GOMA de MASCAR - O.A.U! Remix

Here is a fun remix of Goma de Mascar that landed in my inbox this morning. The audio is from a video remix from O.A.U! out of Spain. Check it out on soundcloud or download below.

GOMA de MASCAR - O.A.U! remix

O'Gar - Playback Fantasy

There is something truly magical about this track. The arpeggio and drums work together effortlessly to make dancing irresistible. O'Gar's casual vocals are cool and relaxed and the subtle chord changes give the song a feeling of the great expanse. Simple surprises in here with drum pattern changes and the radio deejay interlude bring you back to the era. Check out the video and also how I featured it in podcast 10. Listen past the break to hear how he re-sings the chorus, a reminder of the days before protools choruses.

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.

Alek Stark - Trapped EP

Alek Stark cut his teeth in the the late 90s and 2000s with his label Star Whores and releases on numerous labels including Transient Force, home to some wonderful new electro and space disco tracks. His new Trapped EP on 158.8MHz Records has some fine cuts and he has made it freely available for the first 97 downloads. "Trapped" is driven by a drum track very reminiscent of old Prince layered with a spaced out synth, "Who I Am" is another great homage to space disco number complete with textures of arpeggios and vocoded vocals, "Inside You" has a pretty infectious, percussive synth lead and big soul claps.

All in all Stark's EP and label meet his purpose in honoring the Italo sound of the early 80s. Very robotic.

Download the Trapped EP.

He is pressing 20 or more copies on vinyl. If you are interested in getting one email him:

158.8mhz@gmail.com

Milkways Intergalactic and the Superstar

Happy 2010! I hope everyone had a wonderful and safe celebration this New Year's Eve. Took me a while to get back on the horse but I have some fun tracks up my sleeve starting with some space disco from Spain. Milkways launched this cerebral funk into the ionosphere in 1978 for Barclay. A thought provoking track for a long and lonely drift through space.

Milkways - Love for NR Part 1
Milkways - Love for NR Part 2 (Ecstasy)

And here is a fun, funky track from The Boomerang Club Band, "Dee Jay Superstar." Italo-Boogie-Hip-Hop from 1983. Funky synth leads, chunky disco bass, and thick accented raps make this a one track party.

Boomerang Club Band - Dee Jay Superstar

Alek Stark's Electric Dreams

Here is an Italo Disco flavored release from our new friend in Spain, Mr. Alek Stark. Electric Dreams has a hi-nrg vibe to it complete with vocoded vocals, orchestra hits and aggressive tom fills. Released on his own label 158.8MHz Records, Stark has done his homework and composed a contemporary track that remains faithful to the sounds of mid-80s Italo.

Check out more music from Stark at his blog.

Alek Stark - Electric Dreams (limited download)

Felix Mangione and Mata Hari

Mata Hari - Mata Hari

Produced by Felix B. Mangione for Blanco Y Negro in 1987. Felix also produced one of my favorites, "I Want and Illusion" from The Squash Gang as well as some other fun tracks.

Mata Hari - Mata Hari (download)

Fancy Pants

Fancy - Lady of Ice

Fancy has a some great tracks and these are a few of my favorites. According to Fancy's website he had a few singles make it onto the Top 10 Dance Charts in the United States, yet it neglects to say which ones. Check out the website to read up on the history of Fancy and while you are there book him for a show.


Fancy - Bolero


Fancy - L.A.D.Y.O.

David Lyme - Playboy/Bambina

Playboy - David Lyme (1986)
Country: Spain
Credits: Arranged By, Drums - Checho Soler
Arranged By, Keyboards, Computer, Programmed By - Alex Soler
Backing Vocals - Esther Munt , Montse Teruel
Engineer, Mixed By - Maurizio Tonelli
Producer - Miguel Dega* , Ricardo Gomez
Notes: Produced by Miguel Gomez & Ricardo Gomez for Max Music Productions
Recorded & Mixed at Aurha Studio



Born Jordi Cubino, David Lyme is another fine Spanish import to the Italo Disco scene. His biography on Discogs says he did a stint as a fashion model and originally sang opera before discovering Italo Disco. I believe it, listen to those pipes! He did most of his recording with Max Music, a major Spanish label. He is still recording today, working with new artists and writing jingles for Coca Cola and Chupa Chups. Don't forget to check out his hits Bambina and I Don't Want to Lose You.



David Lyme - Playboy (Download)
Lyrics

Italo Dance Dance Dance

ItaloBot, home to the cosmic disco Euro. I have been all about Italo Disco for the past few years. Every now and then I put it down only to pick it up again with a new artist or new song that keeps the neon in my blood stream.


Our maiden voyage takes us to one of my personal favorites, Gary Low. The Spanish born Luis Romero Perez Belmonte (aka Gary Low) is best known for his hits You Are a Danger (1982), I Want You (1983), Forever Together and All My Life (1984), How Much (1985), La Colegiala (1987). His English wasn't great and some of the lyrics to his songs are lost in translation, but that is the charm and appeal of Gary Low and almost all Italo Dance. He has an air of mystery to me considering it is so difficult to find info on him. Check out Arawa for a free download of the You Are a Danger instrumental and complete song.



The most info I've found on him turns up when I search google in Spanish, and even then its tough to find details. Hopefully his website is up and running soon (am I thinking comeback tour?). Anyone with more biography information please send it to me.