Review: With a title like 'Cosmic Memories' your middle name doesn't need to be Sherlock to work out what's going on here, as Rare Wiri bring us a nine-track collection that pays homage to the trippy, synth-fuelled disco of early 80s Italy. Who better to kick things off, then, than cosmic disco originator Daniel Baldelli, with his and DJ Rocca's remix of Manolo's 'Amalfi Drive'? That sets the tone nicely for an album that's long on glacial synths, 80s-sounding electronic drum beats, Euro-style vox and dramatic magenta blusher... okay, you can only actually HEAR the first three of those, but you get the idea! Phoreski's 'Slow Down' stands out for yours truly, packing as it does a little more of Da Funk.
Review: Here is Gouranga Music's first album and Ichisan steps up to the task. It is the artists fifth overall and once again the Slovenian Space Disco producer sets his sights on the stars and takes us there many different times over. This album comes after recent singles 'Harmona' and 'Margit Mon' and collides catchy pop hooks with 80s synth sounds and widescreen grooves. It is an album that was written during lockdown after the artist had watched all kinds of movies and rediscovered the '1940 Fantasia' with his three year old son. That shows in the epic, retro-future production which is glossy and dazzling throughout.
Review: It's an odd little track, is 'Margit Mono'. Coming from Slovenian nu-disco stalwart Igor Skafar AKA Ichisan, it starts out with a simple rolling backbeat and a lovely little jazzy keys lick, then lollops along in said fashion for several minutes - in no way preparing you for the glacial synths that are about to storm the stage and take over the show! It shouldn't work, really, but it does and it should make 'Margit Mono' a real attention-getter out on the floor. The accompanying 'Phonofilm', meanwhile, is a 'Beefa-friendly, prog-tinged instrumental houser with an intro that's vaguely reminiscent of Atlantic Ocean's 90s classic 'Waterfall'.
Review: While nowhere near as prolific as he once was, IchiSan - real name Igor Skafar - remains one of the most reliable nu-disco producers around, with a trademark sound that prioritises sparkling electronic melodies, vintage synthesizer sounds, bubbly Italo-disco basslines and a big dollop of audible Balearic sunshine. The Slovenian is in prime form on 'Harmona', a gorgeously summery slab of pulsating nu-disco where waves of attractive synth sounds, dreamy chords and undulating acid lines bubble away atop a throbbing bassline and ufussy disco drums. Idjut Boy Dan Tyler provides the headline-grabbing reworks, first adding tons of reverb and delay on his sunrise-ready 'Remix', before reinventing 'Harmona' as a squelchy, echoing, mind-mangling late night jack track on the superior 'Acid Casualty Remix'. Cracking stuff!
Review: Ichisan is the alias of one Igor Skafar: an accomplished producer and DJ from Ljubljana, Slovenia who has appeared on labels such as Bordello A Parigi, Kanto and Violette Szabo Records. He's back on Nang for the first time since 2019 with his new full length titled Voda. From the hazy balearic chill of gorgeous offerings like "Gozd Reka" or "Cabernet Pa Na Taxi" which you could imagine enjoying at sunset on the Baleric Islands with a pina colada in hand, to bright like neon nu-disco grooves optimized for the late night dancefloor, best exemplified on "Gospa Jesen" or "Mornarska Kapa" - the latter getting properly low slung.
Review: Nang's annual round-up of key cuts they've released over the previous 12 months, The Array, has long been a must-check for those who like their nu-disco colourful, synthesizer-heavy and soaked in Mediterranean sunshine. Here the long-serving label offers up volume 11, a predictably entertaining affair that skips between the revivalist '80s synth-pop shimmer of Kim & Buran's remix of Wang Chung's 'Dance Hall Days'; the jaunty nu-disco colour of Tonbe's squelchy 'Good Taste'; the more cosmic, Italo-influenced shuffle of Outtake's 'Black Discotheque'; the throbbing, acid-flecked trip that is Aimes' revision of the Beat Broker's pedal steel-flecked 'Hold Your Horses'; the shimmering cheeriness of Disco Doubles' 'Don't Hurt Me'; and the low-down disco-funk hustle of Future Feelings' 'Downtown Girl', as remixed by Situation.
