At the beginning of the 90s, a new music wave was emerging in Italy. Influenced by stylistic elements and sound expressions arriving from abroad – in particular from those English and American labels – it has created the bases for an innovative sound destined to leave its mark for generations to come. It was a sound close to the Deep House atmospheres coming from Chicago, Detroit, and New York. A sound made of powerful basslines, punching drum machines, dreamy melodies, and incredibly sensuous vibrations. Dream House, Italo House, Piano House are names often used to identify this new scene, but it could be simply summed up in one word: “Underground”. Inspired by an innate sense of freedom and experimentation, a generation of Italian DJs and producers envision the sound of the future. The music becomes a muse, enchanting and unifying. The movement fires up in the clubs. The record shops act as a sounding board. And the alignment of all the planets generates an invasion of celestial bodies. “Ciao Italia” wants to be a tribute to the artists that wrote this story. Artists that were forced to use many different aliases that often even themselves have forgotten and certainly less celebrated than their colleagues today. From Andrea Gemolotto, Massimino Lippoli, Fabrice, Mr Marvin, Davide Rizzatti and Angelino Albanese (DFC Records), Ricky Montanari and Flavio Vecchi (Love Quartet), Paramour, Adrian Morrison and Dj Ralf (Heartbeat Records), passing through the productions of Alex Neri and Marco Baroni (formerly Kamasutra, Green Baize, Agua Re up to becoming Planet Funk) for Palmares, up to Don Carlos and Stefano Tirone (together Montego Bay Experience) Francesco Montefiori (aka Key Tronics Ensemble and Soft House Company) and Claudio “Moz-Art Rispoli (Jestofunk and Omniverse) on Irma and Antima Records, Leo Mas, