- On collections like 2012's GoGo Get Down and 2010's Backstreet Brit Funk, Joey Negro played the role of a curator, unearthing musical artefacts that told stories of clubland's bygone cultures. On Italo House, he's more of a makeover artist. After all, the reason no one really talks about Italo house isn't that people don't know what it is, but rather that many regard it as a tacky embarrassment they'd rather not be associated with.
Subtitled "a personal selection of the deeper side of Italian house music," Italo House aims to show the genre's more sophisticated side. Having said that, anyone with a sneaky affection for Black Box's "Ride On Time" or Livin' Joy's "Dreamer"—both absent here—will still probably find M.C.J and Sima's "Sexitivity" a guilty pleasure (while anyone with an aversion to pounding pianos and foghorn divas will find their teeth teetering on the edge). Elsewhere, though, the jazzy keys and Balearic vibe of tracks like Carol Bailey's "Understand Me" have much more in common with that other, far cooler Italo house classic: "Sueno Latino." US garage is an obvious inspiration here, apparent everywhere from Opi Williams' gospel-style vocals on Double Dealers' "My Love" to the trilling organs on Montego Bay's "Everything." Nexy Lanton's "You Too" finds the sweet spot between New York house and Latin jazz in a way that recalls Masters At Work's Nuyorican Soul project.
It's easy to see why Negro, a DJ steeped in disco and one unafraid of cheese, is drawn to these records—tracks like DJ Le Roy's "Yo Te Quiero" have groin-ticklingly groovy basslines, and there are so many hands-in-the-air moments that you end up looking like someone trying to land an entire squadron of jumbo jets. And it's not just him or other veterans like David Morales who'll get mileage out of these tunes: any house or disco DJ in need of a quick crowd-pleaser will find this collection a treasure trove. But while GoGo Get Down and Backstreet Brit Funk left you with the urge to dig deeper, the generally homogenous sound of Italo House doesn't create the impression that there's much more out there. As both a reappraisal of a much-maligned style and a great collection of feel-good club tracks, Italo House is worth your attention, but you get the feeling that once you've heard this, you've probably heard it all.
TracklistCD1
01. Don Carlos – Alone (Paradise Version)
02. Paradise Orchestra – Satisfy Your Dreams (Club Mix)
03. Double Dealers feat. Opi Williams – My Love (Club Version)
04. Korda – Move Your Body (To The Sound) (Club Mix)
05. Omniverse – Never Get Enough (Sunday Morning Mix)
06. Jestofunk – I’m Gonna Love You (Club Mix)
07. Montego Bay – Everything (S-Tone Mix)
08. D-Rail – Bring It On Down (Dub)
09. Shafty – Deep Inside (Soul Trance Mix)
10. Steve Banzara – Black (Jaco Version)
11. Nexy Lanton – You Too (Atmosphere Version)
12. Mr Marvin – Entity (Jazzy)
CD2
01. Aural – Desire (Martini Club Mix)
02. Arkanoid - Alpha Centauri (Extended Remix)
03. Key Tronics Ensemble – House Of Calypso
04. M.C.J feat. Sima – Sexitivity (Club Mix)
05. Lipstick Traces – I Want You (Claim Mix)
06. DJ Le Roy feat. Bocachica - Yo Te Quiero (Detroit Version)
07. Latin Blood – Deseo (Salsa Club Mix)
08. Soft House Company – What You Need (Original Mix)
09. Centric House – Alright Alright (Seaside Mix)
10. Love Quartet – Kiss Me (Don’t Be Afraid)
11. Funkmaster Sweat – House of Latin
12. Carol Bailey – Understand Me (Dreams Piano Remix)