Black Vinyl!

It's difficult to ''label'' the songs of this authoritative and necessary official reissue (after the shameful fake of 10 years ago). ''Zombi'' and ''In the Land of the Zombi'' are two electro disco-funks from 1979, therefore from three years before was born the ''Italo-Disco'' style, certainly more powerful, aggressive and more electronic than the ''Made in Italy'' disco style of the 2nd half of the 70s (Fratelli La Bionda, Pino Presti, Claudio Simonetti, Celso Valli and others.). The creation of the original 7" by Salvatore Ida, great musician and bandleader - to whom this excellent reissue is dedicated - was a sort of game for the authors of the two pieces: Federico Ida and Massimo Ida, were protagonists 4 years before of the Italian progressive rock scene with the sister Silvana Ida, Marcello Surace and Franco Vinci thanks to the immeasurable and acclaimed album ''Apoteosi''. So The Zombies were destined to pair with another easy '79 joke by the Ida brothers: ''Let's Go'' and ''Mustang'' by Sandwich, also reissued on 12inch by Best Record Italy. The Zombies comes out with the original artwork of the time, but in a full embossed picture sleeve and released in the classic black vinyl and on red vinyl with black shades (limited edition with red copies numbered manually (1/250: 2/250 and so on...) What else to add except that: the two long versions of ''Zombi'' and ''In the Land of the Zombi'' were re-edited by Massimo Berardi, always diligent and active, as well as tidy and aware of where he was putting his hands, are fundamental in order to complete this 12" fully remastered by Dom Scuteri. More

Black Vinyl!

Valuable reissue of slow Italo classic! Roberto Onofri, since he was a teenager, has developed his own culture independently. Whatever he liked to do, he immediately embodied it, instantly identifying with what he was passionate about. However, one certainly cannot expect the sixteen-year-old and self-taught disc jockey to be ready as a composer for his first time in a recording studio. He became an author, arranger and performer shortly after, but for his first experience on vinyl he had to resort to a cover, as many did to get noticed and have the limelight on him. There was no mistake in choosing 'Living with Passion'' by the Canadian band Moral Support, but only how to write the title of the piece on the album cover!!! At the time, not all Italian printers knew English well, which is why Italo Disco soon became sadly famous for the huge blunders that were written. It was love at first sight for Roberto, who played the song written and produced by Richard Cranford and Sandro Durante every night in the disco. There were some imperfections due to inexperience, but the electronics, more and more imperious and overwhelming, won over everything, effectively decreeing the beginning of a new musical style. The Italian one. Dave Mathmos did well to have the same passion as Onofri and his DJ Program Band, developing an excellent version that gave new life to the piece from 40 years ago, reprinted by Best Record in two different and limited editions, in black vinyl and in green vinyl with black shades. Both editions come out with the artwork and credits in relief and with the image of the very young DJ Onofri immortalized next to a drum kit with the microphone in his hand, ready as always to make people jump and have fun. More

Baricentro is an Italian funk-rock band founded in 1976 by two brothers Francesco and Vanni Boccuzzi; after the release of two albums in mid seventies (Sconcerto and Trusciant) for the major record company EMI; they recorded in 1983 the single ''Tittle Tattle'' representing a clear innovation in sound from their past, without believing that would receive a positive response in the New York City underground music scene and soon becoming a Paradise Garage and Loft classic. Best Record Italy today came out with this special reissue-project as a Limited Edition Ep, remastered from the original master tapes and containing for the first time all the versions from 1983 and 84 including the unreleased dub that was previously available as an acetate cut only for deejay play. More

Repress!

"Just Like a Doorknob" is very serious boogie funk written in 1983 by Claudette Washington and Dennis Bell who were also the original producers. Superb electronic disco track with huge vibes that are devastating when they hit the scene. The piece has become an Italo-Boogie classic. It has a sumptuous groovy synth bass with a fantastic piano accompaniment, the vocal version has a very American style. This precious reissue masterfully remastered by Dom Scuteri for Best Record also includes an unreleased instrumental dub version and finally a picture sleeve with captivating artwork. More

Repress!

These three songs by Kasso re-edited and mixed by John Jellybean Benitez between 1981 and 1982 represent a musical bridge that allows us to move from Europe to North America easily, but only if equipped with roller skates. JJBB with his skillful work in those early 80s was able to open new paths to Italo-Disco by fusing it with other styles, thus leaving an indelible mark on musical culture and the evolution of various genres. "Key West", so happy and melodic, is an extraordinary piece of music that has become a classic of the underground house music scene of New York and Chicago, contributing among other things to building freestyle music in the early 80s along with pieces like "Dirty Talk", "The Mexican", "Rapture", etc. it could be heard at night in East New York, Brooklyn, anywhere on any Saturday circa 1983. Also "Walkman", one of the best instrumental dance songs, could also be heard in every handball court and schoolyard in Brooklyn and Queens as it embodied the vibe of gritty New York at the time, but it also became a staple in Chicago during WBMX 102.7. it was fm Hot Mix 5, which influenced house music. This song and countless other pieces have crossed and transcended trends such as uprocking, roller skating break dancing, webo dancing. "Kasso", which in addition to the title of the third song of this splendid reissue published by Best Record, is also the pseudonym of the fairy Claudio Simonetti. This piece actually is a classic Jazz funk, not disco, which is to be enjoyed and to dance, dance, dance, takes us back to the Funhouse and the unique way of mixing music, sometimes with brutal, energetic, stimulating changes of rhythm, of Jellybean Benitez, who as always blessed every track he touched with his talent. More

Black Vinyl!

Tunnel was made in Naples in 1978 by Giorgio Verdelli and Danilo Rustici only on 7inch and it was the theme song for two RAI radio programs. Going through the names of the musicians we begin with the inimitable voice and the splendid guitars of Danilo Rustici, then passing through the saxophones of Enzo Avitabile we arrive at the keyboards of Joe Amoruso, musician-arranger who left a great void with his untimely death. For Joe, who crossed his experience with Premiata Forneria Marconi, Zucchero, Vasco Rossi, Mauro Pagani and was part of that 'dream team' of Pino Daniele - made up of technically extraordinary musicians, but above all gifted with an inimitable sound - this one-off project represented his recording debut. 'Tunnel Lights' and 'Speed Up' have been brought to light by Dario Di Pace and Claudio Casalini, two visionaries who believe that Neapolitan music is a sonic mixture of ancient and modern musical registers even if it sometimes develops a conflict between tradition and modernity as the recovery of popular tradition is strongly opposed to the push for innovation. This therefore is the reason for a 12" reissue in which the evocative original songs - from almost 50 years ago - are reflected in the new versions created by a bevy of talented DJ-arrangers including Massimo Berardi (with the bassist Luca Andreozzi) and by the industrious and passionate Francisco & Malkuth (ed: Francesco De Bellis and Cosimo 'Cosmo' Mandorino in disguise) in turn assisted by other zealous musicians and dee-jays - including the very good and always very collaborative Raffaele Arcella - who took part in a remix of this EP with enormous fervor The 12" reissue of Tunnel was released both on the classic black vinyl and in the very limited red vinyl version, in order to reflect the lips of the extravagant cover, a graphic work by another brilliant and multifaceted artist: Lino Vairetti, legendary singer of the historic prog rock band Osanna. The envelope developed by Best Record is embossed (front and back cover) to further enhance the passion that Neapolitan musicians have always had in knowing how to combine their roots with all the other musical genres of the world. More

Randy Wiper is only known for this highly sought-after 100% pure Italo-Disco song from 1984, but the reason why he hasn't published anything else is that the artist embarked on a career as a film actor immediately after. The beginning of the song "I'd Like To Know" could be divided into three, the pattern of which is repeated in the subsequent instrumental parts, the piece possesses the sidereal energy of space disco. When it seems that we will leave the planet on board a shuttle, the soloist's voice enters, full of personality, it is that of Marcello Arcangeli and has the gift of inflections that sometimes recall that of Roy Orbison, at other times that of David Bowie. What remains most imprinted on the listener is the romantic part of the ballad, highlighted by the piano and passion. Finally there is the chorus which sounds exclamatory, imploring, but at the same time casual and danceable. Through a unique theme, that of a rare piece like "I'd Like To Know", we explore space, the heart, the disco. More

Francesco Puccioni "born genius" in Florence, Mike Francis "becomes legend" in Rome. Deeply inspired in his adolescence by the emerging movements of North American soul, country and West Coast music and by artists such as Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and James Taylor, Francesco began to compose refined songs with radiant energy every day. From the first acoustic gestures performed with the guitar, always keeping compositional creativity and improvisation under his arm, he enters the unexplored waters of Italian disco music. This slow and inexorable transformation allowed him to create in 1981 with the Metropole group (with Al Festa and Claudio Giusti, all still in their twenties) the international disco hit "Miss Manhattan", a true piece of proto-Italo-Disco! A year later the young Florentine singer-songwriter wrote two evocative soul-disco songs produced by Paul & Peter Micioni, published by Best Record and performed by a certain Mike Francis (!). This is the birth of the stage name which will forever accompany the musician who became a fundamental reference of the experimental Italo-Disco "scene", then soon recognized worldwide. This coveted 12" vinyl reissue comes out with the same Best Record commercial cover as 40 years ago and with the same 'red sticker'. And finally we have the juicy reissue of "Nightime Lady" and the more appetizing and danceable "Love Has Found", both perfectly remastered by Dom Scuteri, excellent in obtaining an impeccable sound recording, even eliminating some imperceptible defects of the original master tape. Therefore a super reissue (in limited edition) to listen to everywhere with the smart phone and to dance with joy and elegance at any type of party.. More

With the 12" vinyl reissue of Fascination made for Giancarlo Meo, the legendary producer of Easy Going, Vivien Vee, Capricorn, Amin-Peck, Steel Mind, Claudio Simonetti (aka Kasso) and many other artists, Best Record offers yet another excellent service for those who perhaps don't know they need it. Claudio Casalini 40 years ago was not only a record producer, but above all one of the most important DJ-clubs in Italy. He remembers well the cheering jet set audience in the elegant Roman lounges, with the dance floor packed with people vibrating to that fusion of disco, soul and funk sounds that characterized many Italo-Disco songs of those early Eighties. The three versions of "Out to Get You" contain all those sounds, but it is above all the version re-edited by the imaginative and passionate DJ Massimo Berardi that brings an important portion of musical restoration making it current, and therefore exciting and modern, absolutely suitable for dancing it again anywhere in the world. More

Repress!

German-Italian artist Silvana Noris has been involved in theater, sports, martial arts, writing and singing. "Din Don", released under the pseudonym of Evo in 1983, has become a cult record released on Cultura & Musica. A melancholy underground space-pop that has been buried for years. More

Repress!

Blue Feather were a truly blue-eyed funk outfit from the Netherlands who had a prolific run in the 80s with two albums and a string of club singles to their name. "Let's Funk Tonight" was surely one of their bigger hits, and it sounds resplendent with a fresh master and the full extended version spread out across the A side here. Offering something new for the modern market, Best call upon Faze Action to flesh out this reissue with a killer dub of the track that treads softly but funks deep, just like a good dub should. More

Repress!

Taking a break from their usual Italian remit, Best Record turn their attention to an overlooked pioneer from the annals of German electronic music history. Harry Thumann was based in Munich, and primarily worked as a studio engineer, but his own recorded work was vitally important too. An early adopter of MIDI, and with a propulsive electronic disco sound that was right at the cutting edge of the times, the four "experiments" Best have gathered here represent some of the most potent dancefloor jams he created - full-fat technicolour fever dreams for the fabulous and flamboyant. More

Repress!

