ITALIA SYNTHETICA 2025 features a FRED VENTURA curated selection of unreleased tracks from a collective of Italian artists and producers who have long been influential in the electronic underground scene. These musicians continue to push boundaries and explore new frontiers within electro, synth-pop, and new wave.

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Produced and engineered by Jah Wobble at home in his bedroom (hence the title), the album was originally released in spring 1983, showing a different side in the bass player evolution. His proper 2nd album after a major label stint with Virgin - for his debut - and the stratospheric collaborations with Holger Czukay & The Edge. A mystical hybrid of dub fusion, ethereal wave and global beat, still ahead of his time.

Tracklist:

Side A

1 City (Jah Wobble)
2 Fading (Jah Wobble)
3 Long Long Way (Wobble/Animal)
4 Sense Of History (Wobble/Animal)
5 Hill In Korea (Jah Wobble)
6 Journey To Death (Jah Wobble)

Side B

1 Invaders Of The Heart (Jah Wobble)
2 Sunshine (Wobble/Animal)
3 Concentration Camp (Wobble/Animal)
4 Desert Song (Jah Wobble)
5 Heart Of The Jungle (Jah Wobble)

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Third chapter of the “Milano Undiscovered” series, curated by Fred Ventura, takes us on a journey through the vibrant Milanese techno and house scene of 1988-1992.

This latest installment unveils a treasure of unreleased demos, showcasing the productions that emerged from the city’s flourishing underground during this era. Inspired by the pioneering sounds emanating from Chicago, Detroit, London and Sheffield, a wave of Milanese producers embarked on a creative odyssey, crafting their own unique sonic interpretations of the electronic dance music landscape.

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Hot on the heels of the first influential volume - Milano Undiscovered 1982-1986 – here’s the uncommon sophomore release. The city of Borsa and fashion has been always struggling for an underground identity, collecting a series of rough contaminations between post-punk and dance music. The new compilation is undoubtedly a step forward, a second chance for many of the early artists involved. Altogether with some illustrious emerging names of the local electronic scene, here’s a definitive collection of contemporary Italo disco and synth pop tracks from the future past. Enjoy !

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Pioneers, that’s what we call them. Not properly a giant team, but a bunch of forward thinking producers. In the heyday of the italo disco there was some forward thinking, a new way to address the club scene. 1985 is the golden year and if you want to get to the core of the synth-pop experience look no further ! This previously unreleased compilation collects a series of unbelievable tracks. An outstanding vision featuring la crème de la crème of the early 80s scene. All the way from electro wizard Alexander Robotnick to the astonishing performance of vocalist Mya Fracassini, through the French connection of Bigazzi brothers of Mon Bijou.

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Originally released in 1982 this pure electro-jam was a surgical trait d’union between the italo-disco phenomenon and the American boogie. The frantic vocal version is paired with the instrumental on the b-side. Scientific Saturday night fever with vocoder and the likes !

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Killer rendition of the classic Led Zeppelin stomp, arranged by famous dj & producer Massimo Barsotti. Programmed by none other than Maurizo Dami aka Alexander Robotnick, this robotic version is delivered with alien vocals and cold as ice synth lines. Still a favorite for many international djs.

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This was the sole release of ghostly electro wizards Zed, released in1983 by the mysterious couple of J.K. Eller and J.P. Enten. Universal love meets artificial intelligence in this feverish number.

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

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Sweetart Vinyl. Originally released in 2004, MF DOOM's MM.FOOD is hailed as a classic | hip-hop album full of inventive production, brilliant wordplay, and unique themes. Celebraled for its seamless blend of humor, wit, and social commentary, the album ushers listeners into a bizarre world af food-related metaphors, painting a bitterly comedic portrait of a life tainted by vice, violence, and jealousy. It was a brilliant and novel concept that gave DOOM plenty of room to explore the album's subjects. Throughout MM..FOOD, DOOM embeds complex ideas within seemingly simple narratives. Album opener "Beef Rapp' is a multi-pronged metaphor reminding listeners of the dangers involved in the glorification of conflict, especially within the rap game. "Hoe Cakes" borrows its name from the sweet, hot water cornmeal patties, which he uses as a symbol to rhyme about indulgence and excess. Continuing the motif, DOOM uses the Madlib-produced "One Beer" to fold layers of depth about escapism and ego, while the popular "Rapp Snitch Knishes" critiques the sell-incrimination and contradictory behaviors of some rappers. Overall, MM.FOOD is both a social commentary and a piece of social satire, showcasing MF DOOM'S ability to blend serious themes with his unique, playful lyrical style. In celebration of the album's 20th anniversary, MM.FOOD has been repackaged with all new artwork by Sam Rodriguez!

