Fresh Soup 110: Øhm Sweet Øhm presents Italians Love Synthesizers

Fresh Soup

As disco in its spiritual home of New York's debauched nightclubs fell out of vogue, European producers inspired by the sound persisted with gusto; taking their scene to the mainstream with chart successes moulded in the manner of the Warhol Factory cookie cutter process. Once a dirty word, Italo Disco has won a devout new following, its catalogues plundered for synth-heavy camp classics with inimitable feeling. While the sound wouldn't resonate in the English speaking West at its peak during the 1980s, its influence can be felt in the distinctive electro-pop of Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode and New Order; today its new audience has made cult classics of one-hit-wonders from obscure artists and aliases.

The circle would be complete when Italo made its way into the nightclubs of New York and Chicago via American producers inspired by the high energy sound, the likes of Bobby O and Patrick Cowley evolving the scene as those in the UK had. For his latest deep dive, Øhm Sweet Øhm takes us on an uptempo ride through the individual sound of Italo Disco, the evocative scene that didn't know when it was beaten. Italians love synthesizers. And so do we.

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