Photo: L.A.T.F., 1983Had been wanting to make a Italo Disco mix for some time now, so decided I'd do just that for this month's episode of Body Rhythm.
Most of these tracks are from the golden sweet spot of 1982-83. I initially included a few instrumental tracks on my first pass at this mix. Decided to do a second try and swap most of those instrumentals for their vocal versions. Even with the sometimes clunky or misplaced English lyrics, the tracks just feel more complete with vocals. Beyond that, those lyrical quirks are an essential part of the music's charm for me.
Further details about these selections in the track notes below... Happy listening!
Body Rhythm #8:
Tracklist:
B.W.H. - Livin' Up
Scotch - Penguins' Invasion (Hot Version)
Trilogy - Not Love (Vocal)
Louise Freeman - Mirage
Marzio Dance D.J. and Gang - Adventure (Theme Version)
Primadonna - Flashing On The Floor (Vocal)
Los Angeles T.F. - Magical Body (Vocal Version)
Vivien Vee - Americano (Vocal)
Annie Anner - Night In The City (Canadian Remix)
I.M.S. (International Music System) - An English '93
Salvy & Giuly - Stop The World (Vocal)
Coco Bill - Evita (Avoid)
Samoa Park - Tubular Affair (Vocal)
All the records played on show #9Track Notes:
B.W.H. - Livin' Up: One of the marquee productions of DJ/producer Stefano Zito (AKA Blackway) and his wife Helene, the duo behind the acronym B.W.H. (Blackway with Helene). Recently reissued, this is from a 12" which paired two absolute killers. My personal favourite "Stop" is on the B-side, but for this I chose to play "Livin' Up" from the A-side. Its tempo and energy felt like the perfect way to start things off here.
Scotch - Penguins' Invasion (Hot Version): The first single from Scotch, when it was still basically the project of producer/arrangers from Bergamo, David Zambelli and Walter Verdi alongside Manlio Cangelli. They'd have bigger hits with "Disco Band" and "Delirio Mind," but the airy chords and synth pulse of this track is more appealing to me. Both versions on my 12" are basically instrumental, but a vocal does exist. Unlike some of the other selections here, I'll have to say the instrumental works better for me.
Trilogy - Not Love (Vocal): Sung and produced Paul Micioni, with Robert Masala (AKA 'Gloves') and Max Di Carlo (AKA 'Konnor'). Micioni had been in Easy Going and Traks and was one of the most prolific producers in Italo Disco, also working with Mike Francis, Gazebo and Gary Low. With it's hard driving beat, it's easy to see how this was one of those tracks which seems to have crossed-over into early house music. That may explain why this was also given a US release on JDC Records, who were known to license the occasional Italo single at the time.
Louise Freeman - Mirage: Originally released in 1983 and recently given a proper reissue by Disco Segreta, I'm surprised this wasn't a bigger hit for UK-born vocalist/dancer/choreographer Louise Freeman. Nevertheless, it has to be up there as one of my all-time Italo favourites. Produced by Gloves and Konnor who were also behind the previous selection, sonically this just seems to have captured some of the coolest, most ethereral synth sounds of the time in a dance record. Even lyrically, it's a cut above what one might expect from an Italo single at this time, which may be owed to Freeman's writing credit here. Hard to believe a track this good was not only overlooked as a hit, but also relegated to the B-side. Interesting fact: Louise is the sister of Tracy Spencer, (not to be confused with the American singer Tracie Spencer) who had a string of pop hits in Italy in the mid 80s. These days Karen Louise Freeman is a fitness instructor, actor and DJ based in London.
Marzio Dance D.J. and Gang - Adventure (Theme Version): I'm often amused by the preponderance of "gangs" in Italo Disco groups or studio projects, and this is yet another. A project of Marzio Mugnaioni—DJ at the Xenon disco in Firenze, whose logo is prominently displayed on the front cover alongside a photo of what I assume is the Xenon discotheque itself—together with producer/arrangers Fabrizio Simoncini and Marco Masini. Picked this up at a local record fair this past spring, and it's an interesting record—a kind of choose-your-own adventure in terms of RPM/tempo. The stated 33 ⅓ RPM speed on the label feels much too sluggish, making it sound like a disco dirge. Personally, I feel like this sounds best at 45 RPM -3, which is approximately the speed I used here.
Primadonna - Flashing On The Floor (Vocal): "Who are you looking at pretty boy? Where are you going tonight?"... Another one of those songs on which I decided to opt for the vocal instead of the instrumental on my second try. Sung by Giorgio Dolce & Stefania Dal Pino, the lyrics about dancefloor attraction are charming, even in their awkward moments. As an example, the response line "dancing double doors" makes little sense, but still makes me smile! Similarly, I doubt that "flashing" is used here in the English colloquial sense; it more likely describes someome who is catching the eye or catching the light, like the facets of a mirrorball. Even with that, the general sentiment still feels stronger with its vocals. Produced by Dolce and the prolific Romano Bais, interestingly American model/actress Debbie Falconer—one time wife of Robert Downey, Jr.—recorded a cover of this song which was only released in France, but it doesn't hold up to the original.