Giampiero Scalamogna best known as GEPY & GEPY was an Italian singer, songwriter, producer, arranger and for his powerful voice visually combined to his robust physique he was paired to Barry White and Demis Roussos. During 70s he focused on disco music genre, composing and performing several songs such as Body to Body opening song of the famous Italian TV-show Discoring, and African Love Song that was part of the Nicky Sianos playlist at the Studio 54. More

One-off electronic disco project of 1984 for the unmistakable sounds of the Yamaha DX7 - especially the notorious "tubular bells" during the verses - introduced at the end of '83, but which didn't catch on in Italo-Disco until the following year. "Dancing Dode" has the strangest spelling ever. Whoever created this truly amazing super theme barely knew English as the word "dode" does not exist in English. This explains why some Italo-Disco songs have obvious grammatical errors even on the original records. The artist or the authors thought that [du:d] would be written "dode" in English, but in reality it's "dude"... which means a meticulous and elegant man, potentially homosexual, in short a gay type, "King /Queen" of disco dancing like in that film with J.T.. The role of disco in the 80s was a ground for negotiating rights throughout history, so most people didn't care too much about choosing and hating someone's sexual orientation, but dancing, listening to music and this song with a beautiful melody is perhaps the rarest Italo-Disco song ever made. More

"Stop the World" is another captivating song released in 1984 by Eyes Records, written by three names who certainly need no introduction. Ivana Spagna, Larry Pignagnoli and Ottavio Bacciocchi. However, their artistic depth and their fundamental contribution to Italo-Disco (and not only) in their respective roles should be remembered: Ivana, an excellent lyricist and singer (also for third parties) who became the great pop star still today considered the most graceful in circulation; Larry, who deserves a handful of Grammy Awards for his countless arrangements (but it is enough to mention "Easy Lady" and "Call Me") and finally the modest and precious Ottavio with his excellent Studio Master 33 from Cremona, among the first to find the right sound of Italo-Disco already in the early 80s.. Their contribution then married perfectly with the artistic direction curated by Salvy Lauria and Giacomo Danesi. It's worth highlighting the approximately 6 minute instrumental track of "Stop The World", it's a dance floor killer. Giuliano Saglia and Silvio Trisolino are right in wanting to re-propose only and exclusively the two original songs which after 40 years have been perfectly remastered by Dom Scuteri. Best Record is right to carry out all the work of this wonderful jewel, after having already reissued Blue Gas, Future State and Lily Ann, the other praiseworthy productions of the reborn Milanese label. Aficionados do well not to miss this other reissue of an Italo Disco classic from the 80s !!! More

Repress!
Finally the official remastered reissue of one of the rarest and sought after italo-disco record from early 80's. You'll be hard pushed to hear anything like this ever again... this is an epic out there electronic production that's one of a kind. In the same period of other italo-disco classics like REM, STOPP, Klein & MBO, GANG previously reissued by Best Italy, they representing the roots of chicago sound played by the pioneers like Ron Hardy! More

Repress!
Remastered reissue of a double A-side classic by LAMA a studio project from 1983. Both tracks here are killer electro/italo tracks well worth their weight in gold. Love On The Rocks is a electro-fied cover of Lucio Battisti's original disco smash "Il Veliero." On the flip we have the dark apocalyptic feel offered by "Nineteen Ninety Three". More

Repress!

These two tracks by B.W.H. (as many of you will know this is the acronym for Black Way & Helene) are original record productions House Of Music 1984, unreleased until April 2015. The song "All Right" is a little jewel, the music is pleasant to listen to, but it doesn't have the same strength as the previous legendary "Stop" and "Livin' Up". "Blackway, Are You?", the piece on the back of the vinyl. Is in any case one of the deepest Italo-Disco songs around, a beautiful combination of that basic synthesizer melody and those Aphex-y style pads take you to another place . This vinyl record is in loving memory of Vincenzo Balestrieri, ''Offshore Powerboat Racing World Champion'', 1968, 1970. More

Two track EP from the Italian early 90's cult label, Interactive Test, helmed by legendary Falsini brothers. Both sides going generously past the 8 minute marker and well into the upper 120 BPM class of affairs, "Farf-Ability" is another show case of the experimentally excursive approach to the early Italian progressive sound, this time on behalf of Francesco Farfa. Two flavours served confidently: uplifting daytime ravey on the A side, and darker trancier night time on the B side, heavy on the percussive samples. Remastered and re-issued with new full cover artwork, featuring photographic evidence of a special moment in time for Italian rave culture. More

In the early 1980s, a particular alchemy between new musical technologies and significant social, cultural, and political transformations in Ghana gave rise to a new style of highlife. Drum machines and synthesisers appeared alongside lilting guitar lines and punchy horns, and the emerging Ghanaian diaspora began incorporating US disco and boogie, R&B, European new wave, and Caribbean zouk and soca into their music.

