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Dark Entries is humbled to continue digging through the archives of legendary producer Patrick Cowley. While best known for his production on chart-topping cybernetic disco anthems such as Sylvester’s “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)” or his own “Menergy”, Cowley, who passed away from AIDS-related illness in 1982, left us with a substantial body of work. Since 2009, Dark Entries has been working with Cowley’s friends and family to shed light on the lesser known facets of this singular artist’s output. This has resulted in a string of celebrated archival albums, including Catholic (featuring Jorge Socarras), School Daze, Muscle Up, Afternooners, and the recent Mechanical Fantasy Box. Some Funkettes, the latest addition to this series, is a collection of previously unreleased cover songs recorded from 1975-1977. These raw, unembellished tributes both showcase Cowley’s early musical interests and chart the development of his production techniques.

Some Funkettes opens with Cowley’s sauntering instrumental rendition of “Do It Anyway You Wanna”, the disco classic by People’s Choice. Next is a psychedelic reworking of the Temptations’ “Papa Was a Rolling Stone”, here hazily retitled “Papa Wuzza Rollinston”. Over its 7 minute runtime, the track’s metronomic, minimal groove builds to a frantic synth solo - this is pure Bay Area motorik. “Spiked Punch”, a curious riff on Herbie Hancock’s “Chameleon” follows. Cowley’s lurching, minimalist reimagining of Hancock’s opus prefigures the work he would later do on Sylvester’s masterpiece “I Need Somebody to Love Tonight”. Side B opens with a truly important historical document: Cowley’s cover of Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love”. The Moroder-produced disco anthem was a critical influence on Cowley - he would later resculpt the original song into arguably its highest form with his 15-minute-long remix. The instrumental cover version here is sparse and euphoric, brimming with classic Cowley synth signatures alongside the infectious Moroder bassline. A relatively faithful take on Bazuka’s 1975 funk classic “Dynomite” follows. The record closes with the dub version of “Spiked Punch”, which highlights developments in Cowley’s recording and synthesis techniques by way of its resonant burbles and spring reverb-laden passages.

Some Funkettes was made possible with help from Patrick's brother Jim and his former studiomate Maurice Tani. All songs were mastered for vinyl by George Horn. The sleeve is a collage designed in 1975 by Cowley’s former roommate Francesca Rosa that was found covering a reel to reel box. It features a yin-yang symbol and a photograph of a scruffy 24 year old Patrick, to which we added his original handwriting. Each record comes with an insert featuring a four page essay by Francesca as well as a postcard featuring liner notes and a photograph by Cowley’s roommate and best friend, Theresa McGinley. Vocal versions of “Papa Wuzza Rollingston” and “Do It Anyway You Wanna” are included as bonus tracks on the digital and CD releases. This peek into Cowley’s formative years arrives just in time for what would have been his 70th birthday.

Actually a Kirian Camera record released under the name of Simona Buja because the band was still contracted with Italian Records

Hong Kong based label FGHB. (Short for 'Fragrant Harbour') is continuing their steady outputs of two releases a year with this time an EP from BBRB, a Taiwan based duo composed of Riles Jay Bilgo and Benoit Bouquin (who usually released under 'L'Amour Fou' along with Move D and Marco Wollenberg) as a 6th release. Powder (Cocktail D'Amore) and Mr. Ho (Klasse Wrecks) completes the EP with a signature space workout of a remix of 'Cat Slaves' and a powerful EBM version of 'Two Policemen'.

Supported By: Roi Perez (Panorama Bar), rRoxymore (Ostgut Ton / Human Level), Yu Su

Bordello A Parigi presents a compilation of demo tracks from the legendary Italo Disco icon: Federico di Bonaventura, better known as Fred Ventura. These demo tracks were supposed to remain secret until Fred started to digitalize them from tape a few years ago. Most of these tracks were part of the transitional period between the exit from his early 80's band State Of Art and start of his first solo project Actor's Studio and career as Fred Ventura. A versatile treasure of lost music recorded from 1982 until 1984 in Milan, Italy.

Comes with double front sleeve and printed inner sleeve.

Re-issue of this sought after ’85 italo classic with Flemming Dalum and Hysteric edits.

More heat from the legendary EDIT & DUB! Featuring lost mixes of dancefloor classics "MOVIN ON" and "EXPRESS" performed by GINO DENTIE & THE FAMILY! The B side goes into another world with a rare euro disco cuts such as "VOODOO MAN" by BIDDU ORCHESTRA & "I'M GONNA DANCE" by SUNA YILDIZOGLU

After blessing a special intimate Utopia Records dance in a North London loft with his iconic romantic and deep Italian House sound, pioneer Carlo Troja aka Don Carlos returned to Milan and sent the music to launch Alex Bradley's new 'Utopia Club Tracks' dance music sub-label.