Los Angeles T.F. - Magical Body (Vocal Version): My favourite of the Los Angeles T.F. singles, so named for it's producers - Tony Travagliante and Franco Zaza. The uncredited vocalist on this track is UK singer Katherine Quaye AKA Taffy (note: not the lady in the photo at the top of the post), best known for her Italo hit "I Love My Radio". As far as the lyrics go, they're odd and yet totally catchy and I kinda love them... "Magical, magical is your body... typical, typical, of a latin lover"... Another selection which I had swapped the instrumental in favour of the vocal.
Vivien Vee - Americano (Vocal): A very tropical piece of Italo sung in English and a bit of Spanish by Vivien Vee. Italian balearic, perhaps? Produced by Giancarlo Meo with the group Radio Movie and released around 1984/85 (depending on the territory), it is a bit later and noticeably brighter than the other selections here from ’82/’83. Yet, those lush synth textures and captivating chord progressions are what really make this for me.
Annie Anner - Night In The City (Canadian Remix): A bit of Swedish Italo from Annie Anner (AKA Anne-Lie Thorslund) that I had fished out of a dollar bin last summer. Produced by her brother Anders Thorslund and Lars Fjellström this is another one of those select Italo/italo-esque singles which received an actual North American release. Picked up by Canada's Power Records and given a remix by Power's chairman, producer/DJ Vince Degiorgio, who gives it a more streamlined mix (hear the original). Well before Sally Shapiro emerged, consider this another testament to Italo's popularity in Sweden.
I.M.S. (International Music System) - An English '93: From the US release of the first International Music System EP, which was one of those surprise finds in my hometown, Calgary Alberta, of all places. Unfortunately, the US release didn't come with a picture sleeve, just a generic 12" company jacket. Still, I was glad to find a genuine original pressing for cheap. To me, IMS was one of those projects that perfectly straddled the line between italo disco and US electro. While "Nonline" is usually the big track on this single, this strangely titled and basically instrumental track is a killer too. Naturally, some Kraftwerk in here also, but with extra tempo and percussion. Two of the principals behind I.M.S. - Giorgio Stefani and Maurice Cavalieri were also behind what is probably one of the most iconic italo hits, "Spacer Woman" by Charlie.
Salvy & Giuly - Stop The World (Vocal): The only single attributed to Salvy Lauria and Giuly Piva (vocals), this was a recent reissue and one that I really love. Again, opted to swap the instrumental for the vocal here. I’m charmed by the Italian-accented English; despite the occasional grammatical oddity, the lyrics feel both genuine and still relevant to the state of the world today. I'm guessing they had good help from Ivana Spagna in that department who's credited as a writer here, along with Ottavio Bacciocchi and the prolific Larry Pignagnoli (who would later write and produce Whigfield's "Saturday Night"). Until this was recently reissued, people were willing to put down nearly €200 for an original copy of this record.
Coco Bill - Evita (Avoid): From DJ/producer Jenny Rocco (AKA Gennaro Rocco), arranger Gianni Miele and American vocalist Larry Paul Emmett, a dystopian disco warning about the computers that would take over our lives? You don't say... It's almost as if they anticipated the social media algorithms that influence what we see, hear and think today. "Avoid the leaders that program the computer"—looking at you, tech broligarchy. Beyond the concept, a great piece of cybernetic paranoia with a driving beat and an affective piano melody. Interesting double meaning in the lyrics too with Evita, being the Italian word for Avoid. Even when the singer misspells A-V-I-O-D in the chorus, that even becomes a hook of its own. Initially, this had been released under Larry Paul Emmett's name. Judging by his partner's words on YouTube and Discogs, Emmett had apparently landed a drug charge in Italy just before this single was released. He would be extradited to back to the US, not really knowing what happened to the single he recorded. Trying to avoid a more practical controversy, the producers quickly re-released and rebranded the project as Coco Bill. Sadly, Emmett would pass away from cancer in Jackson, Mississippi in 2012.
Samoa Park - Tubular Affair (Vocal): A pretty great Italo cover and mash-up of two Mike Oldfield hits - "Tubular Bells" and "Foreign Affair" from 1983. Samoa Park was a project which released mostly italo covers and medleys, some more sucessful than others. This one is easily their best, in my opinion. The two songs pair brilliantly and seamlessly under the steely synth pulse, a feeling which builds on the dystopic note of the previous selection.
PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
another setting radio: body rhythm #6 (monday may 11, 2026)
another setting radio: body rhythm #4 (tuesday march 17, 2026)
another setting radio: body rhythm #1 (sunday december 21, 2026)
disco delivery mix #14: sign of the times (monday january 22, 2024)
tonight.. (wednesday february 14, 2007)
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