Tracklist:

1.1BEEF RAPP
1.2HOE CAKES
1.3POTHOLDERZ FEAT. COUNT BASS D
1.4ONE BEER
1.5DEEP FRIED FRENZ
1.6POO-PUTT PLATTER
1.7FILLET-O-RAPPER
1.8GUMBO
1.9FIG LEAF BI-CARBONATE
1.10KON KARNE
1.11GUINNESSEZ FEAT. ANGELKIA & 4IZE
1.12KON QUESO
1.13RAPP SNITCH KNISHES FEAT. MR. FANTASTIK
1.14VOMITSPIT
1.15KOOKIES

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Four years after Nuova Napoli, Nu Genea are back with Bar Mediterraneo, a new album and journey, which projects the
sounds of the Neapolitan duo formed by Massimo Di Lena and Lucio Aquilina even further.
Nu Genea's Bar Mediterraneo is an idea of a shared place where people meet and fuse together; a space that leaves its
doors open to travellers and their lives, always exposed to the whims of fate. Some of this can be experienced through the
multitude of sounds that come together in the tracks, layers of different acoustic instruments, voices and synthesizers
merging in a unique musical blend.
Opening up to the voices of many different people, separated by languages but united by the sea and the music, Nu
Genea's hometown, Napoli, becomes a true place of encounter.
You can hear this all along. In "Gelbi", a gorgeously deep and propulsive Ney flute plunges into murky waters of the
melancholic Tunisian dialect sung by Marzouk Mejri. In "Marechia'", unbridled happiness and sun ooze from the delicate
vocals of Célia Kameni and create an acrobatic bridge between French and Neapolitan language. In "Straniero", your
soul is arrested from the moment the slow spell-binding mandolin ignites the hypnotic patterns recorded by the legendary
Afrobeat drummer Tony Allen. In "Bar Mediterraneo", the title track, bittersweet guitar’s riffs, analog waves and choirs are
overwhelming the song giving you what you would like to hear on a boat trip along the Amalfi Coast.
Nu Genea couldn't afford to overlook their firmly anchored roots into the Neapolitan culture and its dialect with "Tienaté",
where the power of neapolitan language (interpreted by Fabiana Martone) supports those quarter-tone strings and the
uncessant folk-disco groove that spreads to the entire song. In "Praja Magia", repetitive mandolin riffs lead the song,
giving space to a choral yet tight vocal line that speaks of Varcaturo, a village close to Napoli. In "Rire", a volley of poetic,
deceptively laidback, lyrical fury interpreted by Sicilian Marco Castello intimately combines with a highly musical, multitextured
instrumental backbone and the swoon of a chanson in its heart. In "La Crisi'', the lyrics of a Raffaele Viviani’s
poem from 1930 have been adapted to a laidback jazz-funk groove in full NG style. In "Vesuvio", revaluing the evocative
verses and powerful mantra of Vesuvio, Nu Genea re-adapted to the dancefloor a folk song by the working-class band E’
Zezi from Pomigliano D'Arco, combining the voices of a school choir with Jupiter-6 arpeggios and bold percussions.
Bar Mediterraneo is the place where people constantly return to transform curiosity into participation, tradition into
sharing, unfamiliar into familiar. When travellers come through its “doors”, carrying their treasures of words and emotions,
they aren’t strangers any more. They take part in a shared experience, enriching themselves and others by leading to
unexpected musical journeys.

