Gigi Maini, Raff Todesco and Goblins

Rizzo - Hot Desire

Rizzo's "Hot Desire" is a late release but it packs in some great changes. Produced by Frankie Vaccari, Gigi Maini, and Raff Todesco in 1988 for On The Road. Todesco and Maini both have some fun tracks under their belt but I thought I might highlight this cool cover of Goblin's "Profondo Rosso." Goblin was an Italian prog rock band that put out the original in 1975.





Goblin - Profondo rosso

Rizzo - Hot Desire (download)
City Center - Profondo Rosso (download)

And since its the holiday season and I haven't been updating here as often as I would like here is one by Madigan that also featueres the team of Todesco and Maini.

Madigan - Ice Cold Love (download)

Sue Sadlow Blows Up Disco

Another production from Maurizio Dami (aka Alexander Robotnik). It was co-produced and written by Marzio Benelli who has some classics in his stable as an engineer and producer including the italo boogie classic 'Go On Do It' by Victor (featured in podcast 02). 'My Man' was also co-written by Mya Fracassini, the vocalist on 'Hesitation.'


Sue Sadlow - My Man

Sue Sadlow - My Man (download)

Blackway and Helene

Another dreamy classic from the team of Stefano Zito and Carlo Favilli from 1982. The verses have an atonality that lends a lot of charm to this piece, from the offset it may seem to be a distraction but the harmonies in the chorus pull it all together.


Blackway and Helene - Music for Us
Between the verses and chorus the pulse of this production invites you into a sensuous groove. For a little more information on the Roman DJ scene and Zito's foray into music production check out this interview with Stefano Zito(I can't validate its authenticity but it has some classic pics).

Blackway and Helene - Music for Us (download)

Diana Barton and Merak Music

Diana Barton - Tango

This one is funky. 1986 and in the mix with a real funky synth bass sound and booming electronic drums complimented by the addictive rhythms of electronic toms. This production is a sweet balance of R&B and the Italo sound. Its like Keith Sweat met Valerie Dore in a smoky European night club and cut a record after tripping the light fantastic. Produced by Marco Tansini for Merak Music, the label that released Valerie Dore's "The Night" and a few other tracks that I am planning on showcasing here very soon.

Diana Barton - Tango (download)

Italobot Podcast 06 - Writes a Postcard

Italobot Podcast 06 - Writes a Postcard

01. Lame - You've Got the Night
02. Bandeaux - Black and White
03. Monte Kristo - Lady Valentine
04. Mya and the Mirror - Hesitation
05. Digital Emotion - Go Go Yellow Screen
06. Mr. Master - Dog in the Night
07. B.W.H. - Livin' Up
08. Clio - Faces
09. Ken Scott - The Voice I Feel Inside
10. Ryan Simmons - Lucky Guy
11. David Davil - Men of My Generation
12. Starflight - Dance to the Beat
13. Thai Break - Flowers in the Rain
14. Finzy Kontini - Cha Cha Cha

Sorry for the delay in getting this one out. But I hope it is worth the wait. Some fun tracks on here some of them have been featured recently but I had to get them down for those of my friends too lazy to check in regularly. Maybe it will help cure those Monday blues.


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Rose and Robyx

Rose - Magic Carillon

A haunting and beautiful piece by Rose this one has been swimming around in my mind since I first heard it. Once again Robyx (aka Roberto Zanetti) defends his irrefutable position in the pantheon of Italo producers. This one graced vinyl in 1984 on Discomagic Records. Check out their catalog for a collection of classics and unknown hits. Check out David Vunk and Alden Tyrell's mix "Love Comes Only Once in a Lifetime" to see this track placed properly in a wonderful mix.

Rose - Magic Carillon (download)

Ruth - Roman Photo

Ruth - Roman Photo

French New Wave from 1985 with some really crisp drums. A great blend of live and synthesized instruments here with the clever incorporation of old camera sounds in the intro that make this one a captivating, moody peace. The brain child of Philippe Doray, Ruth Ellyeri, and Thierry Müller, they also teamed together for some experimental electronic music in the late 70s and early 80s under the name Ilitch.

