Tags: Balearic Disco

Review: The Four Flies crew has been hard at work assembling this comprehensive collection of soul, AOR and Italo disco from between the very specific years of 1977 and 1986. Across four fantastic sides of wax it shows how Italian artists took those sounds and added their own perspective to them during that era. Accompanying text says "In Italy, a soulful and sophisticated approach to pop music was embraced ... by an entire generation of writers, arrangers and musicians" and that is sure highlighted here in lush grooves, escapist melodies and feel good tunes that are effortless and timeless.

Review: The Four Flies label brings together two disparate sounds here on a delightful 7". Salifornian funk collective Banda Maje are in fine form as they add their own vibes to 'Wait For Me' which is a lush disco-funk joint by Canadian multi-instrumentalist Franky Selector. It first appeared on his well-regarded Never Better album and is a world gem with thrilling Afro guitars, warming house drums and sunny synth sounds all topped off with great call and response vocals. An instrumental appears on the flip for a more direct to dance floor vibe.

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: Italy's foremost investigator of 60s and 70s library music and jazz fusion sounds can do no wrong if you ask us. Everything they put out is sumptuous whether it's an old reissue or a new outing. Here we have the pair of bassist Federico Amorosi and keys, synth and programming wizard Valerio Lombardozzi cooking up some brilliant blends of cosmic funk and Italo disco, all with fresh flavours from soundtracks and synthporn from days gone. The A-side is an instrumental with a lush mid-tempo groove and the flip has a more infectious dance sound.