House News

Pont Neuf Records, 5 years later



In 2016, Pont Neuf Records was born, with the mission of supporting the emergence of a new scene of electronic artists in France. Its first release “Habemus Paname”, bringing together artists like Folamour, Tour-Maubourg and Sweely, marked the label’s first success, accompanied by a launch party in the lair of the legendary Rex Club in Paris. Since then, no less than 25 releases - EPs, compilations, albums - have forged the identity of Pont Neuf, recognized in 2019 by Mixmag as ‘‘one of the French scene’s most essential imprints’’. A success crowned by two years of residence at the Rex Club, and many participations in the major European electronic music venues (Concrete, Elrow, Sisyphos, La Cabane ...). 5 years later, the label continues to evolve, driven by the talent and originality of artists with unique personalities and eager to leave their mark on a generation.



Hexagonal Club Vol. 2.



True to its eclectic and passionate identity, and to celebrate its 5th anniversary, Pont Neuf announces the release of a new compilation, “Hexagonal Club Vol.2”. An unprecedented project which brings together the titles of the most promising young talents on the current French electronic scene: Flabaire, Tour-Maubourg, Cosmonection, Madcat, KX9000, Calmos & Berzingue, Fasme, Herr Krank, THEOS, Saudade and Vitess. Composed of 12 original tracks, this compilation immerses the listener in the heart of the different facets of electronic music

It’s the start of a new era for the cobbers, as they present their first compilation of 100% original music. Cementing the label’s New Age Italo manifesto, these four tracks straddle neon-tinted nostalgia and sleek futurism. Sounds from yesteryear, for the dancefloors of tomorrow.

This dichotomy is clear on opener ‘Silicon Horizon’, a propulsive banger from Kayroy which draws inspiration from the threshold of the digital age, evoking the rush of a nighttime race through city streets on a Tron bike.

The anthemic ‘Make Italo Disco Great Again’ gives tune to the phrase brandished by DJs such as Skatebård. Romain FX faithfully celebrates the ongoing Italo legacy with appropriately tuneful synths and cheesy lyrics, courtesy of vocalists Guido Balboa & Annika.

On the flip, German synth-wave fanatic Compilerbau delivers an atmospheric masterclass with ‘Raindance’. Here, intricate percussion and retrofuturist synth-scapes create an adrenaline rush of a track which could easily be the theme song from a lost 80’s action movie.

GREETINGS completes the release with ‘Time Is A Thief’, a bombastic trip to the Paradise Garage complete with piano stabs, a throbbing bassline and enough cowbell to cure any fever.

Another limited vinyl-only release, get yours quick before these boots have all danced off the shelves.

The italian project Zero Call produces pure Italo Disco with perfect brushes of ebm- infused retro synthwave. Punchy snares, pulsing basslines and dramatic synths behind monochromatic female spoken vocals. Including the main track “Stellar Wind” + 2 remixes by Technobeton and Arkademode + 2 recovered tracks from his past discography. All tracks have been specially remastered for LONG CUT vinyl by Daniel Hallhuber at Young and Cold Studios.

For the first time on vinyl, three classic best selling remixes from the Selador catalogue plus a never before released exclusive mix from Damon Jee.

Massive support from everyone from Pete Tong and Solomun to Hernan Cattaneo and Camel Phat.

Each remix made the top of its respective genre on Beatport.

The Italian Duo Club Paradiso coming from diverse and ever-evolving music backgrounds, they started their collaborative project in 2016. Romagna, Adriatic Riviera, is what they call home and also the primal inspiration behind Club Paradiso. Their first album “Esotica Erotica Psicotica” is out on april 26th on Mondo Groove with Kompakt distribution, follow up to the acclaimed 2017 single Panoramica, and is a wonderful patchwork of colours. Opener Romagna Tropicale transports Riviera to a tropical island, Tuco mixes arpeggiating lines with a western harmonica and a distant spoken, Solo tu with the voice of Francesca Amati is a sensual, slo-mo synth-pop beauty, and Echoes a throbbing deep house number. The B-side opens with Flauto Cosmico, a killer Afro/Cosmic track with a folky flute, Okinawa has the voice of Niconote aka the legendary Nicoletta Magalotti of Violet Eves fame and it’s simply a memorable song with an eastern vibe in the music, La Rabbia Saudita, with a special Daniele Baldelli & Marco Dionigi featuring, is half part Arabic and half part funky, and the closing track, Mirage, is, yes, like a mirage. You can’t miss this.