Review: A quirky nu-disco three-tracker from Ichisan, AKA Slovenian photographer, guitarist and DJ/producer Igor Skafar. Skafar released an album on Nang last year, which gives you an idea what to expect here: both 'Baba Mustafa' and 'Ultrapasa' would sit neatly alongside tracks from Nang label mates and fellow East Europeans Sare Havlicek or Ilija Rudman, for instance, having that same glossy Mediterranean 80s sheen. But 'Baba Mustafa' distinguishes itself by getting wilder and more wigged-out as it goes along, an idea that's carried to its natural conclusion on the seriously out-there Dub Mix, which hints at the sonic experiments and explorations of Larry Levan or Arthur Russell.
Review: Ichisan's 2017 debut album on Bordello A Parigi was arguably a little overlooked, which is something of a surprise considering the quality of the assembled Balearic, synth-wave, nu-disco and Italo-disco tracks on show. Hopefully the same fate won't befall his sophomore set, "Polykarp", because it's every bit as alluring and ear pleasing. It offers up a similarly colourful and vibrant collection of synth-heavy tracks, with highlights including the acid-flecked Italo/nu-disco fusion of "Polykarp", the Lindstrom style space disco positivity of "Kino-Sloga", the Todd Terje-esque Scandolearic dancefloor warmth of "Gonzo-Bossa Nova" and the Italian dream house revivalism of "Halo House".
Review: Notching up a decade in the business is big news for any label, so congratulations must go to Yam Who's ISM label. He's decided to mark the imprint's first decade in some style via a series of compilations that highlight some of the killer nu-disco, boogie, disco, house and Balearic jams nestling in ISM's bulging back catalogue. Highlights are plentiful throughout, from the Imagination-inspired electrofunk flex of Ron Basejam's killer rework of Alena's "Changes" and the synth-heavy rush of Balearic disco maestro Pete Herbert's revision of M Roberto & Nikolay Denev's "Be Yourself", to the breezy, soul-fired dancefloor warmth of Jonathan Ryno's "Don't Know Love" and Mark E's terrifically loved-up deep house tweak of Robot 84's "Lookin' For Love".
Review: Hearty congratulations to Rayko, whose Rare Wiri label has just turned ten. To celebrate the label's decade in dance, the Spanish producer has put together this fittingly fine collection of archive cuts. It features no re-edits, just original tracks and associated remixes. There's plenty to set the pulse racing throughout, from the Clavinet-sporting crunchiness of Limpdisco's compilation-opening "Moving To '70s" and Spiritcatcher's D-Train style NYC boogie revision of Julian Sanza's "Can't Stop The Feeling", to the jazz funk-flecked deep house/disco fusion of Nowsense's "Smile" and Situation's wonderfully atmospheric electro-acid revision of James Rod's "Disco Rocket". Naturally, there are plenty of Rayko tracks and remixes dotted throughout, including a wonderfully spacey and bass-heavy take on Ilya Santana's "Electrik Mind".
Review: Slovenian space cadet Ichisan returns to the scene of the cosmic crime as he revisits select cuts from last year's superlative debut album Aperitiv. All equally velvet, "Hotel Jama" feels even more welcoming with its glistening strings, "Modri Tunel" is all about the deep dubby dynamics while "Kozmetika" while have you hot shoe shuffling quicker than you can say vibraphone. Finally "Terminal E" will fly you first class to wherever your head needs to be. Stunning, as always.
Review: Paper Disco's Trash The Wax compilation series certainly offers a lot of bang for your buck. This fourth installment continues the trend, serving up 22 tried-and-tested dancefloor jams for disco-loving DJs. As usual, the selected tracks are a mixture of killer edits (Ed Wizard & Disco Double Dee, Solid State, Electric Pendergrass, DJ Rocca & Chris Massey), sparkling remixes (a tasty '80s electrofunk rework of Reggie Got Beats' "It's On Tonight" by Norwegian eccentric Ralph Myerz), and stellar original productions (see 2 Billion Beats' "Bob", Daco's Gladys Knight-sampling throb-job "I Heard It", Picotropico's decidedly Balearic "Time Will Tell"). There's possibly a little more Italo-disco on this edition, but that's no bad thing - especially as the arpeggio-heavy cuts showcased here are universally excellent.
