italians conquered all European charts.
The album „Four Years After“ from 1989 is now remastered available on CD and vinyl.

Repress!


MONDO GROOVE is releasing a real treat in a limited edition! The Dance Hits of Moana Pozzi, the legendary Italian porn star who was also very active as a singer on the music that Jay Horus created especially for her.

A 12″ 45rpm with tracks produced at the turn of the 80s and 90s transferred from the original master tapes; it includes the 3 sought-after strong late Italo-Disco tracks Supermacho (Extended), Impulses of Sex and Let’s Dance, with the addition of Bonita, an unreleased track from the era used during her spicy live shows.

Don’t miss this very HOT stuff.

For all fans of the Italo disco and synthdance pioneers KOTO, the two hits THE KOTO MIX and JABDAH are now available on a coloured vinyl.

Go and get this strictly limited feast for the eyes and ears from 1987, which should not be missing in any vinyl collection!

As part of the legendary Canadian label Unidisc's ongoing 40th anniversary celebrations, Lime's 1983 HI-NRG masterpiece is back with a super-fresh 2021 re-rub from the one and only Tiga.

Husband and wife duo Lime (aka Denis & Denyse LePage) notched up tons of hits with their own unique brand of fast paced electronic disco and Italo leaning dance-floor bombs. 'Angel Eyes' was one such hit, a driving vocoder heavy synth fest with whiplash electronic drums and serious attitude to boot that can turn any discotheque into throbbing sweaty hysteria! Who else could lend their own style and flavour to such a momentous track but the man Tiga, whose darker edged and chopped up poppy remix takes 'Angel Eyes' into altogether different territory! Absolutely essential repress, beautifully presented by your friends over at Unidisc.

South African production duo of Emil Zoghby and John Galanakis were responsible for a string of high-quality disco singles in the early 80s, typically cover versions of international hits — Klein & MBO’s ‘The Big Apple’, Sly & the Family Stone’s ‘Family Affair’ & David Joseph’s ‘You Can’t Hide (Your Love From Me)’ — backed with their own compositions. When Starlight hit the market with an album in 1983, it featured only one cover, the local hit ‘Picnic’, along with five of the duo’s original compositions, including their similarly styled response, ‘Picnicing’, which replaces the original’s sax with spaced-out synth stabs. Then there’s ‘Jah Jah Love’, an ecstatic disco sermon of dancefloor dynamite weighing in at over eight and a half minutes. Other tracks on this landmark album — ‘Let’s Go Dancing (Boogie Boogie)’, ‘Keep On Moving’ and an eponymous instrumental — offer a similar fusion of classic disco with newer Italo and proto-house influences: machine music with a human touch! Remastered from the original master tapes and reissued for the first time, Starlight will be available on vinyl and digital platforms from early 2023 (40 years after its initial release) via Afrosynth Records.

After Prette (pronounced as ‘pret’ which means fun in Dutch) successfully launched a stage to perform art, it only felt natural to also launch a platform to release art.

Prettemusic is an independent imprint that releases limited vinyl records.

Prettemusic hits the ground running with its first release – a stunning four-track debut EP from head honcho Koperblond. Koperblond (real name Wouter Beek) delivers a mix of Arabic hip-shaking and emotional trance euphoria to evoke intense dance floor ecstasy.

The opening track is ‘Kunti’, an Italo disco destroyer with a bold Bollywood spirit that will lure you in and awaken those hips. Next up is a remake of the brave starter – this new cocktail with hints of the original track has a high-energy zap-crazed feel and a groovy-moving non-stop sound. Two 100% floor fillers, guaranteed to raise the roof of your nearest discotheque!

On the flip side ‘I Want Your Love’ – an emotional love story with a journey through the track that feels like a taste of real love. From happiness and grief to hope and hopelessness, it bursts loudly and with great force. It is a true reminder that love will save the day. Multi-instrumentalist DJ and producer Rose Ringed reinterprets this ode to love using his typical sound palette. The result is a big room banger ready to be served alongside fireworks and CO2 cannons. It is Rose Ringed’s first vinyl outing following releases on his label, Closed Eyes Records, and Solomun’s world-famous Diynamic.

