X-Visitors

This track really swings! Its hard not to listen to this without moving your body to the back beat. San Francisco Bay Area funksters, X-Visitors put this one out in 1983 on Dancing Bear Records. The main synth melody is just molasses-thick, the dissonant cowbell, monotone rap and soulful crooning on this one all combine for a should shuffling number.

X-Visitors - The Planet Doesn't Mind

I'm a Vocoder

What would electronic music be without the robotic timbre of vocoded vocals? Now that auto-tune and a renewal of interest in vocoder use are prevailing in popular music it is always important to take a look back at how the vocoder was used in the 1970s and early 80s. To hear it in these earlier tracks is to see how an innovative technology was used to define genres that at their foundation enforced a science fiction element within the music. Today our daily life is the stuff of science fiction and thus the sound of the vocoder no longer represents the same elements of space and the future that it once did. Not only has the unique nature of the vocoder changed over the years but its harder to get the body and volume out of today's digital vocoders and software emulators that you had with the old analog devices.

Check out Gay Cat Park's homage to this wonderful instrument, circa 1982.

Gay Cat Park - I'm a Vocoder
Gay Cat Park - I'm a Vocoder (instrumental)

Hollywood Seven

Many people fall prey to the allure of fame and fortune. Its hard not to when we are immersed in a pop- crazed, mass media culture that seems to place the highest value on the cult of personality. Alides Hidding's 1980 disco tragedy Hollywood Seven is a lesson in the drawbacks to the dream of stardom, sung in a story format and driven by percussive brass and dramatic chord stabs. This one came on in the car today and I had to get it up immediately.



Alides Hidding - Hollywood Seven

Camomilla

Queen of the Night and Indian Reservation were featured on Camomilla's 1985 12-inch "Queen of the Night" on Magnum. Queen of the Night really typifies the Italo sound of the mid 1980s, thick accented female vocals and a melodic, ear-worm synth lead that wiggles into your brain. Indian Reservation is the story of a lonely Native American girl looking for a love. Its a little more nuanced and erratic, with a chunky bass, percolating rhythms, and sustained electric piano that give it a darker feel. Both fun tracks. Enjoy!



Camomilla - Queen of the Night
Camomilla - Indian Reservation

Dancing Therapy

International Music System put out this infectious number in 1984 on Emergency Records. The melody of the chorus and thick synthesizer pads truly has healing qualities. What else can you expect from Maurice Cavalieri and Gino Stefani, the geniuses behind Spacer Woman?

International Music System - Dancing Therapy

Vam Cyborg

Some Spanish electro from 1983 for my re-entry into the trenches of Italobot. I have been spending a lot more time getting back into my instrument at the unfortunate expense of my drum machines and keeping this blog up to date. So to make it up for you I'll get a few extra songs up today. This one from Vam Cyborg is driven by some great minimal arpeggios and has a fun breakdown with heavy breathing and whooping, vocoder chords.

Vam Cyborg - Actos de Maldad

Gina X Performance

Gina X Performance was an Electro Pop group from Cologne, Germany comprising of Gina Kikoine and Zeus B. Held. Best known for their track "No G.D.M." they cut a few full lengths including 1980's, "X-Traordinaire" which featured this haunting number.

Gina X Performance - Opposite Numbers

Zenobia Conkerite

Zenobia cut this pop number in 1985 for Streetwise Records, co-produced by Michael Wooten. I have a personal preference for the dub version because it leaves a lot to the imagination. The vocal single is pretty good and has a tinge of a yacht rockin feel. Before dropping this she had a hand in song writing for a few soul numbers in the 70s and 80s including one or two for motown. Check out this immaculate rare soul number she did for Platinum Hook, produced by Deodato.

Zenobia - In the Night
Zenobia - In the Night (Dub Version)

Rofo and Ray Muylle

This is a pretty popular track from Rofo that I have heard around. It gets lumped into the hiNRG category but it certainly stays away from the more obnoxious sectors of that label. The back beat is very '80s' and the rapid 32nd-note phrases give this song its HiNRG status. All in all its a fun track worth getting up here. It was produced by Ray Muylle who had a couple of boogie tracks with the New York City Band and then went head on into 80s territory with his work with 1000 Ohm (check out his work on "I Think She Understood").

Rofo - Flashlight on a Disco Night

Basic - Face in the Night

A beautiful and obscure Italo track from Basic. The vocals are sparse amongst a lush composition. This track evokes the best of the genre. Listening to it gets me excited to keep digging and searching for more of these gems. Pardon the poor mp3 quality.

Basic - Face in the Night

Toledo Girl

Toledo Girl is a wonderful track recorded first by Little Jack Jingle in 1984 and then covered by Cosa Rosa in 1986. Both versions are pretty spectacular, Cosa Rosa's Spanish guitar breaks and flamenco atmosphere added some wonderful flavor to the track. I featured the Cosa Rosa version on podcast 03.

Toledo Girl - Little Jack Jingle
Toledo Girl - Cosa Rosa

Mike Francis

Well after a month break from italobot I think I am ready to jump back on board. I was holding out for a few tracks that I have been trying to track down but there is still so much goodness to share that it seems criminal to wait any longer to get more music out there (though I suppose it some view it as criminal to share).

Here is a wonderful track from the soulful Mike Francis. This Italian crooner left us too soon just last year. "Night Time Lady" is a real slice of 1984, soulful, yacht-rocking disco. Be sure to acquaint yourself to this edit from Boogie Business that arrived in my email last week. Check out more of Boogie Businesses edits on his soundcloud page. Pure Italo, boogie funk!

Mike Francis - Night Time Lady
Mike Francis - Night Time Lady (Boogie Business edit)

Italobot Podcast 09 - Sees it Sideways

Italobot Podcast 09 - Sees it Sideways
01: Kano - Super Extra Sexy Sign
02: Video Club - Lost Time
03: Marzio - Phantom of the Opera
04: Milkways - Love for NR Part 1/Part 2
05: Ruth - Roman Photo
06: Bagarre - Lemonsweet
07: Plastic Mode - Mi Amor
08: Glam - More Than Ever
09: Giak - Inside You
10: Fake - Donna Rouge
11: Lustt - Pillow Talk
12: Kay Franzes - Take Me and You'll Win

"Save Link as" to download

I really indulged my inner disco time-traveler on this one and had a lot of fun in the process. Hope you do too!

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Mike Macharello and Single Girl

Here is a great release from 1984 that has been described as the first Chicago House track but that could be under dispute. Regardless it is a fun, playful, and simple track. By 1985 Knight Action released R-Trax/D-Rail which unquestionably falls under that catagory of House music. Producer Mike Macharello produced a string of house tracks in the 1980s.

Knight Action - Single Girl

Fabio Frizzi and the Frizzi Brothers

Fabio Frizzi composed a tremendous amount of Italian horror soundtracks in the 70s and 80s. His music from the films is beautiful and haunting, blending traditional instruments with electronics and a rock fusion sensibility. Thankfully he found some time in 1983 to produce this funked out Italian jam "Capita" with his brother Fabrizio Frizzi for Jumbo Records.

DJ Look - Capita