Title track Tuono or 'Thunder' sees Mr Carlos bringing the original Mediterranean and Latin dance sound onto a modern page. The inspiration is clear, the trademark percussion of Vincent Montana forged with the spaghetti baselines of legendary film-score writer Piero Umiliani together with Carlos's trademark paradise house sound that lets you imagine the 3 in harmony, in a studio together.

Working from the blueprint of early house releases of a single track with multiples mixes, the A2 sees mythic underground London DJ and label boss Bradley team up with legendary UK house producer Neil Tolliday and guitarist Ollie Marks for a Utopia Sound Project mix entitled 'Tears of Petrichore'.
More than just an edit, a whole new Balearic house take is formed using just the pads and chords from the original with new bass, percussions and Marks' Pink Floyd-esque guitar warbles on top for a blissed out journey into romance.
The 12" is rounded off by a Tribal fix by Carlos himself, big room moves that draw you in and keeps you there...dreaming of better days...
Finally, the re-rub strips it back and locks the groove.

Salute Don Carlos.

2nd release of the Madrid label runned by Corp. Another limited 12″ EP with 4 Italo-disco tracks with an electro The Hague touch from the hands of Evanton. First release on vinyl format from this amazing producer from Athens. Italo-disco not for the masses!

Vinyl Only

Limitied edition. No promo, no bullshit. Only fun, classy and perfectly crafted edits exclusively on vinyl. No digital download. You wont have these tunes unless you buy the vinyl!

Amazing maga rare deep, dark and mysterious italo-Disco cut produced by Al Festa. Originally released in 1985 on Reflex Records.

KosmoramaDisco Vol. 2 is the second of a series of compilations that KosmoramaDisco label begun to release in 2018. This is a follow up of what the label it's been trying to show in the last 2 years. For this we have a new bunch of artists which music styles fit again with the philosophy and taste of the label: from Italo to Dark Disco and Slow Mo all wrapped, as usual, in club dancing format.

We are really excited to announce that the second edition of the long sold-out Non Plus Ultra 1980-1987 is now available. This is the first retrospective published in the XXIst century devoted to the electronic and underground “Tecno” (the flip side to the mainstream Movida/Nueva Ola) from 80s Spain. The record is a showcase of our identity and approach, as refers both music and aesthetics and was in its time a milestone for Domestica when it was first released in January 2012.

Non Plus Ultra is a hand-picked collection of hard-to-find recordings from the 80s pioneer Spanish electronic scene. Most of the tracks featured on the album should be regarded as demos, even some bands had the chance to record on cassette or reel-to-reel but they had a very limited distribution. We present a repertoire of pioneering groups, which are as unknown as they are interesting, creative, and ahead of their times.

For this second edition of only 200 numbered copies, we have redesigned all the graphic elements. The cover has been hand printed with stamps and the release comes complete with illustrated dossier and English bio of all bands featured plus numbered postcard and download code.

The 3rd volume of the infamous NoLo edits is finally here! Bassi is once again taking care of cutting, pasting and reworking it the old way, ripping and remastering the OG vinyl and giving new life to 3 more outstanding bombs from the 80s.

The super extended A side is a killer edit of a hard-to-find UK electro-funk masterpiece, on the B-side we go back to that US sound with a flipped out version of a classic Up Front electro track, while the 3rd track is pure editing madness for dancefloor lovers, taking out the unnecessary content from a Modern Soul hidden gem.

A new chapter of the very well received MINIMAL SIGNALS V.A. compilation series is here. Again, MINIMAL SIGNALS aims to capture what's hot on the international minimal dark and post-pyunk scene. On this occasion, the american solo project DANCING PLAGUE, the Berlin based MARTA RAYA, the german HOLYGRAM remixed by the french chevalier of synths COLD COLORS and the french SYDNEY VALETTE remixed by his compatriots THEREMYNTH makes of MINIMAL SIGNALS VOLUME 4 a must have for the autumn 2018. It the It arrives on 12 Maxi-Single EP format and produced in a ONE-OFF truly limited edition of 300 copies lacquered pressed on 180 gr. high quality solid WHITE vinyl. All tracks have been specially remastered for LONG CUT vinyl by Eric Van Wonterghem

K-Noiz presents the 2020 versions of the Italo Disco hit “Pretty Face” (over 400,000 copies sold in over 20 countries) with five new versions by Andrea K, Joe Mangione, Diego Mates, Daniele Ippolito and Sweet Suite and with the original voice of Alberto Styloo. This record marks Alberto Styloo’s “return” to dance after a period of work on different genres.