This Prettemusic release comes on exclusive Koperblond-coloured (copper blond in Dutch) vinyl alongside a unique two-front artwork from abstract painter Harry Markusse and fine-art photographer Pieter Bas Bouwman.

Probably one of the most expected re-issue from the italo disco all time hits. Originally released on 1986, both track of the EP (Another game and You Take Me Up) are produced and performed by Marcello Catalano.

Selected from Alexander Robotnick’s hits catalogue and released in this form for the first time, this is a unique compilation featuring all of Robotnick’s electro anthems originally released on the Fuzz Dance label. A must have for all italo-disco and synth-pop lovers out there !

ZYX Italo Disco: Best Of : DIE neue Vinyl-Compilation-Serie für unsere weltweiten Italo Disco Fans geht in die 4. Runde. Natürlich gibt es diese Ausgabe auch wieder als 2LP-Set in farbigem Vinyl .16 unvergessene Hits und Raritäten aus den 80er Jahren in bester Soundqualität.

Italian legend Daniele Baldelli & DJ Rocca team up for ‘Cielarko’ on Gottwax this May.

Often mentioned in the same breath as DJing pioneers Francis Grasso, David Mancuso and Nicky Siano, Baldelli’s storied history includes his various long-running residencies, the most well-known being the legendary Cosmic club in Italy, and establishing the now world-renowned ‘cosmic sound’. Teaming up here with his regular production partner DJ Rocca, the duo reunite for four immaculately produced and colourful tracks for Gottwax Records, the record label from the UK’s Gottwood Festival.

Leading the release, ‘Blanka’ brings rolling low end and psychedelic synth work together with floaty yet punchy percussion for a mid-tempo trip. ‘Flava’ follows with sharp staccato drum hits and Italo disco inspired leads, making for a light and playful closer to the A-side. On the flip, ‘Verdeta’ brings twisted basslines, FX-laden licks and wonky drums for a fun and enjoyable track before ‘Helblua’ rounds out the release with light keys, chugging percussion, and catchy riffs.

This explosive set of 22 floor filling synth-italo-tech-disco blasts from the past charts the rise and heyday of the synthesizer in Finnish pop music. Compiled by renowned Helsinki DJ and music historian Mikko Mattlar, these 22 choice cuts from 1978 to 1992 include many cult hits and impossibly rare tracks, such as the Fenno-Italo-disco cult classic Satan in Love by Emilia and the synthetic experiments of Argon and Syntax.

Hassan Ideddir’s 1989 single “Atfalouna” sees an expanded repress courtesy of Dark Entries. Born to Berber parents in Morocco, Ideddir began making music at the age of 10 after being discovered singing in the stairwell by his school’s headmaster. Encouraged by his peers, he began playing concerts, and his status grew. In 1987, he played a string of sold-out concerts in Casablanca, Rabat, and Marrakesh, in support of a children’s charity. The success of these concerts secured him a record deal, and he went to Paris to record his debut single “Atfalouna” in 1988.

Released in 1989 on WEA, “Atfalouna” is a dense slab of multi-genre pop. An opening wash of digital synths and reverberant vocals quickly falls away to a cascade of orchestra hits and pulsing electronic drums; the monotone chant-rap of a female chorus collides with Ideddir’s soaring melismatic vocals, pleading against the injustice and hunger in the world. While Hip-Hop and New Beat borrowed tropes from Arabic music, “Atfalouna” inverts the gesture, resituating orchestra hits and sampling techniques within a Moroccan music framework. A shorter instrumental version follows, which preserves the female vocals. Also included are two tracks not on the original 12”. “Ibina” is a moody, downtempo instrumental that sounds like a cult Italo B-side. The record closes with “Ydouchababe”, an electro number driven by funky guitars, electronic claps, huge horn riff. Here, Ideddir sings of a youth festival honoring Hassan II, former king of Morocco.

All songs were remastered by George Horn. The sleeve is a replica of the original 12” cover art, featuring Ideddir set in a cheeky collage of clocks, columns, and camels. Also included is a postcard with a photo of Hassan, as well as lyrics in both Arabic and English. We will be donating 100% of proceeds from this release to Sphere who provide support to the young queer community across Ukraine and the Palestine Children's Relief Fund who help provide urgent humanitarian care for Gaza's children.