This 1982 Italo Disco/Boogie classic gets the reissue treatment complete with instrumental on the flip and original centre label artwork!

Released in 1980, "Speed Cross" by Thunder is an adventurous dancefloor epic seeing octave basslines and galloping disco beats supporting galactic pads, kinetic guitars, and flamboyant talk box solos. The track was originally backed by the pastoral prog of "The Game," wherein jangling acoustics and funky clavinets give way to charismatic vocal magic, as a sun-soaked classic rock groove cruises down some endless summer highway. And now, in reissuing both tracks, Best Record Italy has also invited in Mystic Jungle and Whodamanny for a spaced out remix of "Speed Cross." Acidic basslines flow through dub delays, Hi-NRG chords flash like a heatwave mirage, and disco beats crack beneath celestial synths and star-seeking funk licks before the track erupts into a sinister guitar solo soaked in psychedelic fuzz.

BT57 sees Markus Gebauer AKA Interviews making his debut on Brokntoys.

Having left a lasting impression with his previous efforts on labels Ortloff and Bitterfeld, here the Berlin-based producer showcases his throbbing blend of Italo, EBM and electro on a 4 track EP designed for primetime club action.

Discoring reissue Helens slo-mo Italo classic 'Zanzibar'

Digging deep through old and new, Basso captures arcane woodland fusion, serene electronic suites and wide eyed Balearic bliss on this first Growing Bin compilation.

This collection celebrates those precious records which land in your life on their own terms. Even the most advanced digger will admit that chance is the secret ingredient in any successful haul. Sure, it helps if you know where to look, but if you arrive a day early at that secluded second hand shop, or an hour late at the convention, you might miss out on a rare sight of sound. But there are still ways to skew the odds in your favour. Even in the most crowded urban environment, a solitary tree soon becomes a nest, and Basso's fostered an abundant garden in his Hamburg hometown. A decade on and the Growing Bin is a safe haven for those exquisite sounds crowded out of the mainstream, the rare birds with the most striking song.

'Coffee' comes right after cocoa in the bin's headquarter, though start your morning with One Tongue and be prepared for a different kind of day. A witch's brew spiced with a hint of Durian and the early bird, this 1990 composition could be the blueprint for the Teutonic trance dancers beloved by the Salon set. A more meditative magic flows through the A2, a smooth blend of fusion guitar, softly syncopated drums and counterpoint keys from one time art-rockers Inandout. This Growing Bin favourite from their '93-95' LP sounds right at home beside the majestic melodies and spheric bass of Matthias Raue's 'Brücke am schwarzen Fluss 2'. Taken from the soundtrack to a TV drama filmed in Mali, this digital homage to African rhythm shimmies in step with New Age dancers from Mkwaju Ensemble and Louis Crelier. The A-side ends with the unbridled optimism of Kosmische maverick Hardy Kukuk. The synthesist hit the studio with friends Karsten Raecke and Andreas Schneider in 86, coalescing crystalline electronics and gentle guitar into tender chord progressions suited for sun bathing beside the Sea of Tranquility.

