Tags: Italian

Review: On their debut album, 2016's the Tony Allen Experiments, Naples twosome Nu Guinea re-invented tracks by the legendary Afro-beat drummer as synth-heavy chunks of deep jazz-funk and nu-Balearica. For this follow-up - their first full length entirely made up of their own compositions - the duo serves up a set of jazz-funk, disco and boogie cuts rich in both their trademark colourful analogue synthesizer sounds and live instrumentation. It's a formula that guarantees a string of memorable highlights, from the sun-kissed peak-time brilliance of "Disco Sole" and rubbery, funk-fuelled "Je Vulesse" (a killer vocal number), to the wobbly downtempo trip of "A Voce E Napule" and Mizell Brothers fizz of closer "Parev Ajare", the album's most synthesizer-heavy cut.

Review: Periodica sublabel Serie Pegaso launched last year to carry further works from the network of artists related to the Italian groove stable. After a mini album from Rosa and an LP from The Funkin' Machine, the latest drop features a new project called Capinera. If you're into any of the sounds Periodica are known for, you're sure to find a lot to love about this sunny slice of synthy, yacht-ready disco funk. 'Il Volo' is nestled on the A-side in a swirl of smooth sax, mellow chords and a supremely laid back rhythm section. 'Suonno' on the flip has a slightly peppier step, but it's still chilled enough to keep from breaking a sweat. This is sophisticated party music, after all.

Review: Internationally acclaimed Italian singer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Chiara Civello unveils a new single, 'Sono Come Sono', blending a mixture of Neapolitan funk and club-infused rawness into four mixes. With the title roughly translating to 'it is what it is', the tune is a true, happy reflection on all things being immutable, and struggle being ultimately futile. Party on!

Review: While Toy Tonics' first Italomania compilation, released back in 2010, featured fresh reworks of classic Italian disco tracks, this belated sequel celebrates a new generation if Italian disco and nu-disco artists. This - as they have made clear - is not synth-heavy Italo-disco revivalism, but disco revivalism and disco-house fusion made by Italians. It's a great collection all told, with highlights including the hybrid disco-boogie brilliance of Tommiboy's 'La Sfinge (featuring D Disco Band)', the synth disco-meets-jazz-funk flex of Severino and Giocomo Mora's 'Maledetto', the coloruful nu-disco excellence of Munk & Kapote's 'La Musica (Hot DJ version)', the orchestrated disco cheeriness of 'SessoSpaghetti (extended mix)' by Finniani & Angeleri - an authentically eccentric excursion - and the synth-heavy squelch of 'Tropica' by Giovanni Damico.

Review: Not to be confused with 80s synth-poppers or an early Carl Craig alias, Psyche is in fact a crack team of players from Naples who have been active for some two decades. In more recent times you might have heard Marcello Giannini, Andrea De Fazio and Paolo Petrella playing as part of Nu Genea's touring band, but after their first tour in 2018 they formed this project as a means of exploring a more minimal, flowing approach to playing their chosen instruments. If Psyche is in some ways a back to basics record, it's also a showcase for their incredible talent at weaving gently psychedelic grooves from simple ingredients. The sound has a perfect treatment, with plenty of reverb and analogue warmth in the mix, all the better to savour the laconic instrumental pieces the band perform.

Review: We really have a soft spot for the Four Flies late out of Italy. Their mix of world, Latin, library, jazz and plenty of other cultured in-between sounds always brings a smile to our face and dancers to our dance floors. This new 7" takes the form of a second single to be taken from Psyche's (aka Naples collective Marcello Giannini, Andrea De Fazio and Paolo Petrella) debut long player which is due in May. It's a compelling cut that offers a rich exploration of rhythm and the movements of an imaginary ritual dance. Synths and drums, guitar and bass and percussion all interplay delightfully.