Utrecht label U-Trax welcomes 90s legend P.A. Presents for an enhanced re-release of his first two releases on this label, namely "Salicylic Acid" and "Flight Simulator".

Ironically P.A. Presents aka Peter Aarsman is the only artist on U-TRAX that actually is born and bred in the city of Utrecht. Even more irony lies in the fact that he hasn't lived in the city for 25 years and has only recently returned home. He was an early player in the hip hop and boogie scenes and long before house landed in Europe he was playing disco and Italo which helped establish him as a truly vital DJ talent. The two reissue EPs presented here marked his production debut back in 1993, both of which are hugely sought after and pricey techno records on second hand markets. In 2019 he returned to the music scene with two new EPs on U-Trax in the the form of Swirling Gas and Sax Madness and new releases are planned for 2020.

The release kicks off with 'Mesopmorph', an effervescent, nostalgic cut with a deeply buried techno rhythm that eventually takes over in tribal style. 'Pop' is a brilliantly tense and dense track wired up with fizzing synths, chattering claps and haunting effects as well as pending drums, then 'Theme' is cosmic industrial, with powerful hits and metallic sounds married to searching laser synths.

'Vera S' is classic 90s techno with mad vocal sounds and frantic synth lines darting about the mix, then things grow deeper and more heady on the stripped back intergalactic journey that is 'Flight Simulator.' The timelessness continues on the dancing analogue drums and hi hats of the classic Detroit styled 'Experiental' and 'A Gasp' before 'Vexillum' brings more warm solar winds and molten techno grooves whist 'Long Metal' closes out with pounding kicks, skewed synths and real sense of space travel.

These are essential early techno tracks that sound as fresh and relevant now as ever and come with remastering and restoration from Thee J Johanz.

Pressed on 2x12" 180 grams grey marbled vinyl.

10Questions is a record label by Dam Swindle's Lars Dales and graphic designer Bas Koopmans. After an amazing first release, 10Questions ventures deeper into Italo territory with signing one of the scene's longest running duo's: 'PBR Streetgang'. PBR has been known for big dancefloor tracks, whether it's house or disco, they always deliver. This EP will surely add to this legacy.

The title track 'Dayskipper' sets the mood with it's 707 drum programming and rolling Italo bassline. The track slowly progresses to show it's dancefloor pedigree. A catchy synth hook combined with synth choir stabs drives the theme home. What makes this a standout track is that the hook is not an obvious one. The ominous chords are very well crafted and will cut through you like a knife through butter.

'Dayskipper' shares the A side with 'Knockout'; a track that is both a tribute to the early history of house and a contemporary piece of music in one. The 'Moog' style bassline sets the mood for a playful approach but it's the addition of the vocal hits and the piano hook that drives that theme home. Add a pinch of hip-house and you have the recipe for a good time.

On the third track (and a full side on the record) 'Chi-Lite' you can hear that PBR still knows how to get the most out of a house beat. The theme however is more a dreamy proto house track than anything else. The syncopated synth stabs set the perfect mood for the DX7 style bells that are played on top. PBR masterfully shift from floating moments to dancefloor energy within a matter of minutes.


10Questions is a label build on the concept that the record and record sleeve are an integral part of the full experience of an EP. The artist is given a questionnaire and depending on his/her answers the artwork is made. This way the music and art co-exist in the same creative universe, that of the artist and the label alike.

Auch ZYX Italo Disco: Best Of Vol. 2 gibt es wieder als 2LP-Set
in farbigem Vinyl. 16 unvergessene Hits und Raritäten aus den 80er Jahren in bester analoger Soundqualität. Mit dabei sind diesmal: Radiorama, Fake, Den Harrow, Hysterical Fit, Jonathan Gable, Italian Boys, Scotch uvm.

Mono Han are brothers Alessandro and Davide, who collectively have a deep and long understanding of electronic music. Davide is a co-founder of N.O.I.A, one of Italy’s first electronic live acts to perform and record with drum machines and synths as early as 1978. He was also behind seminal Italo outfit Klein + M.B.O and proto-house hit “Dirty Talk”. Alessandro, following in his brother’s footsteps was inevitable and he too became hooked on the incredible new sound palette emanating from the early electronic machines.

Since then they have released under an array of aliases, have clocked up numerous club hits and this project brings them back to their 80’s roots.