The second side slinks into motion with the deep beauty and sincere spoken word of Frank Suchland's 'Schnee', a subtle body in a cocoon of reverb which takes Sade's 'I Never Thought I'd See The Day' to another level of placidness. Melancholic Germans Die Fische met in Cairo for the first time, and 'Conversation Of Everyday Lovers' could be the theme for that great city. Underpinned by primal percussion and a restrained groove, the track twists and turns between a trio of ineffable motifs, eternal combinations to the catacombs of Abusir. From there we go sublime, soaring skywards with a ten minute triumph from Hugh Mane. Balancing concentric sequences and space age synth riffs atop an irresistible breakbeat and bubbling bassline, the British producer finds a sensuous sweet-spot between fellow Growing Bin affiliates Krakatau and Singu.

Lucky are we who hear the Bin's sounds.
Patrick Ryder

During this difficult situation where we are forced to see beautiful theaters empty and quiet, the eclectic Ital Oscillazioni (Elvio Seta), best known for his bulky live instrumental performances, in the long wait for the release of his 2 first albums offers us a couple of unpublished tracks “obscure-italo” on vinyl, in which he clearly expresses his New Romantic nature.

These two releases blend the raw and pure sound of his vintage synths, with the surprising theatricality of the Opera represented here by Gioacchino Rossini’s “L’Equivoco Stravagante”.

A retrofuturistic Concept-italoDisco that, while we are sweaty and busy dancing it in a dirty nightclub, will transport us for a few moments to an elegant Italian theater of 1982, surrounded by heavy red velvet curtains.

The Italian 80’s are undoubtedly a huge gold mine for diggers and Djs. A decade where the Italo sound became a signature and a foundation. However, music in Italy always had a strong regionalisation, some peculiar musical phenomena that were happening in a specific region and, consequently, serving the local heads and helping to identify the place with a particular sound.

In Milan and Rome in the 80’s there was a huge production of some of the finest Italo Disco and Boogie. In the south of Italy there was an equally large production of, so called, Neomelodic records (with tons of influences, from the Italo sound of the time to Electro Funk and Hip Hop). Emilia Romagna, a land of extremely talented musicians, was (also) the land were the Italian “Afro” sound was conceived. An attitude? A peculiar musical style? The will of playing everything you liked? The so called Afro style was not only a way to select and spin records that is still captivating and influencing nowadays selectors; it was also a studio attitude. Many local Djs like Meo, Ebreo, Mozart etc. were producing music with the help of real musicians, giving birth to a really unique serie of records. Two of the blueprints of this era are certainly Dj Meo’s solo albums “Fine Corsa”, “Sesta Traccia” and his 1987 single “Cikuana/Alturas”. Three records that can really be considered as cardinal Afro records, including all kind of musical elements: hypnothical melodies, huge percussive breaks, New Wave’s uptempo patterns as well as dark and introspective atmospheres. Dualismo Sound gives a new life to some of Meo’s best tracks: filling a 12” with three killer Riminese Afro cuts. The records come with a special artwork made by Jacopo Lega, leader of the Torinese Amphibia collective, plus an A3 insert that features an extensive interview with Meo himself and a poster.

Gloosy and sexy 80’s synthwave designed by Joone and Miss Zagato in UK. Their past / future italo-disco will be a fundamental masterpiece for any passionate vinyl collection. DE SCHOOL Ltd. Edition EP comes presented in a ONE-OFF truly limited edition of 200 copies lacquered pressed on 180 gr. high quality SOLID WHITE vinyl. All tracks have been specially remastered for LONG CUT vinyl by Daniel Hallhuber at Young and Cold Studios.

The third release on Tempo Dischi is 'Keep On Dance' by Contact Music, a little gem that is part of the Italo Disco history, but has characteristics of the early Proto House sound.

Antonio Cucaro, the Italian musician, songwriter and producer behind this project recalls ‘I started playing guitar very early. I drew my inspirations from the echo of Woodstock that came through the ‘Bandiera Gialla’ show on Radio Rai: emotions that were equal to true revelations when listening to Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Cream, Jimmy Page, Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple), Joe Pass, Alvin Lee, George Benson. Stimulated by various musical contamination, which came from rock and Italian authorial music, I started immersing myself into searching new exciting sounds, applying composition to various directions while trying to produce something new without worrying about genres or people's judgements, all without a compromise. I would not have imagined that one evening in 1983, 'Keep on Dance' would be born. It was produced together with three DJs who wanted a sort of opening track for their sets, putting together some sequences recorded by myself using percussion, acoustic and electronic drums (Linn, Oberheim, Simmons). The fact that after almost forty years it has been revived and considered a Proto House pearl really honours me. Composing music is like breathing pure oxygen: you compose, record and realise that you are already thinking about the next step to keep breathing’.

