Tags: Indie Disco

Review: Wrekin Havoc does just that with its second release from the artist of the same name. After a big first EP that really announced the label's arrival in style this one is another tasty disco collection. 'Heavy Breathing' has toting old school chords and Italo drums and 'Work It' bring glossy vocals, crashing hits and a libidinous vocal. Things get slow and seated but just as steamy on the flipside cut 'Dirty Devil' then last of all is the glorious bit of exotic and tropical, boogie tinged disco freshness that is 'That Is The Question.'

Review: LA threesome ASHRR aka lead vocalist Steven Davis and producer-musician-vocalists Josh Charles and Ethan Allen are back with a brilliant new album for Ralph Lawson's superb 20/20 Vision Recordings that finds them working by the old mantra of 'art for art's sake'. This effortlessly eclectic record collides electronic soul, post-punk, space disco and indie-dance and is rich in melancholic melody, hazy, late-summer moods and late-night dancing. The vocals bring an indie edge to jangling delights like 'Please Don't Stop The Rain' while 'What's Been Turning You On' is a laidback and languid groove for lazy sessions.

Review: The mighty DFA label has always come at dance music from a rock and indie perspective and for that reason has always brought plenty of new ideas to the dancefloor. Fernando Pulichino has long been at the heart of the operation with his fusion of rock, funk, and electronic beats and here he is again with more of the same. 'I Got, She's Got' is a raw, energetic track, while the remix offers clarity and rich arpeggios. 'She's Playing With Fire' with saxophone by Gustavo Buchiniz, meanwhile, adds another explosive element meaning that all three tracks deliver pure club-ready firepower.

Review: DFA Records prime mysterious new Brighton signees Proper Monday Number with a sure start, flicking the proverbial Rube Goldberg machine into gear with a banging remix of their otherwise unreleased debut track 'High Horse'. Here, of course, it's LCD Soundsystem / DFA's very own James Murphy at the remix controls, together with resident DFA DJ and "decent human" Matt Cash. Toolroom dance moods extend over a lusciously simple seven minutes, bringing home FM stabs and LinnDrum faceslaps aplenty. And the lyrics: "stop what you're doing now... you ain't got no crown! get off your high horse! turn this ship around!" In our day and age, we need more anti-stagnation, ego-teardown anthems like this, so we welcome the sentiment by the masked duo.

Review: NTS Radio host Francesca Macri aka System Olympia presents her second full-length album titled Racing Heart, a neon-lit soundtrack for an evening drive in a Mercedes Benz that she's released on her Okay Nature imprint. Highlights are the sensual, late-night boogie-down vibe of 'All Mine Now', the slo-mo synthwave of 'Link Of Truth' and the saccaharine '80s pop aesthetic of 'War Of The Hearts' could have been in a John Hughes film.

Review: Real Velour's Champions on Bordello A Parigi is an excellent blend of Italo house and new wave, evoking the sounds of Heaven 17 and early New Order. Side-1's 'Champions' brings a vibrant 80s dance sound to life, combining warm strings, throbbing bass, and crisp drums with shining synth lines. The track's indie and synth-pop influences merge seamlessly, creating memorable hooks that are both addictive and joyous. The bittersweet lyrics add a layer of depth, telling a story of change and lost dreams, giving the track an emotional weight beneath its uplifting melodies. On Side-2, the instrumental version of allow's the intricate synth work to take center stage. The cold wave edge is softened, highlighting the bright and uplifting melodies that blend electro disco with Italo influences. Champions is a standout 7" that pairs melancholy with a hopeful, danceable sound.

Review: Following their debut with Monochromatic, the Milano 84 duo of Fabio Di Ranno and Fabio Fraschini returns with Ultradisco, an album that sharpens up their signature style. Combining synth-pop, new wave and Italo disco with modern flair, this record includes 11 tracks in both English and Italian and offers an emotional, refined sound for modern dance floors. Collaborators include Johnson Righeira with a futuristic twist on Franco Battiato's classic 'Summer on a Solitary Beach' and Anita Dada alongside Fabrizio Massara on the poignant 'Darling.' Fred Ventura energises the album with 'The Right Words' and serves as artistic supervisor for this essential 80s-inspired collection.

Review: Le Couleur consistently sidesteps complacency with each new album presenting a fresh musical experiment without ever losing its familiar foundation. With Comme dans un penthouse, the band takes its biggest leap into musical exploration yet as they revisit elements of 'Voyage Love' while delving deeper into disco infused with new wave nuances. The result is a cooler, more distant vibe compared to their previous work. The album crafts a narrative universe around Barbara, introduced in 'POP,' as she seeks excess, pleasure, and happiness amidst frenetic rhythms. From the Krautrock-inspired 'Autobahn' to futuristic tracks reminiscent of Das Mortal, Le Couleur deftly balances innovation with familiarity here on another sublime-sounding album.