Inner space centurion and local star command operative Tommy Walker III returns with a new mission directive this DATE...
Hardwiring to the Red Laser network and initiating an advanced, beta-tested programme of futuro-manctalo cybernetics, TWIII's meta-level hybridisation of Italian synth disco & northern English rave styles, combined with an expert deciphering of modernised club dynamics has resulted in a faultless system capable of withstanding the most extreme sonic test environments. RL30's eight tracks are RL Corp. operation-certified to work alongside Human2.0's electrostatic discharge profile. Universally approved usage for sentient earth dwellers offering portals into dancefloor ecstasy and inter-dimensional transcendence. This programme begins with 'Pocsy', and sees euphoric holograms burst through galloping Italo mechanics, fusing retro-tinged optimism with a nu-age release. 'Shoiab' (named after a fellow starship captain tasked to MCR and in alliance with RL Corp...) unleashes red shifted synths and carnal cowbells for the cyberotic lap-dancers to get jizzy too. 'Autopilot' allows the on-board crew to reassemble, a well automated array of arpeggios guiding the shuttle during the first phase, until reconsolidating in the latter stages for full-on interdimensional 5-D funk jam. 'Lightwork' is pure RL endorsed synth-jizz, erupting out of Tommy's arsenal like a mis-timed giant alien cumshot; minus any Manga references.
'Astral Projectile Vomit' address a common problem endemic to protectors of our star cluster; then channels a shiny, serpentine chrome sequence and thrusts it down the rainbow road for maximum belly aches.
More hydraulic collisions between electronic disc-boogie and newly mined atomic particles from passing asteroids ensures Srg. Walker has enough mainroom material to keep the Sharons and Traceys of the main hub dancing in between injections of dimethyltryptamine. Closing with a trio of humanoid hits that'll have Jonny5 ordering kryptonite margaritas for the entire ship, Tommy Walker celebrates with the cosmic conge, 'Gary Blast'.
RL Corp is confident RL30's internal algorithm is a future-proofed, cross-species platform for auditory excitement, and will continue to stimulate listeners across a multitude of environments.

The Belgian duo San Soda and Red D entered the world of recorded music some 12 years ago with the inception of Red D’s label We Play House Recordings. A few years later their collaboration continued in the studio with the start of the FCL project, leading to original and remixed club hits.

In the meantime both have gained considerable mileage and reputation as adventurous DJ’s who are not afraid to take risks and with a ‘no boundaries’-approach to playing music. Being Belgian they continue to find inspiration in Belgium’s rich music and clubbing history, which led to the ‘Our Beat Is Still New’ compilation in 2013 on We Play House Recordings. Both San Soda and Red D contributed some tracks and thus the aliases Nick Berlin and Max Erotic were born.

Fast forward to today and Club Belgique, a concept Red D has been brooding on for quite some time. A true tribute to Belgium’s club (music) heritage which consists of club nights and also a new label for fresh material by himself and San Soda in his Nick Berlin guise. This release brings you that new material in the form of two tracks situated between new beat, synth pop and italo disco. Long live Belgium!

Benjamin Fröhlich has struck many chords in the arena of electronic music: as a party organizer and record shop owner in his early days, and now as a label owner, DJ and producer. He is the co-founder of Permanent Vacation Records together with Tom Bioly, which has been up and running since the tropical summer of 2006. Emerging from the vibrant Cosmic Disco and Balearic scene, Permanent Vacation has been going strong over the past decade with genre-defining hits, albums and compilations. Fröhlich and Bioly have worked together with the household names of the international electronic dance scene. They have scouted artists like John Talabot, Todd Terje, Tensnake and Mano Le Tough early in their careers and released their breakthrough records. On top of his dedication to explore and feature rising as well as accomplished artists, Benjamin Fröhlich himself has emerged as a producer of vibrant tracks that are testament to his versatile and compelling approach to club music. His 12 inches, which were well received by DJs and clubbers alike, are accompanied by acclaimed remixes including his Tuff City Kids rework, which made it on Roman Flügel's Fabric Mix Now his first album is ready to go! Amiata is a conglomerate of Benjamin Fröhlich's longstanding experience. Just like his DJ sets and work for PV, each of the album's tracks expresses a different facet of his musical preferences. While keeping it under the roof of Benjamin's specific sound, the tracks range from Dub hybrids to Italo, Disco and Boogie inspired tracks, 90's spacy breakbeats and Electro to classic house ( 'Last Night' features rising U.S. artist Dreamcast).