Dense, stylistic and melodic. Volantis Debut EP is a blend of italo pads, old-school kicks, hats, guitars and hypnotic synths that make the tracks full of dreamy emotions. Irresistible percussive lines before elegant chords raise your mood to cloud nine.

Disco Segreta brings you another most-desirable italian holy grail disco gem !

Originally released in 1979 as a 45 single on the tiny private label “Papaya”, “La Mosca” is the very first version of the “Andromeda” track, already reissued by Disco Segreta in 2015, but this sports completely different lyrics and is sung by a different voice, that of italian folk pop chanteuse Louiselle.

Surprise ! The reissue 12” will not only sport the original 45 vocal version, restored to its glory in two versions, but will also include a ***previously unreleased*** version found on the tape, with a completely different arrangement , “fly” sound effects and different lyrics.

Both versions are directly taken from the analog masters.

Demi Riquísimo’s burgeoning label Semi Delicious returns for its 6th instalment. Another fine selection of tracks from various artists selected by the busy DJ, producer and curator. Having toured with Artwork, and garnered attested support from the likes of Eats Everything, Skream, Detroit Swindle, Moxie and Optimo, Semi Delicious proves again that its not slowing down.

Kicking things off in his typical finesse, the label boss Demi delivers ‘Judy’, a rolling, nostalgia trip that treads the line between authentic Moroder style disco and 90’s acid house. His pronounced use of retro sounding synths for his stunning swelling pads contrast the driving arpeggios that anchor the track. Splashy, sampled disco breaks offer up unparalleled groove while the track progresses through passages of bold synth leads and harmonious chordal breakdowns.

Manuel Darquart eases us into the A2, the Kiwi born, UK based Duo showcase their raw, stripped back club sounds. Driving, subterranean bass growls oscillate under suspended pad drones while splashy hi-hats open up with his warm, humming drum-machines driving the track throughout with a crunchy, inviting tone.

The continuing sense of nostalgia builds through 006 with ‘Deep Asleep’. The Holding Hands records regular showcases the distinctive sound he’s coming to be known for. Speeding things up, Baby Rollén asserts himself with thick, rolling 808 drums and diced up breakbeats. A wobbly, bouncing acid line takes centre stage along with seductive breath like vocals and subdued synth pads throughout the breakdowns.

Sealing the deal, Beraber, the Red Light radio regular from the Netherlands delivers ‘Maybe Tomorrow’. An airy Italo-house groove with plenty of swing. Distinctive, modulating synth leads float over a blend of Roland percussion sounds, soft synth pads and superb touches of incredibly funky bass.

After the heaviest of years, it should be time to take a little weight off with the playful sounds of The Person. Mapping its own Bermuda Triangle between dub-pop, sugary synthwave and Balearic boogie, ‘Tide Life’ transports Compass Point to Soggy Bottom, providing maximum fun, sun and bitmap escapism.

The eagle-eared may recognise The Person from the aspirational Italo-rockers Steaming Jeans, whose chalet-ready romp on Bordello A Parigi scored a Winter Olympic gold back in early 2020. Now left to her own devices, Minna Wight swaps the slopes for a jet ski and takes a Wave Race from Summer Bay to Monkey Island across 11 cuts of vintage oddball pop.

