Take a Chance on Italo Disco
November 14, 2007 8:43 pm Funky Music, I Am Electro, Music Downloads, Welcome to the Disco
At Funk Deli, we promote all things worthy of a funky label, because let’s face it — there’s just not enough funk going around anymore. Now when it comes to music, Funk Deli isn’t limited by the constraints of one genre. Sure we love James Brown, the Bar Kays and other classic funky acts, but at Funk Deli, we think that other forms of funky-like tunes also deserve some love.
Well, we love disco music, and we’re not afraid to say it. Disco gets a bad rap, but there are some quality disco gems out there that deserve to be featured in your iPod, on your turntable or in your CD player during your ride to work.
A Brief History of Italo Disco
When disco was dying in the States, it found new life in Europe. Euros have always had a soft spot for disco grooves. And really, who can blame ‘em?
As 70s disco morphed into the synth-happy beats of the early 80s, one group of people latched on to the end of the disco era in a big way. Who were these people that refused to let disco go? You guessed it — those crazy I-talians.
Italian producers couldn’t say goodbye to disco music. Thank goodness they didn’t. These renegade Italians grabbed their keyboards, picked up a few English words and started producing a newer, electrified disco sound that would eventually be called Italo Disco.
Italo Disco is really hit or miss. Some musical acts (like Laserdance) come across sounding dated. Other groups (like Klein and MBO, Scotch and Mr. Flagio) withstand the test of time. Many of these tracks sound like late-90s funky house beats, but they were produced before the house music label ever existed.
Italo — Take a Chance
If you haven’t jammed out to the electro-funky sounds of Italo Disco, it’s time you jumped into the fray with I-Robots — Italo Electro Disco Underground Classics. This compilation album presents a nice overview of what it meant to be a crazy, synth-inspired I-Tie disco producer.
Don’t get us wrong — Italo is a bit of an acquired taste. But children of the 80s will appreciate the happy-go-lucky, disco’s-not-dead yet sounds that defined this sub-genre.
So give Italo a chance or better yet — go download “Take a Chance” from Mr. Flagio and see why this Italo Disco stuff deserves your attention.