'Voices In The Night' is 23rd Underpass' third full-time length album, and Costas Andriopoulos has not lost a bit of his talent to write classy and catchy yet dark synth pop-infused Italo disco tracks. Again aided by Nadia Vassipoulou, John Britsas and Panos Papapetros on vocals, the album is comprised of eight brand new tracks including smash hits 'I Hear Voices In The Night' and 'Together Forever', for you to dance on your favourite disco's dancefloor, alone at home or just to dream away on Costas' haunting melodies.

Almost three decades after he put out his first record as one half of Tummy Touch twosome Tutto Matto, Paulo Guigliemino continues to produce effortlessly brilliant music that joins the dots between vintage disco, boogie, proto-house and sun-kissed Balearica. For proof, just check the heavyweight dancefloor sunshine that is 'Bella Topa', his first release on Leng Records.

Slow, sensual and blessed with all manner of delay-laden drum machine percussion hits, the track fixes the producer's usual colourful, boogie-era synth flourishes and ear-pleasing instrumentation (think fluid electric pianos, fluttering flutes, eyes-closed jazz guitar solos, lilting saxophones and spacey electronic chords) to a chugging, head-in-the-clouds groove reminiscent of Lindstrom and Prins Thomas's early collaborative work. 'Bella Topa' cleverly shifts shape several times throughout, utilising jazzier rhythms and bolder melodies to light up key moments.

Remixes come from Guigliemino's old pal Federico Marton, a producer best known for being one half of sometime Get Physical, Superfiction and Snatch Recordings artists Italoboyz. He lays down two distinctive revisions, starting with a 'Slow' club reconstruction that adds additional percussive heaviness and sparkling electronics to Super Paolo's twinkling, sun-baked original.

His other version, a 'Fast' club reconstruction, drags Guigliemino's track towards peak-time dancefloors kicking and screaming. Making the most of his friend's killer groove and finding sufficient time and space for each life-affirming musical element to sparkle, his mix bobs, weaves and eventually soars for 12 mesmerizing minutes. The mix, like his slow version, makes use of additional percussion and wisely gives more prominence to the A-side's spacey electronics and boogie-influenced synthesizer flourishes. The results are little less than breathtaking.

During the eighties it was possible to observe an Italian fascination with the mysterious Far East. This can be found across art, design and music in Italy during this time, in subtle or obvious ways. Specifically there are Italo-disco records that proudly show this influence, some of the best known being: Fun Fun Living In Japan, Koto Chinese Revenge and City-O' Rose of Tokyo.Following in this theme is Fancy Null Null. Not to be confused with the famous Euro-disco artist behind Slice me Nice, this 'Fancy' is a one-off project from Italo-disco icon Raffaele Fiume, the artist and voice behind many great Italo-disco hits, such as: Helicon You See, Malcom & the Bad Girls Shoot Me and Ralph River Band Strange Vibration.Adding to the original tracks of the 1982 release is a totally ecstatic and powerful remix from Betonkust: one of the most talented and exciting Dutch producers of recent years. Also included is an instrumental edit from Hysteric, for those who find the unique vocals challenging.

TenGrams are brothers Alessandro and Davide, who collectively have a deep and long understanding of dance music. Davide is a co-founder of N.O.I.A, one of Italy's first electronic live acts to perform and record with drum machines and synthesizers as early as 1978. He was also behind seminal Italo outfit Klein + M.B.O and proto house hit 'Dirty Talk.' Since then they have released under an array of aliases, have clocked up numerous club hits and this new project brings them back to their electronic roots, with influences like sci-fi movies and old school electro and italo looming large.Devious' is a very breezy and energetic track with a rolling arpeggio and rich keyboards section over a simply but groovy Tr-808 pattern. Classical Italo Space Disco sound updated to nowadays. 'Translucent' sounds like a dreamy electro-ballad heavily influenced by Kraftwerk. 'Pop Song' keeps the same 80's electro vibes with simple, wistful melodies and a great funk bass line. 'Disco Dub' is a pretty damn cool early eighties electronica, with a great pumping 'robo-funk' Linndrum!