Giorgio Records is an independent label whose purpose is the rediscovery of some Italo Disco tracks that have never been reprinted to present them to the new generations who love the genre. The Mad Work musical project with the song A Night Alone is one of those. Italo Disco gem of the mid-80s now available in vocal and instrumental version and enriched with Casionova Edit and Flemming Dalum Remix.

Quattrovalvole is the future/past/disco/drive project designed by Joone and Miss Zagato. Four on the floor Italo-disco, glossy 80s new wave pick us up in this afterdark lifestyle EP. The title track ‘Into the Night’ is a curb crawler’s seduction. Dedicated to the leather hand-notated black book, our dial up lover calls with arpeggiators demanding, then teasing like feathers over the phone. Big chords push us to drive fast, ready for what we long for.

B-side ‘Too Many Lights’ squeezes us, just what we need when broken glass is swept up from the disco floor. Tame drums and retro claps dictate, as the chords are stargazing with Miss Zagato’s vocals. They preside over the party, with potions of bliss and intoxication, we are invited intimately into this dream life.

Joone’s ‘Into The Night’ remix takes us into the future, driving at the wheel of an alcantara suede upgraded Ferrari 308 Vetroresina. The layers of well-informed 80s synth wave sends us into another dimension.

These are three high class disco tunes with real song craft at their heart.

Pont Neuf Records, 5 years later



In 2016, Pont Neuf Records was born, with the mission of supporting the emergence of a new scene of electronic artists in France. Its first release “Habemus Paname”, bringing together artists like Folamour, Tour-Maubourg and Sweely, marked the label’s first success, accompanied by a launch party in the lair of the legendary Rex Club in Paris. Since then, no less than 25 releases - EPs, compilations, albums - have forged the identity of Pont Neuf, recognized in 2019 by Mixmag as ‘‘one of the French scene’s most essential imprints’’. A success crowned by two years of residence at the Rex Club, and many participations in the major European electronic music venues (Concrete, Elrow, Sisyphos, La Cabane ...). 5 years later, the label continues to evolve, driven by the talent and originality of artists with unique personalities and eager to leave their mark on a generation.



Hexagonal Club Vol. 2.



True to its eclectic and passionate identity, and to celebrate its 5th anniversary, Pont Neuf announces the release of a new compilation, “Hexagonal Club Vol.2”. An unprecedented project which brings together the titles of the most promising young talents on the current French electronic scene: Flabaire, Tour-Maubourg, Cosmonection, Madcat, KX9000, Calmos & Berzingue, Fasme, Herr Krank, THEOS, Saudade and Vitess. Composed of 12 original tracks, this compilation immerses the listener in the heart of the different facets of electronic music

It’s the start of a new era for the cobbers, as they present their first compilation of 100% original music. Cementing the label’s New Age Italo manifesto, these four tracks straddle neon-tinted nostalgia and sleek futurism. Sounds from yesteryear, for the dancefloors of tomorrow.

This dichotomy is clear on opener ‘Silicon Horizon’, a propulsive banger from Kayroy which draws inspiration from the threshold of the digital age, evoking the rush of a nighttime race through city streets on a Tron bike.

The anthemic ‘Make Italo Disco Great Again’ gives tune to the phrase brandished by DJs such as Skatebård. Romain FX faithfully celebrates the ongoing Italo legacy with appropriately tuneful synths and cheesy lyrics, courtesy of vocalists Guido Balboa & Annika.

On the flip, German synth-wave fanatic Compilerbau delivers an atmospheric masterclass with ‘Raindance’. Here, intricate percussion and retrofuturist synth-scapes create an adrenaline rush of a track which could easily be the theme song from a lost 80’s action movie.

GREETINGS completes the release with ‘Time Is A Thief’, a bombastic trip to the Paradise Garage complete with piano stabs, a throbbing bassline and enough cowbell to cure any fever.

Another limited vinyl-only release, get yours quick before these boots have all danced off the shelves.

The italian project Zero Call produces pure Italo Disco with perfect brushes of ebm- infused retro synthwave. Punchy snares, pulsing basslines and dramatic synths behind monochromatic female spoken vocals. Including the main track “Stellar Wind” + 2 remixes by Technobeton and Arkademode + 2 recovered tracks from his past discography. All tracks have been specially remastered for LONG CUT vinyl by Daniel Hallhuber at Young and Cold Studios.

For the first time on vinyl, three classic best selling remixes from the Selador catalogue plus a never before released exclusive mix from Damon Jee.

Massive support from everyone from Pete Tong and Solomun to Hernan Cattaneo and Camel Phat.

