No.5 x 2012

I did a guest mix recently for one of my favourite blogs, FRWCTRL. The idea of the mix is based on the arty and surrealistic low budget porn movie Night Dreams from 1981, one of two (the other being Café Flesh from 1982) porn movies written by Jerry Stahl under the pseudonym Herbert W. Day. Most people know Jerry Stahl for his biography-turned-to-film Permanent Midnight of 1998, where Ben Stiller stars as a sweaty and leather-clad Stahl in a very un-romantic portrayal of his own heroin addiction during his years in L.A. as a writer for the TV-series ALF and Moonlighting. Both Night Dreams and Café Flesh are dark and twisted visual experiences with the same aesthetics of the post-punk era as Liquid Sky, and the music in these films are great. The trailer for Night Dreams (which is also the intro & outro for my mix) uses a sample from electronic pioneer Morton Subotnicks Wild Boar from 1968.

SERGIO RIZZOLO - NIGHT DREAMS

No.23 x 2011

Tonight I'm playing in Stockholm again, at the Mejan christmas party (Mejan is what they call their royal art academy here) which is held at Färgfabriken this year. Rumour has it that these parties are anticipated highlights of the year for Stockholmers (like a Labor Day Run is for the North American Outlaw). In any large city with a metropolis complex, art is the great unifier of the classes (well, between the middle and upper ones mostly), and their differences are put aside for one night in the name of good fun. If you're in town, it's a safe bet for some action.

Me on one floor and the Rollerboys on the other floor, bound to get heavy. And if you come by early on (to beat standing in line) you can hear my buddy Gabriel warming up the turntables.

And here's a new mix to light your pants on fire with....

The Disco Outlaw (A Sergio Rizzolo Mix)

No.6 x 2011

As you may know, I've got a soft spot (and very high cheese-tolerance) when it comes to the music of the disco era produced in my native country Sweden. I think at least every third post here at the Academy is tagged "scandinavian".
So I was awe-struck when I discovered Lovebugs mix Up North themed entirely around scandinavian disco & boogie of the 1980's. It's just so good I kind of wish I had made it myself. Somewhat reminiscent of the Top Nice-teams Svenska Pärlor mix I posted some time ago now, this mix focuses solely on the kind of pop-boogie sound that many have linked to the Sir Lancelot label. Some of these bands (Extra, Mantraction) could have been labeled new wave, but it seems to have been all a blur during those crazy pastell-coloured years. The odd number is definitley the christian disco of De'Funkar.
Lovebug is part of the german radio/club outfit Bleepgeeks located in Ulm, which also has an exceptional blog stuffed with obscurities.

LOVEBUG PRESENTS 'UP NORTH!'

No.52 x 2010

DJ Ajetollah is known to her friends simply as Aje (short for Arjumand), and even though she has only been playing records for about a year (mostly as part of the underground crew Sui Generis here in Malmö) she has some kickass skills matched with
a distinguished taste in hard electronic disco both old and new.

This mix for instance starts things off by reclaiming Yellos Oh Yeah from the vaults of 80's nostalgia (although to most people it will forever be linked as the soundtrack to Ferris Bueler's Day Off) and then throwing us right into the retrofuturistic visions of Morgan Geist and his cratedigging spoof project Jersey Devil Social Club.

DJ AJETOLLAH - SPACED OUT MIX

No.43 x 2010

Oh by the way, I also have a new mix! It's about telephones, in case you were wondering.
Here's the tracklist:

Secret Cosmic Phone Call
André Szigethy - Telefon (1983)
Midnight Star - Operator (1984)
Answering Service - Call Me Mr. Telephone (Lindström & Prins Thomas remix) (1985/2005)
Johnny Chingas - Phone Home (1982)
Blue Feather - Call Me Up (1982)
Crazy Gang - Telephone Computor (1983)
Body Electric - 5595 (1984)
Iron Curtain - Telephone (1985)
Eberhard Schoener - Why Don't You Answer? (1981)
Danny Darrow - Telephones (1979)
Kim Harlow - Who's On The Line? (1978)


Sergio Rizzolo - (..is) On The Line!

No.42 x 2010

Behind the name of Rutger Hofbahn is a guy from Stockholm called Sebastian, an up-and-coming dude producing some very slick neo-balearic disco in the same field as the Eskimo Recordings stable.
His first single is called Rhea and is still only available digitally, but in time I believe that will surely change.
With an affection for the sweeping synthesizer sounds of early cosmic disco and the blissed out groove of the balearic beat, Hofbahn delivers this mix of old and new treasures.