This is France in the Mitterrand years: fashions fleet as fast as governments. In the early eighties, the happy-go-lucky gather the nectar of each and every new release.
Believing in a bright future for videotex, and loosened up by the sexy talks broadcasted on the budding pirate radios, the new generation dreams of dance floors and holiday clubs. French Boogie, which preserves the spirit of these years of boodle and bunkum, is the ideal soundtrack to their dreams.

What the web now refers to as French Boogie is some synthetic funk reflecting the spirit of those days when nothing was impossible, or so it seemed. Its syncopated flow heralded the dawning of French rap. Often considered as some kind of post-disco, inspired as much by black music as by new wave, this carefree pop music with bawdy lyrics indulged in simple pleasures: holidays, swank and sun were recurrent themes. Totally in tune with its time, it incidentally glorified luxury, success, and a certain consumerism embodied, for instance, in Bernard Tapie.

In popular clubs such as La Main Bleue in Montreuil, or L'Echappatoire in Clichy-sous-Bois - where Micky Milan could be seen behind the decks - an enthusiastic audience discovered this new sonic wave, influenced as much by French pop as by Sugar Hill Gang or Kurtis Blow. The artists who first launched the movement engaged in it wholeheartedly, but as often the case with new music trends in France, humour and casualness quickly became a decoy to impose a new style. This explosive mixture, in which startling and typically Frenchy French lyrics go along New-York-style tunes, is sometimes reminiscent of the kinky comedies directed by Max Pécas or Claude Zidi. On this prolific scene, partly originating from the Jewish community, everybody was looking for success, trying to hit the jackpot with what was to hand. Famous media personalities, one-hit wonders or John Does in quest of fame, all had a go at French Boogie - more or less successfully. Apart from « Vacances j'oublie tout » by Elégance, « Un fait divers et rien de plus » by Le Club, or « Chacun fait ce qui lui plaît » by Chagrin d'amour (produced by Patrick Bruel), very few songs became hits: the story of funk in France is that of a half-baked robbery.

In this myriad of new musicians, the very young François Feldman and Phil Barney pioneered a fresh and hybrid style. Other well-known artists like Gérard Blanc from Martin Circus (Attaché Case), Richard de Bordeaux (Ich), or Jean-Pierre Massiera (Anisette, Pirate Scratch Band, Mandrake, Scratch Man...) added an eccentric touch to this sound-wave, making it often entertaining, and sometimes showy.

Capture d'écran 2015-10-26 à 12.55.43Singers like Agathe (the author of 'La Fourmi' and of the hit song 'Je ne veux pas rentrer chez moi seule') were far more than just window dressing. They even tried to give an ironic and subversive twist to this rather harmless genre. The very vindictive rebel Gérard Vincent shared in this spirit, but as a whole, French Boogie became associated with nonchalance and sauciness. Thus, Stéphane Collaro, Gérard Jugnot, Alain Gillot Pétré and other TV clowns would clumsily contribute to this French variation on funky sounds. In a few but intense years, French Boogie gave all the tips to party with style.

If some hits made it possible for the happy few to get a real house under truly exotic palm trees, the wave actually ebbed away very quickly, leaving quite a few musicians stranded on the shore. Whether they were sincerely motivated, or simply opportunistic, they had failed. In 1984, French Boogie was already breathless, and got merged with other genres: on the one hand, rap and breakdance adapted its flow to a more urban world, especially with Sydney's show, H.I.P.H.O.P, and Dee Nasty's broadcasts on Radio Nova; on the other, italo, new beat and house began to rule over dance floors, even more strongly asserting the will to develop music for clubs.

Squeezed in between the age of disco and that of modern electronic music, French Boogie was a transitional phase, but it remains an amazingly refreshing testimony to the intermingling of pop and underground cultures. The genre was hastily categorized as anecdotal in spite of its pioneering synthetic groove and matchless bass lines. An attentive ear will discover the poetry of the ephemeral beyond the eccentricities of the genre, as well as a certain unexpected avant-gardism. At the origin of major music trends, always cheerful and catchy, French Boogie is what you need to party.