ZYX Germany Vinyl & CDs

Review: Another killer reissue here from the unrivalled team at ZYX who look back to the early 2000s for Dirty Summer, an energetic electronic album by Joy Kitikonti. This one very much captures the essence of summer nightlife and dancefloor thrills while fusing house, trance and euro-dance influences with big shiny beats and catchy melodies. Its uplifting sound is as infectious as a virus and the melodies are more sugary than a mountain of Haribo, all of which are designed to keep you moving and fill your hart with the sort of carefree fun that euro-dane is all about. It's an electrifying soundtrack for any party.

Review: Somewhat confusingly, much of the music we assume was recorded by Italian Italo-disco group Koto was actually made by Dutch producer Michiel van der Kuy - albeit in a similar style. From The Dawn Of Time, which first surfaced in 1992 three years after he controversially acquired the name, is one such release. This reissue - the first on vinyl, as far as we can ascertain - shows what van der Kuy brought to the project, namely a rush-inducing sense of euphoria, synth riffs reminiscent of Euro-dance club cuts from the period, and rock-solid musicianship. Combine these with throbbing, Italo-disco and Hi-NRG style basslines, bustling machine drums and plenty of sonic star-gazing, and you have a post-Italo album that sticks closely to the blueprint laid out by the Dutchman's Italian predecessors.

Review: The next vinyl edition of ZYX Italo Disco New Generation features eight selected New Generation songs that have been particularly popular with Italo Disco fans in recent years. Included this time are: Savage with their classic 'Italodisco' remixed by Centre Neptune boss Flemming Dalum, the addictive and pop-inflected power of Bunny X's 'Words' featuring the unmistakable Fred Ventura on vocals, as well as the neon-lit romance of Tam Harrow's classic 'Your Love Is So Nice' (1st extended mix) among many more. As a bonus, each vinyl comes with an exclusive Italo Disco mousepad!

Review: ZYX's new vinyl compilation The Dark Side Of Italo Disco is a contrast to their numerous upbeat titles, such as the recent ZYX Italo Disco New Generation that came with an awesome complimentary mousepad. Label boss Flemming Dalum has selected some deep, mystical and melancholic tackle on this one, with timeless classics such as like the bright like neon "Eagles In The Night" by Dario Dell'Aere, the post-punk swagger of The Creatures' "The Other World Robots" or the gothic romanticism of "Blue Room" by Kirlian Camera all showing an interesting side of Italo disco music.

Review: To celebrate the 30th anniversary of this cult TV show, this special edition soundtrack brings the iconic series' music to life once again. Featuring the legendary score composed by Jerry Goldsmith alongside additional tracks from renowned composers like Dennis McCarthy, this release captures the futuristic essence of the groundbreaking sci-fi series. From the soaring theme song to the dramatic orchestral compositions, the tunes evoke the spirit of exploration and adventure that defined the show, all presented in stunning sound quality.

Review: The ZYX label returns with a second volume of The Italo Disco Collection and this one is another limited edition affair that comes as a four LP box set with a beach ball included. It covers plenty f ground, all of it fantastically well produced with irresistibly happy Italo melodies, strident disco groves and some fantastic synth work from names like Koto, Baby's Gang, Raggio Di Luna aka Moon Ra, Cyber People and many more all contributing to another complete and comprehensive collection.

Review: 80s Techno Tracks is an essential compilation series for those looking to complete their collections of retro classics. The third vinyl edition of this series of ZYX is another doozy that contains 12 carefully selected gems from the earliest days of techno and despite the fact these are around 40 years old they still do damage on the dancefloor. The likes of Bigod 20, Song, Robotiko Rejekto, Scarecrow, technic and Aircrash Bureau all feature with authentic old-school tracks that wear their hardware aesthetics on their sleeves and cannot fail to make a mark.

Review: Master compilers ZYX outta Germany have pulled off another masterstroke here. The fourth edition of their
80s Electro Tracks Vinyl Edition collection comes on wax and is packed with gems you will know, and some you won't. All of these tunes very much defined the 80s electro era in their own way and plenty have all kept their edge and energy 40 years on. From catchy synth-pop ditties to the more edgy and experimental beats via several infectious rhythms and retro vibes, this is a time capsule back to this most wonderful decade.

Review: 80s Techno Tracks Volume 1 was originally a CD-only compilation put out back in 2019 by the ZYX Music label. It has proved so popular that it now comes on a special vinyl release that packs in eight of the best tunes to feature on the CD. It makes for a fun and throwback listen that very much chimes with the current trend for these sorts of sounds - hi-nrg, eurobeat, EBM, synth-pop, industrial and new beat with a bit of proto-acid house town in for good measure. It is the unmistakable characteristics of the machines that made these tunes that make them so instantly lovable and transportive.