This style soundtracked the birth of a new, proud Ghanaian identity and captured the idiosyncrasies of a rapidly changing postcolonial society, marked by increased migration and wider access to global sounds and modern technology.

More than 20 years after the release of the heavy funk and Afrobeat-focused Ghana Soundz compilations, and following the success of 2009’s Ghana Special: Modern Highlife, Afro Sounds & Ghanaian Blues 1968-1981, Soundway is now shining the spotlight on the multifaceted, diasporic sounds of the ‘80s on new compilation Ghana Special - Volume 2, a collection of 18 burger highlife, electronic afrobeat, and reggae tracks.

Though Ghanaian to its very core, burger highlife emerged mostly outside of Ghana and just as the sun was setting on the country’s musical golden age. In the 1960s and 1970s cities such as Accra, Tema, Takoradi, and Cape Coast were home to thriving music scenes, and the loud horn sections of the big highlife bands, or the simpler, socially conscious palm wine music ruled the dance halls, locals drinkeries, and airwaves.

Back then music represented a powerful force, and an artist’s endorsement or dissent could make or break a politician. Perhaps to curb this power, the incoming military regime-imposed curfews and substantial import taxes on musical instruments in the early 1980s. These measures, coupled with a profound economic downturn and shifting musical preferences that saw DJs replacing large live bands, served as the final blow to Ghana's once-thriving music scene.

Musicians left Ghana in droves, scattering across West Africa, Europe, and North America. Thanks in part to its more permissive migration policies Germany became the heart of this scene, and the movement in fact takes its name from “Bürger”, the German for “citizen”. Less confined by genres than back in Ghana, artists in the diaspora were quick to engage with the different styles, working disco, boogie, and funk into their highlife melodies. Access to state-of-the-art studios and modern musical technologies also gave birth to all sorts of mutations: burger highlife in fact is less defined by one particular sound, than by the experimental approach and global outlook of its artists.

Tracks such as Ernest Honny’s experimental cut “New Dance” are an example of just how far artists strayed from original highlife arrangements. Honny, who started his career as a keyboard player with Dr K Gyasi’s band The Noble Kings, had moved to Benin in the 1980s, where he experimented with synthesisers and drum machines at one of Cotonou’s top studios. Similarly, Nan Mayen’s “Mumude” is a slick, 80’s pop track which was recorded in Germany, with only a slight echo of highlife in its opening Fanti lyrics.
This generation of artists found inspiration in sounds that transcended geographical boundaries: singer and guitarist Nana Budjei, who was originally from central Ghana but had moved to the UK in the 1980s, says that his radiant, sun-drenched 1988 track “Asobrachie” is “influenced by reggae maestros Bob Marley and Alpha Blondy, and traditional Akan folklore music”; on “Jigi Jigi”, the Kumasi-born, Sweden transplant Delips Apo draws on soca, latin, and zouk influences.

Throughout the 1980s Ghanaian artists kept producing increasingly innovative and experimental hybrids, winning over new audiences abroad. Though back in Ghana the new sound was initially met with disapproval by purists, it slowly became a symbol of a new, worldly and modern Ghanaian identity. The creativity and open mindedness that characterised burger highlife have gone on to shape the evolution of Ghanaian music since, giving artists the freedom to explore new global sounds while preserving a proudly Ghanaian soul. Ghana Special - Volume 2 stands as a vibrant tribute to the lasting legacy of this groundbreaking musical era. More