SUCH A FEELING (MIX) by Rutger Hofbahn

No.1 x 2010

Top Nice is arguably one of the best clubs in Stockholm (and possibly Europe - since they have expanded their territory to London in the last few years) simply by the fact that the large and loose collective behind the name always seem to have just as much fun, or even more, than the dancefloor crowd.
It doesn't hurt then that these deejays are top nice in their game as well - with people like Carli, Ebotron, Maxxbass, Alonzo & Hampus Time D.J. (just to name a few) often seen behind the decks.
Last summer they held a party at a place called Pluto in Stockholm that I was fortunate enough to attend as an impromptou guest DJ. That night saw the release of their mixtape Svenska Pärlor, one of last years best crate-diving mixes into the history of Swedish new wave & disco, which they finally have decided to share with the good folks of the world wide web.
Keep it coming boys!

1. Viva – Igår, idag, imorgon
2. Tredje Mannen – Ser dig nu
3. Adolphson & Falk – Krafter vi aldrig känner
4. Freestyle – Kom till mig
5. Mikael Rickfors - Dancing on the edge of danger
6. Magnus Uggla – Sommartid
7. Magnus Uggla – Sommartid (12” version)
8. Tv3 – Telefonterror
9. Peter Stridh – La luna
10. Michael Dee – Nu ska vi opp, opp, opp
11. Tredje Mannen – Flanör
12. Ståålfågel – Utan rymddräkt på Uranus
13. Giant Steppers – Uptown downtown
14. Madeleine Uzho – Satisfied
15. Nasa – Take off your clothes
16. Ståålfågel – En dag på varuhuset
17. Peter Stridh – Single Girl
18. Lustans Lakejer – Något måste brista
19. Cirkus – Amazonas
20. Lacrosse – Du befaller
21. Reeperbahn – Förnedringen
22. Lustans Lakejer – Stilla nätter
23. Johanna Lundberg – Heta linjen
24. Cosmic Overdose – Tonight
25. Ratata – Romantic (non mi ami plu)
26. Ratata – Ögon av is

TOP NICE - SVENSKA PÄRLOR

GUEST MIX: DJ SEAMLESS

Hold your phones! Pass the smokes! Put on your boots! Because there's a new mixtape in the house. This time from my friend Olof, or Seamless as he is known behind the wheels of steel.
The Academy is all about introducing and inspiring new perspectives on disco, but I have to say we have strayed pretty far from the conventional definition of disco.
Good then that there are DJs like Seamless who have a fresh, youthfull (and dare I say not so nerdy) take on the disco sound.
Crate digging jocks might be turned off at the sight of titles such as Play that Funky Music White Boy, the stuff of gas station compilations. But it just takes a pair of ears and feet to appreciate that good music is simply good music.

The Source - Elektrons feat. Pete Simpson
Sing Sing - Gaz
Love Sensation (Rough Mix) (Dim's DJ Friendly Re-Edit) - Loleatta Holloway
Don't Give Up - Elektrons feat. Holly Backler
Seconds (12" version) - The Salsoul Orchestra feat. Loleatta Holloway
Play That Funky Music White Boy - Wild Cherry
Push Push - Brick
Nefertiti - Wisdom
Doin' The Dog (Extended) - Creme D'cocoa
War - Edwin Starr
Moment Of My Life - Inner Life feat. Jocelyn Brown
Super Funky - Amigos Invisibles
Disco Lights - Dexter Wansel
Ladies Night (Extended) - Kool & The Gang

DJ SEAMLESS - LADIES NIGHT MIX

BALEARIC SESSION No.2

Another mix from yours truly. In the vein of what some have called Nu-Balearica. And with all right, since I was able to squeeze in some fresh stuff from the Permanent Vacation stable as well as the title track of Rune Lindbaek & Idjut Boys new project Meanderthals, soon available for purchase. And from our Swedish coast lines: re-edits from favourites Lugnet and Apiento (who's stuff you can download over here), and the amazingly "so cheesy it's cool"-sampling of Macarena by Stockholms Nhessingtons, one of the outfits on the promising label Force Majeure. Enjoy!

U. Srinivas & Michael Brook - Dance
Ronny & Renzo - Uniqorns (Quiet Village Remix)
Low Motion Disco - Love Love Love
Sade - Paradise (Apiento Edit)
Nhessingtons - You're The Summer
Woolfy - Nevee (Permanent Vacation Tropical Heat Remix)
Tiaz - Sommarstorm
Thompson Twins - Leopard Ray
Troublemakers - Afghan
Regina - Näinä Mustina Iltoina (Schmamix Instrumental)
Edgar Winter - Above And Beyond (Instrumental)
Meanderthals - Desire Lines

SERGIO RIZZOLO - BALEARIC SESSION No.2