TRACKLIST:

A1. Bar Mediterraneo
A2. Tienaté
A3. Gelbi (with Marzouk Mejri)
A4. Marechià (with Célia Kameni)
A5. Straniero
B1. Praja Magia
B2. Vesuvio
B3. Rire
B4. La Crisi

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Proudly presenting a new series of Mr Bongo reissues exploring the incredible back catalogue of Sonny Lester’s iconic Groove Merchant record label. First up, the spellbinding funk-fuelled, soul jazz album ‘Simba’, by guitar maestro O'Donel Levy.

Baltimore-born, Levy was already well regarded as one of the best up-and-coming jazz guitarists at the time of Simba’s release. Having toured with George Benson and Jimmy McGriff, as well as featuring on McGriff’s Black Pearl album on Blue Note, he went on to sign with Sonny Lester’s Groove Merchant. Produced by Lester himself and recorded over two back-to-back days of sessions in 1973, Simba features a who's who of ‘70s session players. The album features the legendary studio drummer Steve Gadd, Cecil Bridgewater on Flugelhorn, bass by Tony Levin and arrangements by Manny Albam.

A masterclass in tight yet effortlessly funk-driven rhythms, the tracks showcase these musicians at their zenith. Album opener 'Bad, Bad, Simba' wouldn’t have been out of place on a Lalo Schifrin ‘70s car chase soundtrack. Levy's playing is brilliant, bright and slick, with an infectiously exuberant energy that is complimented perfectly by Gadd's supreme drumming. ‘Playhouse' serves up another vibrant offering, Wah Wah guitars, horns and flutes duelling it out in a fast-paced fashion.

The cinematic thread continues throughout, yet with the tempo taken down a notch. 'Sierra Lonely' and ‘Sad, Sad, Simba’ head into lush ballad territory, with superb arrangements by Albam and beautiful playing by Collins and Bridgewater on Flugelhorn. Here Levy shines without taking any limelight, as the players synergize to a relaxed perfection. ‘Nigerian Knights’ closes the album flawlessly, showcasing once more Levy’s understated yet magnetic flow on the guitar.

Every track on ‘Simba’ is a winner. As with CTI Recordings of the same era, the feel and textures of Sonny Lester's productions have that pre-emptive, hip-hop aesthetic, which later producers would rework and reimagine. This album is expertly balanced, deftly arranged and magically executed, ebbing and flowing with a cool buoyancy that just grooves and grooves.

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We'll jump at the chance to talk about anyone affiliated with the mysterious SAULT collective. One of their most prominent voices, Cleo Sol, has here teamed up with her longtime producer friend Inflo for her second album, 'Mother'. This 12-track LP spans neo-soul, jazz and folk, and chronicles Sol's turbulent transition into motherhood. Across solitary ballads like 'Sunshine' and radiant folk dirges like 'Know That You Are Loved' and 'Promises', this album sounds purer in contrast to her debut 'Rose In The Dark'

