Rago & Farina vs. Italoconnection – Rago & Farina vs. Italoconnection (Album – Nadanna)
Genre/Influences: Italo-Disco, Electro-Pop.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: This album is a collaboration between Italo-Disco friends involved in different projects and revisiting different Italo-Disco songs they’ve been involved with. We get a total of thirteen tracks.
Content: If you’re into Italo-Disco –which sometimes comes pretty close to Electro-Wave and Electro-Pop, you probably have heard of Atelier Folie, Expansives, Fred Ventura, Decadance, ‘Lectric Workers and Flemming Dalum. Several songs of those projects have been revisited now in the purest Italo-Disco style and then in a more Electro/Wave-Pop approach, which sometimes evokes New Order.
+ + + : The album sounds pretty cool for its diversity, but it first of all is music to dance and have fun. I’ve always had a connection with Italo-Disco with 80s Electro-Wave, but in a happier/fun approach and with some good kitsch on top. The songs are carried by great melody lines and cool space-like effects. The remix of Atelier Folie’s “Leave Me Alone” by Italoconnection is one of the absolute highlights, but I also have to mention the instrumental “Borealis” from ‘Lectric Workers (a project from Rago & Farina).
– – – : A few versions/songs are a bit too kitsch and commercial for my taste, but globally speaking, this is pure fun!
Conclusion: Italo-Disco remains a music style that hasn’t been considered with seriousness; however it’s great music to dance and forget your daily stress.
Best songs: Atelier Folie: “Leave Me Alone – Italoconnection Remix”, ’Lectric workers: “Borealis – Original Mix”, Atelier Folie: “Walking In The Neon – Italoconnection Rework”.
Rate: 7½.
Artists: www.facebook.com/atelierfolieareback / www.facebook.com/italoconnection
Label: www.facebook.com/NadannaItaloSynthRecords
About Rago & Farina vs. Italoconnection
Italoconnection is an Italian electronic duo whose members Discogs lists as Paolo Gozzetti and Federico Di Bonaventura, the latter recording as Fred Ventura. The project debuted with the self-titled “Italoconnection” in 2013 and continued with “Neon Disco” in 2016, “Metropoli” in 2017, “Humanize” in 2018 and “Now Or Never” in 2019, alongside the “Remixes” collections issued by Space Sound Records in 2016, 2018 and 2021.
Rago & Farina are an Italian production duo active in the Italo-disco scene of the 1980s, credited on records by Atelier Folie and ‘Lectric Workers. Disco Modernism collected part of that catalogue in 2014 on “Lost Demos And Unreleased Masters 1983/1986”, credited to Rago & Farina and Atelier Folie.
“Rago & Farina Vs Italoconnection” brings the two camps together on thirteen tracks. Discogs lists a limited CD compilation issued by Nadanna in 2021 and a limited 12” vinyl edition issued by Disco Modernism in the same year, with the digital edition available through Italoconnection.
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