Ruth - Roman Photo (download)

Carlo Favilli, Stefano Zito, and House of Music

Mr. Master - A Dog In The Night

In 1983 Carlo Favilli and Stefano Zito delivered some timeless tracks for their label House of Music. Mr. Master's 'A Dog In The Night' and B.W.H.'s 'Livin' Up' and 'Stop' define a dance floor that I long to be on. And to make things that much sweeter Casco's 'Cybernetic Love' was launched the same year on House of Music. All of these productions are so dense and smoky it reaffirms 1983 as a pivotal year for Italo. Not much to say about these tracks so I will let them speak for themselves.


B.M.H. - Stop


B.W.H. - Livin' Up

Mr. Master - A Dog in the Night (download)

Mr. Master - A Dog in the Night (Instrumental)(download)

B.W.H. - Livin' Up (download)

B.W.H. - Stop (download)

Tullio De Piscopo - Stop Bajon

Tullio De Piscopo's 'Stop Bajon' is a departure from the synthesizer-dominated tracks I have been featuring but it has a sensuous groove that I couldn't resist sharing here. A drummer who cut his teeth in jazz and fusion combos, he released some forward thinking material in the late 70s, and played drums on Kano's 'It's a War' and 'Super Extra Sexy Sign.'



Tullio De Piscopo - Stop Bajon 'Stop Bajon's' soulful pulse has a swing and laid back nature not found in a lot of songs that are considered 'Italo Disco' but his style has been grouped under that umbrella due to the fact that he is Italian and he unquestionably had a strong funk and disco influences. Regardless, this song is easy on the ears.

Tullio De Piscopo - Stop Bajon (download)

Duke of Burlington - Flash '83

Mario Battaini (aka The Duke of Burlington) cut an updated version of his 1969 funk classic in 1983 for Proto Records with this version of Flash. The original is a rare groove classic that would drive any rare soul collector madcap with excitement.

The Duke of Burlington - Flash (1969)

Fourteen years later the Duke of Burlington updated Flash with a fresh new look for the 1980s. With Tony Carrasco (see previous post) behind the boards it was done properly for the new era. The groove and changes remained but the addition of well arranged arpeggios and synthesizers allowed for a tasteful redux of a soulful classic.

The Duke of Burlington - Flash '83 (download)

Bandeaux and Gazebo

A wonderful song from Bandeaux, Black & White was written by Gazebo and Romano Musumarra and produced by Mario Tagliaferri. This production is super clean and the use of the stuttering vocals and signature delayed guitar part makes me want to listen to it over and over again. Gazebo is better known for the track "I Like Chopin" a whimsical ballad that was one of my first entries into Italo.



Bandeaux - Black & White (Club Mix) (download)

Maurizio Sangineto, James Otis White Jr. and The Armed Gang

James Otis White Jr- Baby Come On

Such a funky track! This one is from James Otis White Jr. I have to admit, I heard this on Intergalactic FM 2 today and had to get it up here. 1983, Italy, serious funk. Produced by Maurizio Sangineto (aka Sangy) for Musix Records. They also collaborated as The Armed Gang. Sangy hooked up with US soldiers stationed in his hometown of Vicenza to produce these funky Italo-R&B crossover slammers. This is that boogie sound of early 80s that is so fresh I just cannot get sick of it.



James Otis White Jr. - Baby Come On(download)

David Davil, Riccardo Gnerucci and more

David Davil - Men of My Generation

I can't get enough of this song and the video only makes it better. A home brewed production from 1983, the video is a fun mix of video effects and it looks like everyone had a good time filming it. Produced by Riccardo Gnerucci for SPQR records, he also produced Shadow of the Night by King Kong in 1984 for Sensation Records.


King Kong - Shadow of the Night

David Davil - Men of My Generation (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)

Digital Emotion

Digital Emotion - Go Go yellow screen

"Formed in Denmark in mid-1983, Digital Emotion recorded two memorable albums of their funky electronic dance music. Their 1984 self-titled debut outing, which featured such infectious dance tunes as "Get Up, Action" and "Go Go Yellow Screen", was followed by Outside In The Dark, a year later. Both albums were produced the production team of Adam and Flesiner, whose past credits include overseeing recordings by the Videokids, Monotones, l-Vira and Q-Matic." (from Allmusic.com)

"Go Go Yellow Screen" by Dutch group Digital Emotion is about as solid as they come. Produced by Adams & Fleisner, this partnership produced a lot of hi- nrg electro for Break Records in the 1980s. Their style seems to have been co-opted by bubble gum dance groups from the 90s (aka Aqua and Venga Boys).

Digital Emotion - Get Up Action

Digital Emotion - Go Go Yellow Screen (download)