Naim Goes Deeper - Italo Disco

Originating in Italy and mainly produced from the late 70s to mid-80s - Italo Disco was a very prolific genre that Italian Disco DJs birthed in their desire for new music when new songs were imports and also too expensive.

This music wouldn’t traditionally be classified as ‘disco', it is more developed and diverse with drum machines and synthesisers at its thudding electro heart. We hear occasional use of vocoders and the songs are usually sung in English, and to a lesser extent, Spanish as well.

Here are our top 3 ‘Go Deeper’ Italo Disco tracks that we recommend to complement your Naim system:

Clio - Faces

Clio, aka Maria Chiara Perugini, was known for her work with Clio & Kay, releasing Faces (with B-side Feel the Fear) on the Crash label in Italy and Chic label in Germany. It was written and produced by Roberto Ferrante, an esteemed Italo Disco producer who also founded the Naples-based Planet Records. Released over 30 years ago, the track had more recent love from a group called Electric Youth who covered the Italo Disco classic track in 2009.

Charlie - Spacer Woman

Written in 1983 and recorded in Vicenza as an experiment to break the mold of classic disco dance sound, Charlie was the vehicle for musician and producer Maurizio Cavalieri, an early established Italian disco musician in group Firefly. Inspired by new UK synth pop and New Wave Groups like Depeche Mode, he created the cult classic mixing in a more electronic, futuristic sound with classic disco elements at the heart.

Mr Flagio - Take a Chance

Formed in 1983 by Giorgio Bacco and Flavio Vidulich, Take a Chance was released on Northwest Italian label ‘Squish’ - an otherwise unremarkable imprint, full of collaborations and experience that graced the early days of Italo Disco. Described as a ‘futuristic robotic vocoder opera’” it is a club-ready dance floor classic, with nods to the galactic visions of early techno that would soon be built in Detroit.

Listen on Spotify and TIDAL.