Category Italo

Mar 21 2012

Quixotic

Quixotic

Quixotic is a Hungarian producer who’s been kicking around various music scenes for a few years now but has recently turned his hand towards the worlds of Nu-Disco, SynthWave and Italo. And we’re glad he did.

There’s a few tracks over on his SoundCloud page worth your attention, but here are a few that capture his style. That style being big, thick, retro Italo basslines awash with rich Nu-Disco grooves. ‘Étoiles’ is the big stand out for me, it’s a massive slice of Italo flavoured Cosmic Disco which is driven by a pounding bassline and razor sharp keys and perfectly shows what Quixotic has to offer. Twisting arpeggios play of melodic leads to evolve into new line, giving the tack the feel of an epic journey. ‘Apology’ is his latest tune, a slow jam with a muted disco lick and heartfelt vocoded vocals. ‘Streetlife’ borrows heavily from The Crusaders’ track of the same name but injects it with even more Funk and a healthy dose of modern, deep synth bassed, Nu-Disco. This tune features one of the best lead solos I have heard this year, Herbie Hancock style.

♫ Quixotic – Étoiles

♫ Quixotic – Apology

♫ Quixotic – Streetlife

Check out more from Quixotic on SoundCloud.

Mar 14 2012

Siedah Garrett reMixed by Mr. Pteez

Siedah Garrett

Even before I heard this track I knew it was going to be a winner. Siedah Garrett’s 1985 ItaloPop hit ‘Do You Want It Right Now?’ reMix by a man who’s fast becoming one of our favourite Russian producers, Mr. Pteez. What more do you want?

Pteez keeps it old school with his particular mix of Italo, SynthWave and B-Boy Electro, which works perfectly with the original track and it’s vocals. Pteez reimagines the track for inner-city high energy dancefloors bring a bit of Garrett’s soul to the breakers in the subway and a bit of Electro Boogie to the Disco. Keep en eye on Mr. Pteez!

♫ Siedah Garrett – Do You Want It Right Now? (Mr. Pteez ‘Miami Powermove’ reMix)

Buy Siedah Garrett’s music from:

    

Mar 12 2012

Chromatics’ ‘Back From The Grave’

Here’s the latest track and video showcased from Chromatics forthcoming new album ‘Kill For Love’.

‘Back From The Grave’ was, again, directed by Alberto Rossini and despite the title and content, is a lot Poppier and catchier than it sounds.

‘Back From The Grave’ is taken from Chromatics’ forthcoming second Italians Do It Better album, ‘Kill For Love’.

Buy Chromatics’ music from:

Mar 12 2012

Little Boots’ new mixtape

little-boots

Little Boots – Into The Future Mixtape = Here’s yet another mixtape from ElectroPop queen Little Boots. She’s on a roll with them these days! Expect forty minutes of slammin’ electronic dance with an unexpected darkness.

♫ Little Boots – Into The Future Mixtape

Buy Little Boots’ music from:

 

Mar 9 2012

Miami Nights 1984’s second album

miami nights 1984

In the early hours of the morning, when the only folk out and about were the nighthawks and the freaks, SynthWave legend Miami Nights 1984 released his sophomore album, his follow up to 2010’s ‘Early Summer’ on Rosso Corsa Records.

Titled ‘Turbulence’ this is one release that has been eagerly, eagerly, awaited around electronic rumors towers and from the intro peice of ‘MN84 theme’ onward it doesn’t disappoint. The albums first track proper, ‘Clutch’ is the prefect opener, and the perfect signpost for what to expect within the rest of the record. Robotic Italo grooves layered with lush emotional, synths, tracks that tell a story and take you along on that narrative and soaring synth solos that take tracks stratospheric. This is the ‘80’s repacked to rock both modern dancefloors and modern minds. It would be hard to pick standout tracks amongst the 12 that make up ‘Turbulence’ as they are all stormers, and there’s a variety of moods contained within. You’ve got your big power driving tracks like ‘Ocean Drive’ and ‘ Phone Tag‘ that truly exemplify Outrun Electro, there are ‘get in the car and drive into the night’ tunes. Then there’s the quitter, more atmospheric peices, such as ‘Astral Projection’. Where this album differs from the SynthWave classic ‘Early Summer’ is the injection of late 80’s, early’90’s dance music influences in the form of FM post-House basslines and orchestral hits on tracks like ‘Streets Of Fire’, we’ve made no apologies in the past about being orchestral hit lovers ,so this new facet of Miami Nights 1984 is definitely welcome. For me, the album centrepiece, ‘New Tomorrow’ sums up what ‘Turbulence’ is doing, it’s an evocative, rich peice in the place where Italo and ‘80’s electronic TV music meet. Emotional, yet danceable. Nostalgic, yet contemporary. The Germans call it SynthWave, The Rosso Corsa crew have always called it Outrun, In LA they invented Dreamwave just to be able to call it something. The retro synth scene has never really found a tag that has stuck, but I don’t think they care, but if there isn;t a name that expresses the scene as a whole, then at least there is an album, ‘Turbulence’ is the archetypal  SynthWave album, it just sums up everything about retro, soundtrack influenced, synth music now, and where it;s headed in the future.