Reissue of "Die Schöpfung" by Cybex Factor from 1991 More

The Overlords is a pioneer electronic project coming from Denmark. Rune Bendixen, Carsten Pedersen and Ian Ion started to work together in the late 80’s inspired by Front 242 and Adrian Sherwood’s electronic dub. The ever-cheaper samplers allowed the band to record their debut album “Midnight at the Grooveyard II” (1988) and built their own studio The Grooveyard in Copenhagen. Next works started to get increasingly influenced by techno, new beat and innovative dance music. A new single “Moontrap” (1990) appeared on Belgium’s Antler Subway Records and led The Overlords to collaborate with Kenneth Baker who remixed the next single and massive club hit “Sundown” (1991). The full-length “Organic?” (1991) came shortly after also on Antler Subway in Belgium, ZYX Records in Germany and reached America with Caroline Records. The success continued to grow and a new EP for “Organic+” (1992) was out with the title track remixed by the legendary DJ and producer Sven Väth.

“From the first song, with it’s chorus of ‘We Are Genetic Engineers’ and it’s rich, catchy melody, “Organic?” throws the fetters of EBM off and soars to heady heights. The third track leaves the fresh energetic, colourful world of humour to create menace and dread with a brilliant cover version of “Holiday In Cambodia” which has the same threatening sound of the D.K.s original, and is perhaps even more danceable and disturbing. An exciting album full of catchy, tongue-in-cheeky chant-a-long tracks and the music has such depth, such stark, radiant colour, such brilliance that is unreservedly recommended.” (Soft Watch)

“Organic?” was originally released only on CD and cassette and is now available for the first time on vinyl record including all original tracks plus some bonus and remixes. Limited edition of 500 copies on double vinyl with gatefold sleeve and one postcard. More

Tracklisting:
A1 Unknown Artist - STR ASJ
A2 Unknown Artist - ELD AYO
B1 Unknown Artist - AKI AA!
B2 Unknown Artist - VUT HAY

Sales Note
Tooflie keeps up deep-vein research instinct to remake and remodel the hidden gems of the worldwide archive quirks to tomorrow's dancefloor. Label's best-kept secret anonymous producers return with a highly anticipated funk-driven four-tracker voyage to pan-Asian crates, from Bollywood to China with a journey to Uzbekistan and Southeast Asia. They're here to take you on a gleeful joyride around their collective musical imagination: the A side sweeps in with a hypnotic feel via psychedelic swells, tension-building textures, and a bumpy, hardy rhythm, while the next cut is softening sharp edges of Bollywood original and adding sophisticated melodic expression into dancefloor territory. Do the flip to find two more bright refixes' of Chinese and Uzbekistan tunes. The bubbling 303-driven rhythms of the 'B1' are packed with sleazed-up keys, thumping bass injections, and resonant chants. The latest cut goes full-on ecstatic disco mode and finishes the release with a clean, floor-filling edit of a rare uplifting slice of Uzbekistan's celestial magic. Vinyl-only and in a very limited quantities as usual! More

Hi! We are ready to present the second record from My Cup Of Tea produced by founder Piero, it includes 4 house tracks and broken beats with a warm and danceable sound, includes a remix by Carlo from Aterral. We hope that this copy will find its place not only on the shelf, but also in the bag and will always be relevant at any party. From the southern latitudes - with love!

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Attention Italo fans, the long-awaited return of Il Bosco's hugely popular series of 'Hits From The Manctalo Discortek' is here.

As always, the selection is crammed with deeply dug gems that will have hardcore Italo collectors drooling and Italo newcomers drawn to the scene by his infectious choices.
8 hitters that would cost you a deposit on a house to own (if you could even find them). Essential.

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Next up on Rocky Hill is a limited edition, vinyl only white label, featuring 2 edits licensed from Terrestrial Funk and Darone Sassounian's compilation from 2021, and two original tracks from LA - based DJ and producer, Lara Sarkissian. The A side (Silk Road Side), features two previous exclusives from Darone's compilation on Terrestrial Funk titled, 'Silk Road: Journey of the Armenian Diaspora (1971 - 1982)'. The two edits on the A side were only available digitally, on CD, and Cassette formats. A1 features an edit of Marten Yorgantz's "Ammenain Serdov [De Tout Coeur]" from NY-based DJ duo, Fundido. A2 features an edit of Jozeph Sefian's "Karoun E Yegel" from Darone Sassounian. The B Side (Lara Sarkissian Side), features two original tracks sampling duduk (Armenian woodwind), songs - named as Lezginka Dance Scene and Ojakhum Nightmare. The tracks are reworks of the originals from 2016 - 2017, when Sarkissian began the creation of her own unique process of synthesizing duduk as percussion, bass and voice. Both tracks have been used in her early live sets from 2017 - 2018. They're finally available now only on vinyl. This is Rocky Hill. More

