MASSIMILIANO PAGLIARA Vinyl & CDs

Review: Massimiliano Pagliara returns to Permanent Vacation with his fourth studio album 'See You In Paradise'. The Italian-German artist has his sights set on the sublime, enlisting the help of Snax, Fort Romeau, Init, Curses, Coloray and Vanessa to produce a 10-track album of smoked-out trip hop, house, nu-disco and downtempo. Unsettlingly unwilling to settle on any particular genre, the multifaceted nature of the project reflects Pagliara's many faces, not least as a DJ, producer and ballet dancer. For indeed, paradise isn't a world where we're boxed into one role or genre for the rest of our lives, but rather get to occupy as many as we see fit.

Review: It's been a fair few years now since Italian producer Massimiliano Pagliara, famed for his analogue-heavy blends of bright synthesizer melodies, pop hooks, Chicago house grooves and robust acid lines, relocated from Italy to Berlin. It's obviously been a fruitful move, as this second full-length - his first dropped in 2011 - is mostly made up of collaborations with locally based producers. Norwegian exile Telephones lends a hand on the deliciously Balearic "Long Distance Call", with one-time NYC resident Lee Douglas recalling his TBD work with Justin Vandervolgen on the murky acid assault that is "Fall Again". Elsewhere, you'll find a range of moods, ranging from the enveloping power house of "Native Tribes of Jupiter" (a hook-up with Credit 00), to the dreamy synth-pop of "With One Another".

Review: While Live at Robert Johnson has released a plethora of mix CDs, compilations and singles, Focus For Infinity from Massimiliano Pagliara is actually the first long player to be put out on the imprint. The eight track vinyl version of the album meanders through downtempo ambience, housey drive, funky disco and intricate mimimal aspects over its course. Singing its own song and dancing to its own rhythm, the Italian producer explores analogue recordings and digital manipulation equally. Featuring guest vocalists on three of the tracks, it's an album to be listened to at home but also holds enough weight to move a dancefloor. The 2xLP showcases the full breadth of Pagliara's production nous, from the synth pop of"As The Night Breathes" to the low slung ambience of "I'll Never Be". The devious disco feel on "Harmonize" and the electro works on "In Order Of My Depth" are all displays of the producer's wide eyed approach. The second slab of wax is just as varied, with the deep and luscious keys on "Fade The Light" and more 80s synth musings on "After". Back to back with the clicks and cuts of "A Wrong Chance" it's a delightful mixed bag that touches on many spectrums within dance music and shows of Paglaria as a master of his trade. Essential.