Each remix made the top of its respective genre on Beatport.

The Italian Duo Club Paradiso coming from diverse and ever-evolving music backgrounds, they started their collaborative project in 2016. Romagna, Adriatic Riviera, is what they call home and also the primal inspiration behind Club Paradiso. Their first album “Esotica Erotica Psicotica” is out on april 26th on Mondo Groove with Kompakt distribution, follow up to the acclaimed 2017 single Panoramica, and is a wonderful patchwork of colours. Opener Romagna Tropicale transports Riviera to a tropical island, Tuco mixes arpeggiating lines with a western harmonica and a distant spoken, Solo tu with the voice of Francesca Amati is a sensual, slo-mo synth-pop beauty, and Echoes a throbbing deep house number. The B-side opens with Flauto Cosmico, a killer Afro/Cosmic track with a folky flute, Okinawa has the voice of Niconote aka the legendary Nicoletta Magalotti of Violet Eves fame and it’s simply a memorable song with an eastern vibe in the music, La Rabbia Saudita, with a special Daniele Baldelli & Marco Dionigi featuring, is half part Arabic and half part funky, and the closing track, Mirage, is, yes, like a mirage. You can’t miss this.

This 1982 Italo Disco/Boogie classic gets the reissue treatment complete with instrumental on the flip and original centre label artwork!

Released in 1980, "Speed Cross" by Thunder is an adventurous dancefloor epic seeing octave basslines and galloping disco beats supporting galactic pads, kinetic guitars, and flamboyant talk box solos. The track was originally backed by the pastoral prog of "The Game," wherein jangling acoustics and funky clavinets give way to charismatic vocal magic, as a sun-soaked classic rock groove cruises down some endless summer highway. And now, in reissuing both tracks, Best Record Italy has also invited in Mystic Jungle and Whodamanny for a spaced out remix of "Speed Cross." Acidic basslines flow through dub delays, Hi-NRG chords flash like a heatwave mirage, and disco beats crack beneath celestial synths and star-seeking funk licks before the track erupts into a sinister guitar solo soaked in psychedelic fuzz.

BT57 sees Markus Gebauer AKA Interviews making his debut on Brokntoys.

Having left a lasting impression with his previous efforts on labels Ortloff and Bitterfeld, here the Berlin-based producer showcases his throbbing blend of Italo, EBM and electro on a 4 track EP designed for primetime club action.

Discoring reissue Helens slo-mo Italo classic 'Zanzibar'

Digging deep through old and new, Basso captures arcane woodland fusion, serene electronic suites and wide eyed Balearic bliss on this first Growing Bin compilation.

This collection celebrates those precious records which land in your life on their own terms. Even the most advanced digger will admit that chance is the secret ingredient in any successful haul. Sure, it helps if you know where to look, but if you arrive a day early at that secluded second hand shop, or an hour late at the convention, you might miss out on a rare sight of sound. But there are still ways to skew the odds in your favour. Even in the most crowded urban environment, a solitary tree soon becomes a nest, and Basso's fostered an abundant garden in his Hamburg hometown. A decade on and the Growing Bin is a safe haven for those exquisite sounds crowded out of the mainstream, the rare birds with the most striking song.

'Coffee' comes right after cocoa in the bin's headquarter, though start your morning with One Tongue and be prepared for a different kind of day. A witch's brew spiced with a hint of Durian and the early bird, this 1990 composition could be the blueprint for the Teutonic trance dancers beloved by the Salon set. A more meditative magic flows through the A2, a smooth blend of fusion guitar, softly syncopated drums and counterpoint keys from one time art-rockers Inandout. This Growing Bin favourite from their '93-95' LP sounds right at home beside the majestic melodies and spheric bass of Matthias Raue's 'Brücke am schwarzen Fluss 2'. Taken from the soundtrack to a TV drama filmed in Mali, this digital homage to African rhythm shimmies in step with New Age dancers from Mkwaju Ensemble and Louis Crelier. The A-side ends with the unbridled optimism of Kosmische maverick Hardy Kukuk. The synthesist hit the studio with friends Karsten Raecke and Andreas Schneider in 86, coalescing crystalline electronics and gentle guitar into tender chord progressions suited for sun bathing beside the Sea of Tranquility.

The second side slinks into motion with the deep beauty and sincere spoken word of Frank Suchland's 'Schnee', a subtle body in a cocoon of reverb which takes Sade's 'I Never Thought I'd See The Day' to another level of placidness. Melancholic Germans Die Fische met in Cairo for the first time, and 'Conversation Of Everyday Lovers' could be the theme for that great city. Underpinned by primal percussion and a restrained groove, the track twists and turns between a trio of ineffable motifs, eternal combinations to the catacombs of Abusir. From there we go sublime, soaring skywards with a ten minute triumph from Hugh Mane. Balancing concentric sequences and space age synth riffs atop an irresistible breakbeat and bubbling bassline, the British producer finds a sensuous sweet-spot between fellow Growing Bin affiliates Krakatau and Singu.