Review: Photographer-turned-producer, Ichisan, made quite a name for himself on the nu-disco scene some years back. He's been a little quiet since, but that's all going to change with the release of "Metamundus" on Dutch disco label Bordello A Parigi. The overriding theme for the three new cuts here is a fusion of bubbly 303 acid with Italo disco; the title track sees a particularly squelchy 303 provide a stuttering funk counterfoil to some melancholic 80s Euro synth washes, "Bar Trenutek" is all about pulsating hiNRG arpeggios and dream-like melodies, and finally "Terasa' wraps things up with some lo-fi Bontempi kitchiness.
Review: London disco house imprint ISN presents us with a compilation showcasing recent graduates of their Class of '16. All the usual suspects are here; and they all pass, with honours! Hosting the ceremony is none other than Yam? Who, compiling the release tremendously with some surefire dancefloor fodder to make it one year to remember, and boy do they ever! There's the sweet boogie down vibes of The Hinge Project's "Brand New Day" and Freekwency's "Something Else On Your Mind" right through to the Italo favoured vibe of Ichisan's "Bela Libujanja" and not to mention sweet nu disco ditties by Joey Dice ("Puzzling Me") and Richard Seaborne ("U Said U Loved Me") showcasing the labels various moods and grooves in impressive fashion.
Review: Yam Who is a man who is on a mission to uncover the coolest cult re-edit guys around and make sure the public hear them. This is usually through his own ISM imprint and it's also usually via the medium of the EP. Here, though he's gone all out to present this huge compilation album, bursting with party goodness, and boasting 24 tracks. Highlights include the '80s Child's rework of power-snare soul anthem "Let Me Be The One", the neon glow of arpeggiated synth boogie gem "Jeckermich" and Ron Basejam's deep and sensuous take on the sultry electro-soul of "Changes".
Review: Slovenian photographer-turned-producer Ichisan enjoyed his most prolific year to date in 2014, with releases appearing on Internasjonal, Catune and Danny Was A Drag King. Here he pops up on Yam Who's ISM label with more bouncy, synth-laden nu-disco fare. That's arguably best represented by the jammed out keys and rich chords of bubbling bonus cut "Veg Out", though there's more of a shamelessly Adriatic vibe about the cascading melodies and laidback disco shuffle of "Bela Ljubljana". That track gets treated to a pair of remixes; a chunkier, analogue-heavy dub disco interpretation from Yam Who, and an acid-flecked, pleasingly trippy take from Kalidasa.
Review: The '80s man from Madrid - Rayko - returns at the helm of a whole compilation of sleek synth cuts, Rare Wiri Chronicles. The timing couldn't be more perfect with the sunshine vibes collected here guaranteed to dispel even the slightest thought of winter blues. Highlights include the Sasse-esque digi-sweat-funk grind, "Wanting You" by Illya Rudman, Rayko & Landerground's sensual sophisti-pop seducer, "Mechanical Life" and the spacey Italo-disco joint, "Air Shark" by Phoreski.
Review: Perma busy record label don David Griffiths launches the brand spanking new Labour Of Love imprint in consummate style, with a five track EP from Ichisan boasting remixes from disco beards Bottin, Nicholas and Pete Herbert. Herbert's refix of "House Dance Conference" is a typically driving affair, with a slinky guitar riff and 80s synths. The original takes on a more cosmic hue, with a twinkling key melody that is truly bewitching. The string-laden "Tiny House" is given a deepish re-rub by the prolific Nicholas - this one if our pick of the bunch - while fellow Italian Bottin opts for a heavily arpeggiated discoid odyssey.
Review: Our ears continue to be dazzled by Slovenian disco type Ichisan who makes an appearance on the ever great Under The Shade imprint after two great EPs on Solardisco and Airtight last year. "Magnetic Field" is a fine slice of soaring cosmic delight with a gentle chugging bass line propelling the floor friendly groove. Ichisan opts for a more electro boogie feel on "Rear Window," a slap bass odyssey with some exceptional synth stab action. Two masterful remixes round off a typically fine Under The Shade release. The Off Key Hat gets tweaked out on acid on their take of "Magnetic Field" whereas DFA dude Walter Jones goes for the deep chug with glorious dubbed out synths.
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