Riviera Records is a brand new label that kicks off with ‘Move’ - a statement of intent from founder X-Coast. Continuing to perform across the USA, Canada, Europe and Asia, X-Coast is an unconventional character and little is known about the mysterious Serbian other than the concept for the alias is that it exists “somewhere in the deep blue Caribbean Sea, between your imagination and what’s real.” Having released on labels like Hot Haus, Lost Palms and Steel City Dance Discs, X-Coast now launches Riviera Records with a promise to be an “uncompromising clash of sounds” and the label stays true to that from the get-go. There is no mucking about here as X-Coasts demonstrates his versatility as a producer with three varying mixes of ‘Move’ making up the bulk of the package. First up is the Trans Mix: an arms-in-the-air, throwback trance track with euphoric vocal stabs all primed to inject real energy into any set. House Mix then bounces and bumps with a refracted garage vox and endless old school dynamism, before the twisting and turning Breaks Mix follows with its thumping drums, hits and rattling dub sounds that all explode to life. Finally, ‘Naos’ totally flips the script with a slow, deep, cosmic workout build on a rugged bassline. A breathy voice, warm chords and balmy pads all wash over you like a Balearic breeze and take you to hedonistic dance floor somewhere in 80s Ibiza. More

(2023 Repress) Young Marco mines deep into the 90s era Italian house underground and strikes absolute gold... Part 1 of 2..

This spring, Safe Trip will release Welcome To Paradiso, an expansive retrospective of the Italian dream house sound co-compiled by label founder Young Marco.

At the tail end of the 1980s, a new take on deep house began to emerge from Italian studios. 'Dream house' drew inspiration from key U.S deep house records of the period � the spacey melodiousness of Larry Heard's productions, and the rich jazziness of tracks originating in New Jersey in particular � but sounded distinctly different. Its' 'head-in-the-clouds' feel � all rich chords, tactile basslines, fluid piano lines and starry electronics � made 'dream house' a uniquely Italian proposition.

First and foremost, the style echoed the wavy, glassy-eyed positivity of the period more than any other. While music in the UK and the low countries was getting faster and heavier, Italy's 'dream house' producers continued to create music shot through with warmth and colourful musicality until 1993. While few 'dream house' records were made after then, its' sounds and loose aesthetic influenced subsequent styles such as trance and progressive house.

During its' peak, dream house � or, as it was tagged by leading Italian label DFC, 'ambient house' (echoing the similarly minded work of UK pioneers such as The Orb and The KLF) � could be heard blaring from club sound systems across Europe. The style's popularity was fuelled, in part at least, by the runaway international success of "Sueno Latino".

Welcome To Paradiso gathers together some of the finest examples of the style for the first time since the turn of the 90s. It includes a smattering of scene anthems � Key Tronics Ensemble's peerless "Calypso of House", Morenas's "Sonnambulism", the ambient mix of Last Rhythm's Italo-house classic "Last Rhythm" � alongside a swathe of hard-to-find, in-demand and forgotten gems.

There are cuts from key players in the movement � the likes of Don Pablos Animals, Sasha (later to find fame with a strong of bouncy, piano-heavy Italo-house cuts), and Dreamatic � plus a string of lesser-known names whose contribution to the evolution of the sound should not be overlooked. Young Marco has also found space for Leo Anibaldi's "Elements", a rare deep house outing from a producer who later helped define the sound of Roman techno.

Over the course of two double-vinyl compilations (and one extended digital download package), Welcome To Paradiso celebrates one of the most evocative and imaginative musical styles of electronic music's golden era. Kick off your shoes, turn your gaze skywards, and immerse yourself in the music. More