Lucky are we who hear the Bin's sounds.
Patrick Ryder

During this difficult situation where we are forced to see beautiful theaters empty and quiet, the eclectic Ital Oscillazioni (Elvio Seta), best known for his bulky live instrumental performances, in the long wait for the release of his 2 first albums offers us a couple of unpublished tracks “obscure-italo” on vinyl, in which he clearly expresses his New Romantic nature.

These two releases blend the raw and pure sound of his vintage synths, with the surprising theatricality of the Opera represented here by Gioacchino Rossini’s “L’Equivoco Stravagante”.

A retrofuturistic Concept-italoDisco that, while we are sweaty and busy dancing it in a dirty nightclub, will transport us for a few moments to an elegant Italian theater of 1982, surrounded by heavy red velvet curtains.

The Italian 80’s are undoubtedly a huge gold mine for diggers and Djs. A decade where the Italo sound became a signature and a foundation. However, music in Italy always had a strong regionalisation, some peculiar musical phenomena that were happening in a specific region and, consequently, serving the local heads and helping to identify the place with a particular sound.

In Milan and Rome in the 80’s there was a huge production of some of the finest Italo Disco and Boogie. In the south of Italy there was an equally large production of, so called, Neomelodic records (with tons of influences, from the Italo sound of the time to Electro Funk and Hip Hop). Emilia Romagna, a land of extremely talented musicians, was (also) the land were the Italian “Afro” sound was conceived. An attitude? A peculiar musical style? The will of playing everything you liked? The so called Afro style was not only a way to select and spin records that is still captivating and influencing nowadays selectors; it was also a studio attitude. Many local Djs like Meo, Ebreo, Mozart etc. were producing music with the help of real musicians, giving birth to a really unique serie of records. Two of the blueprints of this era are certainly Dj Meo’s solo albums “Fine Corsa”, “Sesta Traccia” and his 1987 single “Cikuana/Alturas”. Three records that can really be considered as cardinal Afro records, including all kind of musical elements: hypnothical melodies, huge percussive breaks, New Wave’s uptempo patterns as well as dark and introspective atmospheres. Dualismo Sound gives a new life to some of Meo’s best tracks: filling a 12” with three killer Riminese Afro cuts. The records come with a special artwork made by Jacopo Lega, leader of the Torinese Amphibia collective, plus an A3 insert that features an extensive interview with Meo himself and a poster.

Gloosy and sexy 80’s synthwave designed by Joone and Miss Zagato in UK. Their past / future italo-disco will be a fundamental masterpiece for any passionate vinyl collection. DE SCHOOL Ltd. Edition EP comes presented in a ONE-OFF truly limited edition of 200 copies lacquered pressed on 180 gr. high quality SOLID WHITE vinyl. All tracks have been specially remastered for LONG CUT vinyl by Daniel Hallhuber at Young and Cold Studios.

The third release on Tempo Dischi is 'Keep On Dance' by Contact Music, a little gem that is part of the Italo Disco history, but has characteristics of the early Proto House sound.

Antonio Cucaro, the Italian musician, songwriter and producer behind this project recalls ‘I started playing guitar very early. I drew my inspirations from the echo of Woodstock that came through the ‘Bandiera Gialla’ show on Radio Rai: emotions that were equal to true revelations when listening to Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Cream, Jimmy Page, Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple), Joe Pass, Alvin Lee, George Benson. Stimulated by various musical contamination, which came from rock and Italian authorial music, I started immersing myself into searching new exciting sounds, applying composition to various directions while trying to produce something new without worrying about genres or people's judgements, all without a compromise. I would not have imagined that one evening in 1983, 'Keep on Dance' would be born. It was produced together with three DJs who wanted a sort of opening track for their sets, putting together some sequences recorded by myself using percussion, acoustic and electronic drums (Linn, Oberheim, Simmons). The fact that after almost forty years it has been revived and considered a Proto House pearl really honours me. Composing music is like breathing pure oxygen: you compose, record and realise that you are already thinking about the next step to keep breathing’.

Dense, stylistic and melodic. Volantis Debut EP is a blend of italo pads, old-school kicks, hats, guitars and hypnotic synths that make the tracks full of dreamy emotions. Irresistible percussive lines before elegant chords raise your mood to cloud nine.