The Best of Italo-Disco

The compilation from German record label ZYX that first named Italo disco, this album collected together twelve quality Italo boogie and disco records, providing a sonic snapshot of the early 80s Italo sound. Former hard rock band Amin Peck supply three tracks, their new wave-ish Girl On Me, the entirely electronic disco jam Coda and their clunky marriage of slap bass and rigid synth programming Anxiety. The original and Italo remix of Flowchart’s Ask The Boss are a neat way to compare the differences between US-style boogie and the emergent Italo sound. It’s all top-quality early Italo, complete with all the slick rhythm tracks, enthusiastically programmed synth parts, deliberately emotive chord progressions and unexpected pop moments you could hope for.