Review: After their hair-dropping debut LP Latin Freaks, Funkool Orchestra keep the stovetop hot with a high-energy 7" vinyl, bridging the delta between their first and second albums. A Maledetta Discoteca production, 'Tengo Che Ffa' blends Mediterranean funk, disco, and Neapolitan groove into an allusive proto-P-funk prance, especially if, at least, the B-side's title is to be believed. The latter alternately named 'Dance With Pezz', we hear them pick up the pace with a clav-spiced, conga-crammed number. Take it from us: the record is a clavi-net good.

Review: 'Anything Goes Vol. 7' the latest vinyl release EP from Rollover Edit Service, a subsidiary of Anything Goes, is back. Delve into the Italian music scene of the 70s and early 80s with four meticulously edited gems; all four versions here are billed as originals, credited to contemporary producers' hands (Black Pomade, Pablot, etc.) yet are heavily built around each respective sample. Our highlight is the hard-won, twangy B4, 'Prima O Poi Ti Prendero'.

Review: 'Storia Fantasy' is a second release from Reparto Vinile that again marries Italo influences to a range of different genres. The label is based in Monferrato in Italy (which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and it is helmed by influential Italian Luca Bernascone. Here he assumes his new production alias Cabopolonio for a super new single. The vocal version is a nice mood tempo roller with lush pines and cosmic twinkles, vibraphone melodies and a nice retro edge to it. The instrumental version is a little more deep and slow. The dub element means it seduces even more and marks a second fine drop from this label.

Review: Tullio De Piscop is an Italian drummer of some repute. He worked solo and with his quartet and interest in his records, many of which were recorded back in the 70s, has piqued recently resulting in a load of reissues. Sotto E 'Ncoppa is one of them and it was recorded back in 1976 and has since gone up in value and rarity. It's a jazz-rock fusion album with a whole host of electric guitar, bass, saxophones and pianos on it that embelish each cut and make the whole thing packed with detail.

Review: Rome label Maledetta Discoteca Records encouraged a bunch of talented local musicians to get together and play live, embrace spontaneity and do their improvised best. What results is this new record, which is funk at its core, but which is coloured by so much more around the edges. Recorded in the historic Auditorium 900 studios with sound engineer Fabrizio Piccolo, the record takes in everything from 70s instrumentals to progressive funk, Hispanic rock and more with all manner of wah wah guitars, synths and organ bringing each groove to life in tiles fashion.

Review: Francesco Fisotti is the leader of the new Italian disco-funk band Le Dune and this makes their debut release. 'Sugar' features a fusion of electronic drums, synths and groovy bass with a retro feel but fresh modern production flair next to vibrant guitars. When you pair all that with catchy, pop-driven vocals you have a timeless disco vibe that will unique all manner of dancers. Alongside the original version, the Extended Mix emphasises the groove, the Instrumental Version' leans into a percussive, tribal sound while the 'La Notte Mix' co-produced by Issam Dahmani delivers a late 80s proto-house feel.

Review: Gruppo Sound's enigmatic discography spans over thirty titles from the 80s and 90s, shrouded in mystery and intrigue. Despite limited information about the collective, their library music albums can be found across various labels managed by Flipper Music publishing group. Behind the pseudonym lies multi-instrumentalist Gabriele Ducros, son of renowned composer Remigio Ducros. Gabriele Ducros, the sole creator behind Gruppo Sound, ventured into music libraries and soundtracks before crafting tracks for notable television commercials, earning international acclaim. New York City, a compilation attributed to Gruppo Sound, features Gabriele Ducros' diverse musical influences, blending funk and jazz elements with electronic instrumentation. Each track reflects a fusion of styles, echoing the experimentation of the era when synthesisers were emerging. From urban vibes to dreamy atmospheres, the album paints a vivid sonic landscape. Electronic keyboards evoke nostalgia, while flute and saxophone add depth and texture. With a blend of computer-generated melodies, playful themes, and sophisticated fusion compositions, the album encapsulates the essence of the Big Apple's musical spirit.