Today Only: Disco/Nu-Disco sale vinyl

Review: Soul Jazz Records promise this is a one off and strictly limited pressing of Alien Starr's 'World Of Ecstasy.' It is a faithful reproduction of the original in terms of art and sound and has been restored from the label after they included it on their excellent recent Space Funk 2 - Afro-Futurist Electro Funk In Space 1976-84 compilation. tUSA in 1985 featuring big slap bass energy, hand claps, drum funk and electro boogie bass. .

Review: Blair French is the next quality artist to make their debut on the increasingly vital MotorCity Wine imprint out of Detroit. He brings hints of Balearic as well as signature smoky deep house from the 313 to his work here. 'Ancestarians' (Physical Mix) also has pan-African influences, jazzy melodies and rich organic percussion while the Spiritual Mix is all about going deep into ambient bliss. 'Champagne Kiddie Pool' then looks even deeper into the musical niches of South America with dembow rhythms overlaid with lively claps and cosmic chords. Last of all is 'Sandbox Fossils with driving bass from James Simonson and guitar from Ryan Gimpert.

Review: Deep house on a 7" is a rather rather thing but this 45rpm certainly is worth your while. It is the first we have heard from Jazztronik, all producer and keysman Ryota Nozaki, since his Universal Language album last year. He has been at this now for 24 years and brings all that know how to these two jams. 'Evoke' is a lively broken beat workout with squelchy bass and improvised jazz keys that are restless and energizing with rich leads. 'Beat Hopper' (The 3rd Session) appears on the flip with more innovative keys and party-pumping broken beats. A tasteful duo for sure.

Review: Marcella Bella's 1983 album 'Nell'Aria' which translates as In The Air is a real gem amongst many in the Italo disco scene of its time. It pairs her own sensuality with evocative disco arrangements and plenty of big tunes like the title track but also the shimmering 80s synths and sentimental vocals of 'La Battaglia'. Bella is the sister of Gianni with whom she often collaborates and is bother of Antonio and Saretto. She released an incredible 28 albums and this is easily the most well known.

Review: For their latest deep dive into Italo-disco history, ZYX Records have enlisted the help of Guiseppe "Joey" Mauro - an Italian producer, songwriter and keyboardist whose career stretches right back to 1984. His "Italo-disco legends" selection is heavy on his own work - no bad thing given his credentials - and contains a wealth of material that has never appeared on CD before. Highlights are plentiful, with our picks including Mauro and Ventura's sparkling and uplifting 'You & I', Italowarriors' throbbing and colourful crew cut, 'The Warrior (120 Italo Version)', the bubbly cheeriness of 'Crazy (Classic Mix Version)' by Malcolm & The Bad Girls, and the effortless Italo funkiness of Raf Coney's 'Horsepower'.

Review: [Emotional] Especial looks back at the first 9 releases since its inception to provide a
selection or "Eleccio" via a special dubbed out DJ meets studio mix from label stalwart
Jamie Paton. Ever since the first white labels appeared at the end of Summer 2013, [Emotional] Especial
has been busy putting out music that are their own warped take on club music. Mixing the
influences of dub, electro, disco, proto-house, house and techno, a sound appeared without any preordained plan. To celebrate the end of the first series of releases come EES10CD - a DJ meets studio
compilation mix created by label artist, remixer and even in-house designer, Jamie Paton. Freaturing tracks from every EP, including two unreleased remixes are the tight productions
of Richard Sen; the wiggle of Scott Fraser; deep, chugging Cage & Aviary dubs; the Eastern
influences of Baris K and newcomers Khidja; the quirky discoid wonk of Maurice & Charles and finally not forgetting of course, the stand out Timothy J Fairplay touches. Whether
alongside Mr Weatherall, Andy Blake or in solo remix mode, young "Junior"s skills (and name)
grows and grows.
All this is perfectly put together by Jamie Paton, the man who launched the label with his
Bizarre Feeling EP. As well as the inclusion of several unreleased cuts, Jamie has edited the
"selection", adding live studio dubbing, FX and the odd mega-mix to make it truly (E)special.

Review: A true product of 2020, Dino Simone wrote and recorded 'Samba du Scujonamentu' during Italy's early lockdown as a "lucky charm" of hope and positivity. Now the track enjoys a swathe of remixes that take this heartfelt ditty in new directions, from the easy groove of Massimo Berardi's version to the tender, soul stirring musicality of Danilo Braca and Bahia Alegria's Latin-influenced take rendered across three distinct mixes. There's also Simone's light-hearted original to enjoy, plus Eld Russell's swirling, heavily treated 'Reggae Basement Mix' for those who like things dubby.

Review: Venti d'Azzurro Records is on fire right now with a busy schedule of dazzling disco goodness, all with a healthy Italo twist. Milanese scene legend Torrevado now makes a return to the label with their second release in two years. It's another mesmerising new track that has hints of bands like Erasure in the deadpan vocals and lots of Euro-dance quality in the bright, tooting arps. Adding extra heat to the release is Dutch super-producer and remixer Savino Deejay with his own well-crafted and dynamic remix designed squarely for the clubs. Both are beautifully textured sounds that will be catnip for fans of Italo Disco with a modern twist.

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: In 1986, the Italo disco world was rocked to its dancing shoes by Virgin's debut single 'Tell Me Why' on Time Records. Featuring the beautiful vocals of Tiziana Negrello, it was a dazzling delight and afterwards over time, Virgin's sound evolved into what became known as Eurobeat with various vocalists stepping in. Fast forward to today, and Iventi d'Azzurro has teamed up with Tiziana and the talented Mirko Hirsch to bring you 'Let's Dance', another surefire hit in the Virgin legacy. Packed with big drums and shiny arps as well as signature infectious energy, it's a total must-have.

Review: We love an album with a nice specific remit and they don't come much more specific than The Love Magician Archives - Disco - New York City 1978-79. Vol.2. It is the latest project on Past Due to involve Weeks, who signed with the label back in 2019 and since then his work as a singer, songwriter, musician, and producer has been showcased for all and proven what a key player he was in the New York disco, boogie funk and house scenes and beyond from the late 1970s to the 1990s. It came on several different labels and as part of various different groups and now comes a second collection of it that is just as good as the first.

Review: KC