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Although Moroder made some Taleggio over the years, From Here to Eternity is an early Italo masterpiece. First published as an LP in 1977 on US-based Casablanca Records, near mint copies of this album are still widely available for about $20. Synthspotters love this video…

SCHEMATIC: Some Moroder TV appearances, a Casablanca Records promo video, more details…

Moroder’s discography is longer than the Dead Sea Scrolls. Among other massive hits, Moroder was behind Donna Summer’s 1977 smash, I Feel Love.

He also did the theme song for the crazy-ass movie Midnight Express in 1978. Below is a classic German TV show (check out those mics!) introducing Moroder and his oscar-winning track, The Chase, which is 13 minutes of mind-warping synthesizer amazingness. In this all-too-brief clip, Moroder goes from laying it down in German to working a Minimoog in an ultra-rare LIVE performance.

Here is the original 8-minute 45RPM version of the track. I can’t seem to find the 12″ version, so will upload mine.

Here is the Casablanca Records promo where Moroder demonstrates his vocoder skills.

Moroder produced everyone and everything in the 1980s. Beyond rescoring the 1920s Fritz Lang film Metropolis, he was responsible for Top Gun (along with German protégé Harold Faltermeyer), Blondie’s Call Me, Irene Cara’s What a Feelin’ LP which included Romance ’83 (and Flashdance), The Neverending Story and so forth.

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Zodiac is some seriously spaced-out synthy disco goodness. The simple composition of this eponymous track from their 1980 debut LP Disco Alliance brings the lush sythscapes and analog textures to the forefront. Loving those live drums. This exceptional track is essentially unknown in NA and generally available for about US$20 + international shipping. And peep that cover art!!

SCHEMATIC: Three more videos and some fantastic cover art…

Mysterious Galaxy is the lead track off the band’s second LP, Music in the Universe released in 1982. This track takes a funkier approach than found on the first album, as evidenced by the Latvians tearing up the parquet.

Provincial Disco is the third track off the Disco Alliance LP. Although clearly weaker than Zodiac, the synths are still highly unusual. I’m sure you’ll pick out quite a few interesting musical elements and a couple skillful transitions (2:15 & 3:36).

Pacific was the second track on the Disco Alliance LP. Again, clearly a weaker track than Zodiac, but pretty funky nonetheless.

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Supernature is a cautionary post-apocalyptic tale of scientific hubris and genetic experimentation gone awry. Although there are numerous tracks from the 70s and 80s that pay homage to space, robots and computers (thank God), few disco/synth tracks really drop earth science. Me like! Me like!

SCHEMATIC: High quality extended vinyl rip MP3, lyrics, cover art…

The Cerrone 3 LP is readily available on vinyl for only $10 or so. The LP version of the song is nearly 10 minutes long, but is actually only the first of three movements that comprise a totally epic Side A. Not really sure what happened on Side B, but who cares?!! The tracklisting and run times are:

a1) Supernature (10:20)
a2) Sweet Drums (3:30)
a3) Into The Smoke (4:40):

Once upon a time
Science opened up the door
We would feed the hungry fields
Till they couldn’t eat no more

But the potions that we made
Touched the creatures down below
And they grow up in a way
That we’d never seen before

<chorus>Supernature, supernature
Supernature, supernature</chorus>

They were angry with the man
Cause changed their way of life
And they take their sweet revenge
As they trample through the night

For hundred miles or more
You could hear the people cry
But there is nothing you can do
Even God is on their side
(God is on, God is on, God is on their side)

<chorus>Supernature, supernature
Supernature, supernature</chorus>

Cars will break the light
Come flowing in the air
The creature will decide
Who goes where

How can I explain
Things are different today
Darkness all around
No one makes a sound
Such a sad affair
No one seems to care

<chorus>Supernature, supernature
Supernature, supernature</chorus>

Better watch out
There’s no way to stop it now
You can’t escape
It’s too late
Look what you’ve done
There’s no place that you can run
The monsters made
We must pray

Maybe nature has a plan
To control the ways of man
He must start from scratch again
Many battles must he win
Till he earns his place on earth
Like the other creatures do
Will there be a happy end
Now that all depends on you

<chorus>Supernature, supernature
Supernature, supernature</chorus>

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SCHEMATIC: HQ vinyl rips of Part I and Part II, sources, cover art…

This is a very affordable, and relatively available record as a 7″. I totally recommend picking it up from discogs or ebay.

(Do You Feel) The Force Part I

(Do You Feel) The Force Part II

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Kébekélektrik (aka Gino Soccio) released Journey Into Love in 1977 on Les Disques Direction Records from Montreal. The track, re-released as Magic Fly later that year, is nearly identical to Space’s Magic Fly, but with a slightly different production feel. 

SCHEMATIC: Record scans, photos and YET ANOTHER VERSION…

Pink Project is like Pandora’s Box, so I’ll open that up on another post. In the meantime, you will hear Magic Fly at around 1:00 and again throughout this Italo track from 1982 that sounds like something from The Neverending Story. Thanks for posting this video Ignacio!

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The audio player below comes pre-loaded with the  12″ b-side track, Fasten Seat Belt, which was ripped at 24/96 from my personal copy and converted to MP3 at 192kbps. Although Fasten Seat Belt is a funkier journey into the cosmos, it still totally rocks!

SCHEMATIC: High quality vinyl rips from their second LP, Just Blue…

Despite the sweeeeeet album artwork, the 1978 follow up LP Just Blue was a collection of seven underground disco tracks that were, IMHO, alchemical failures. The musicianship is certainly there, as is the trippy space-disco feel, but they stopped short of the philosopher’s stone. On the whole, the album reminds me of a soft-core space disco porn soundtrack. Here are my favorite three of the seven tracks.

Just Blue

Final Signal

Blue Tears

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Shangaied (Unidisc 12″ Single Version)

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