Whether she’s borrowing Brenda’s Beach Balls for the dubby daydream of ‘Snail Cafe’ and ‘The Place’, serving lost library cues to SNES club scenes on ‘Barry R Reef’ and ‘Elastic Shoes’ or spinning high school slow jams into synth soul ballads like ‘Nice Feeling’, Minna disguises serious musicianship behind a naive aesthetic. Disarmed by charm, we’re powerless to resist her tidal pull.
Patrick Ryder

limited to 200 copies - no repress

Originally released in 1981 on the mysterious "Newlock Records" (apparently associated with the even more mystifying pirate label "Records Production") is a production by Giuseppe Sergio Santapaga, a guitarist from Milano, and Edo Martin an Italian session musician. Supercool would seem to be a sort of cover of a song contained in the soundtrack of "Revenge Of The Pink Panther" and the mystery about this song thickens, and it is this stuff for the freaks of Discogs, since there is an unobtainable instrumental version called "Entity" by the "Entity Band".

Much like its associated club, Live At Robert Johnson not only features seasoned veterans, but likewise emerging talents and those already paving their way with quality productions. Victor’s production style tells much about his ongoing collaborations with one of bespoke veterans, Gerd Janson, providing countless remixes and edits as a tag team on labels such als Running Back and Permanent Vacation.

Taking their inspirations from a sonic array of UK Synth Pop, Balearic beats and Italo Disco, Victor Shan’s LARJ debut 4-track EP reveres nights spent at the Robert Johnson club: from the dancefloor to the studio. Lush detuned synths, deep basslines sometimes lingering down below, and upfront beats—they all catch the vibe of a wooden dancefloor to be found at Nordring 131 in Offenbach.

Mothball Record in association with Bordello A Parigi is proud to present one of the strangest and most mysterious recordings from the whole Italo-Disco era. Sitting somewhere between goth, italo and new wave, “Space Melody” is a dedication to ancient Egypt and outer space.
The original EP was almost totally lost to the sands of time, until recently the original mastertape was unearthed by the artist and later painstakingly transferred by Rude 66.

The record is completed by new instrumental versions from the Danish Italo king Flemming Dalum and the Spanish italo duo Futuro.

Funnuvojere's latest instalment, Minority Resist, comes from Czech Republic and it's signed by Martin Ku?ka under his moniker Goodbye Mirage. Martin has been performing and producing ambient and synthy compositions under his real name for many years, releasing a few LPs for the US cassette labels Sacred Phrases and Origin Peoples, mostly influenced by writing, drawing and photography, as well as by the rhythms of village life.? Funnuvojere's new ethereal EP interweaves nostalgia for the past and reflections on the present. The EP is imbued with Martin's memories of discovering Berlin's Love Parade, the golden cradle of 90s trance and progressive house. Emotional tension and unexpected polymeters characterise the EP, with minimalistic notes rippling back from a distant future. Careful design produces a unique sound and grain that will blissfully envelop those lucky enough to hear it played.?

Luxury Hits is an open-hearted love letter to possible futures. Trans-temporal projection through pop music for dancefloors. The music is about breaking through the limitations of our surroundings, not through escapism but defining a new reality on our own terms and breathing it into existence.

The record is a tropal soup of sonic utopias - balearic, acid, italo, synthpop, psychedelia - served in the mercurial bowl of HERE AND NOW.

Free Love is the latest manifestation of Scottish duo Suzanne Rodden and Lewis Cook (FKA Happy Meals) - a continuation and progression of their utopian dance pop experiments released on Night School Records and Optimo which have seen them shortlist nominated for Scottish Album of the Year and performing across the globe. Touring across Europe supporting Liars and The Flaming Lips, and with festival shows as far as Austin, Moscow and Bangalore, the band have become notorious for their sensual live ceremonies. Using a table of all-hardware electronics, Free Love harness a charismatic chaos and unpredictable energy that sets them apart as one of the most exciting artists of 2018.

Upcoming, very talented Amsterdam DJ /producer debuts on Rush Hour with a loud 12-inch two-tracker, New Dance. After his remix for Bassekou Kouyate on Joe Claussell's label and the strong "Testify" track co-produced with Jamie 3:26, he now goes solo with these two Italo infused dance floor igniters ....

