Why the Lyrics Are So Naïve
A breakdown of Italo Disco's vocabulary - why the English lyrics were so simple, and how broken language became part of the genre's charm.
14 views
Sixth track already - save favourites and download without limits
Sign upArticles
Notes on music, craft, and the era
353 articles newest first
Jock Hattle Band: a Forgotten Page of the Genre
The story of an Italian team that nearly vanished from the radar, whose work today is known only to collectors and real genre enthusiasts.
3 views
Italo Disco Mixing Secrets
Professional techniques '80s recording engineers used to build the signature sound of Italian dance music.
3 views
10 Best Italo Disco Tracks of 1983
1983 - the birth point of Italo Disco as a mass genre. I Like Chopin, Dolce Vita, Vamos a la Playa, Happy Children, Disco Band - ten defining compositions of the era.
25 views
Oddities and Scandals of the Era
The loudest and funniest stories from '80s Italo Disco - from the unmasking of "singing" artists to authorship disputes and onstage disasters.
3 views
'80s Fashion: Glitter, Blazers, Teased Hair
The visual code of the Italo Disco era - how the stars dressed, what the audience wore, and why '80s style is back in fashion.
3 views
Joe Yellow: the Tracks Everyone Knows
A selection of the mysterious Italian artist's main compositions - tracks that became '80s disco classics even as their author's name stayed in the shadows.
6 views
10 Best Italo Disco Tracks of 1988
1988 - the turning-point year of Italo Disco. Sabrina's All of Me, Bad Boys Blue's Lady in Black, Koto 3 - ten tracks on the edge of the classic era and the new Eurodance genre.
26 views
10 Best Tracks of 1984
A selection of the most significant Italo Disco compositions released in 1984 - when the genre hit full stride and delivered hit after hit.
8 views
Lexicon Reverb: Why the '80s Sound Like That
How Lexicon reverb processors created the signature "space" in the sound of Italo Disco and other genres of the decade.
6 views
Milan's Session Vocalists
The secret world of Italo Disco's invisible voices - who was actually singing in the hits we still enjoy today.
7 views
How Italo Disco Was Born
The story of a genre born out of the ashes of American disco that got all of '80s Europe dancing - from first experiments to global phenomenon.
4 views
5 Albums for Full Immersion
The best full-length Italo Disco albums worth hearing end to end - from Gazebo to Savage, five records for a serious dive into the genre.
20 views
Forgotten Hits Worth Hearing
Italo Disco tracks that have unfairly slipped from memory - songs that were popular in their day but today are familiar only to specialists.
7 views
The Best B-Sides of the '80s
A selection of forgotten gems on the flip sides of Italo Disco singles - tracks only collectors know, but worth every fan's attention.
9 views
10 Italo Disco Tracks for Beginners
Where to start with the genre - ten tracks that give you a full picture of Italo Disco, from "I Like Chopin" to "Tarzan Boy."
47 views
The Milan Studios Where the Sound Was Cooked
A tour of the '80s Milan studios where classic Italo Disco hits were recorded - from tiny basement rooms to legendary professional complexes.
9 views