♫ Miami Nights 1984 – High Beams

♫ Miami Nights 1984 – Ocean Drive

♫ Miami Nights 1984 – Saved By The Bell

‘Turbulence’ is out now.

Buy Miami Nights 1984’s music from:

Mar 8 2012

80s Stallone’s ‘Out Of The Water’

80s Stallone

Here’s some atmospheric and nostalgic synthesizer work from retro synth genius 80s Stallone in the form of his latest track ‘Out Of The Water’.

We’re loving the vintage drum machine sounds in this one, the provide a nice robotic Yazoo-esque SynthPop backing for a track full of mystery. Mr. Stallone lets dreamlike riffs weave in and out of each other and swirl around an Italo bassline making beautiful, rich layers of sound. It’s quite understatedly majestic too, like the soundtrack to the shimmering city lights of a dystopian metropolis.

♫ 80s Stallone – Out Of The Water

80s Stallone’s ‘Beach’ EP is out now on Silhouette Music.

Buy 80s Stallone’s music from:

Mar 5 2012

Chromatics’ ‘Candy’

Here’s another new track from Chromatics’ forthcoming second album, ‘Kill For Love’, titled ‘Candy’.

Who know’s when the album will finally be release, but Chromatic have vowed to keep releasing video teasers of the album, track by track. ‘Candy’ was again shot by Alberto Rossini and is a deep and beautiful electronic lament.

‘Lady’ is taken from Chromatics’ forthcoming second Italians Do It Better album, ‘Kill For Love’.

Buy Chromatics’ music from:

Mar 1 2012

Mental Minority’s new tune

Mental Minority

Here we have another new track from mystery German producer Mental Minority.

‘Turn the Key’ is a driving slice of Post-Italo SynthWave. Crammed full of ‘80’s referencing politically charged samples and a bassline full of nervous energy, the track has an air of anticipation about it. It’s a track of two halves, and kinda’ tells a story that way. There’s the initial half that is thick with expectation and glides along in a retro Electro way, with big ‘80’s chords and a steady beat. Then part two kicks in, double times the bassline and the track powers to it’s climax, a shimmering lead line that let’s us know everything might just be alright in the end.

♫ Mental Minority – Turn The Key

Check out more from Mental Minority on SoundCloud.

Feb 29 2012

New tune from Follow Me

Follow Me

Some brand new night time SynthWave right here from Follow Me who’s just dropped his latest work, ‘A Mission Nocturnal’.

It’s a stomping, moody Italo based tune, which some awesome little flourishes, especially in the second half with the delay heavy guitar sample. There’s a bright, almost oriental feel to the twisting and intertwining arpeggios that, arguably, are the core of this track. With the Italo bassline below them and the big retro chords above, they help the track along to becoming a class late night jam.

♫ Follow Me – A Mission Nocturnal

Check out more from Follow Me on SoundCloud.

Feb 27 2012

Jowie Schulner’s new tune

jowie-schulner1

Jowie Schulner has started the week with a serious treat for all fans of synthesizer music. He’s dropped a new track, ‘Suspicious’, and it it would make Jean Michel-Jarre proud.

Mixing up an laidback Italo groove with some fantastic lead playing, Jowie has put together a track for long summer nights, sunrises over the city and intense introspection. Basically, go sit on the top of a building in an urban jungle, at sunrise, and brood about something you regret with just a hint of hopefulness…this track will be the prefect soundtrack to that. Or you could just go and dance to it, y’know, whatever. Jowie sure does know how to make a synth sing!

♫ Jowie Schulner – Suspicious

Check Jowie Schulner’s music on SoundCloud.