As head of Italian (centric) Slow Motion label (and international artist sister imprint, Wrong Era), and through his own productions and remixes, Franz Scala has been pioneering the retro-futuristic aesthetic of club culture weaving together elements of proto-house, wave and Italo for the nuovo contemporary dancefloor long before it’s current vogue. Now alongside Bordello A Parigi, and supported by Sameheads, Slow Motion presents Scala’s Mondo Della Notte.

This is part 2 of the album, which is also available as 2LP bundle.

Mushrooming into Red Laser Corp's continuing & stringent program of providing the best modern Manctalo (TM) and related flavours, Luca Dell'Orso follows up his taster session on Red Laser EP9 (RL28) with a fully realised solo EP.

Based in Holland and obviously taking in the might of European dance influences that surround him, 'A New Paradigm' spawns a new natural genome, between Italo disco, Belgium new beat and our own, homegrown synth jizz that we've championed from the start. In short, rickety old drum boxes jostle with that favoured analogue machinery that powers all the big bombs from our infamous discotheque!

Hammered to death off Pharaoh Brunson's battered stix, the tracks here were snowballing on dancefloors so much before lockdown, the .wav was actually starting to see some binary wear and tear, so we chivvied along the pressing plants to get it on wax pronto; and despite much of our beloved industry suffering setbacks and turmoil at the moment, we've managed to beam it down to your decks just in the nick of time. Get in!

A wild obsession with big gated drums, jagged arps and darkly vocodered vox characterizes the EP; with moods veering from all-out, popper-huffing nihilism into star-gazing wanderlust with spontaneous combustions of nearby neutron stars thrown in for good measure.
Four tracks that epitomise our label's musical agenda: rugged and rumbly, charged and electric. Kinetic and mad functional, nocturnal body music with a head full of nitrates and a coital throb down under.
It should find perfect habitat at any late nite dance n drug den once we're allowed to get up close, sweaty and start reaching for the red lasers again...

While festivals on grass are suspended, festivals on vinyl are in full swing. Filament brings you their third VA which recounts those summer moments as envisioned by Glowing Palms, Super Drama, Ghostwhip and their own Filament Deejays. Expect everything from eastern-infused disco & tropicalities, to woozy italo and UK garage.

'Madrid Fue Una Ciudad Mundial' compiles four of the most important Spanish electronic projects from the 80's. A compilation released in cooperation with a show organised in Madrid last May, 18th where Aviador Dro, Flash Cero, Azul y Negro and Esplendor Geométrico played together for the very first time.Aviador Dro offers two unpublished early recordings from 1981. Flash Cero includes an unreleased song recorded back in 1987. Azul y Negro collaborates with a demo version of their cult classic 'La Torre de Madrid' from 1981. And Esplendor Geométrico give us a couple of live tracks recorded in 1989 for the first time available on vinyl

Auf ihreneuen Album "Plexus" präsentieren die französischen Electro-Popper Hypnolove eine gekonnte Mixtur aus Eurodance, Italo, Space Disco und Boogie-Funk mit vielen 1980er Anleihen.

The world may have come to a halt these days. However, Todh Teri & his international bunch of merry pranksters never stop digging the rich Indian cinema music back catalogue. With Deep In India Volume 7, they have emerged & presented their best work for a globally keen audience.
The first on this record - Sampadan 22 - is an italo cut, reminiscing the glittery disco divas of the 80s & beyond. The disco fever continues with Sampadan 23 where brand new disco prankster La Jawab reworks the quintessential Indian cinema classic track - with an ever cascading French touch.
Todh Teri slows down the platter with Sampadan 24, and turns up the acid on a deeper interpolation of a 90s Bollywood chartbuster. And finally with Sampadan 25, Deep in India repeat offender Kone Kone flips nostalgic Indian dreams into head nodding boom bap beats.
Brand new music for a brand new world - waiting to fill your bodies, minds & soul - with that funky goodness that you need.