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At the start of the 60s, a new wave of gospel-influenced jazz started to emerge, with hits such as Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers' "Moanin'" and Cannonball Adderley's "Work Song" epitomizing this evolution in the genre. The terms "soul jazz" and "funky jazz" were coined as a way to describe this new sound that was making an impact in the US and also on the other sides of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.In 1964, Ray Charles made his first visit to Japan. Then, in 1968, Martha & The Vandellas and Stevie Wonder set foot in the country, followed by Sam & Dave in 1969, Ike & Tina Turner in 1970, and B.B. King in 1971. The TV show "Soul Train" also began airing in Japan in the early 1970s. A watershed moment happened in 1973 when Sammy Davis Jr. was cast in a TV commercial for Suntory whisky — and the influence of the US Black entertainment world had really landed, with soul, jazz, and funk artists becoming household names.Nippon Columbia played a pivotal role during this turning point. The company had contracts with Buddah Records and Blue Thumb Records, releasing notable works by artists such as Gladys Knight & The Pips, Curtis Mayfield, The Crusaders, and The Pointer Sisters. At the same time, the label was also releasing several Japanese soul, jazz, and funk projects under the lead of music director Jiro Inagaki. Inagaki, a saxophonist who began his professional career in the early 1950s, honed his skills at U.S. military camps, where he shared his love of music with the Black servicemen. In the 1960s, he played with drummer Hideo Shiraki's band, which was widely considered to be Japan's representative group of the funky jazz movement. Later, Inagaki went on to pursue more cutting-edge sounds with his Soul Media project, including being a pioneering figure in the "jazz rock" genre. By working closely with Inagaki and his various musical projects, Nippon Columbia really placed the company at the center of an exciting and important period in Japanese music.In 1965, Nippon Columbia opened a recording studio in Tokyo's Akasaka neighborhood. Akasaka was also home to the first ever discotheque in Japan, the legendary MUGEN, which ran from 1968 to 1987 and where many acts performed, including Con Funk Shun, the Bar-Kays, Ike & Tina Turner, B.B. King, Sam & Dave, Three Degrees, and Edwin Starr, as well as many local Japanese singers and musicians. This melting pot of creativity in the area led to the recording of many singles and albums by Japanese artists that were infused with the sounds of soul and funk. Most of these recordings were not available outside of Japan and remain rare and unknown musical gems. The selection you are holding in your hands is an explosive collection of 10 essential tracks released by the legendary Nippon Columbia label between 1969 and 1977, capturing the raw, unapparelled energy that was flowing through the air of the Akasaka streets at this electrifying time. Enjoy!

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Alongside the widespread success of Sault, we've been able to bear witness to the continued rise of core member Cleo Sol as a standout voice in the vanguard of UK soul. Following her two previous albums Mother and Rose In The Dark, Sol stretches out once again with an arresting collection of neo soul, folk and more. Everything is cast in warm, rich tones, from the acoustic lilt of 'Airplane' to the dusky bump of 'Go Baby', but it's the strength of Sol's vocal presence which binds everything together so perfectly. Truly capturing the best of modern soul with wholly justified comparisons to Jill Scott, Erykah Badu and D'Angelo alike, this stunning album has future classic written all over it.

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We’re thrilled to present this new 12inch single release, pursuing our digging into gems previously compiled in some of our various reissue compilations series.. On this occasion, it seemed only natural to highlight two exceptional tracks with numerous points in common.

"Hangin’ On to You" by Jonathan Jr. and "Flyin’ To Santa Barbara" by Special Occasion both hail from Belgium, produced in the mid-80s under the direction of Tony Baron, a producer and artist deeply involved in several New Beat projects and closely tied to the Nunk Records label. Both tracks also appeared in the 4th edition of our AOR Global Sounds compilation series, now sold out.

But beyond mere coincidence, these two tracks are perfect examples of the fusion between Disco rhythms and sound, with the smooth, colorful vibe of AOR productions from that era. Presented here in their 12-inch single versions, these gems are bound to delight DJs and music lovers alike.

A - Jonathan Jr. – Hangin’ On To You (12” Version)
B - Special Occasion – Flyin’ To Santa Barbara (12” Version)

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Vibe's Maestro Khan Jamal's "Infinity" features a Stellar line up, a drums and percussion-rich sextet that features altoist Byard Lancaster and a Philadelphia-based rhythm section, Clifton Burton on harmonica and the legendary free drummer Sunny Murray. Khan Jamal contributed four of the five songs, while pianist Bernard Sammul brought in a cooking "The Angry Young Man." The music stands up to and can be compared to anything released on the great Jazz labels and just like a Classic Blue Note, Prestige, Verve or Impulse release this is an absolute Stand Out Session. For the London, Tokyo and all points West End crowd the Worldwide Sound is "The Known Unknown" which has been featured on several underground compilations back in the Acid Jazz Heydays of the 1990's, but the whole album is a complete undiscovered gem. Self released in 1984 and long out of print, original copies fetch $1000 and upwards, so Jazz Room Records are proud and pleased to bring this Spiritual Soul Jazz gem out to a wider audience.

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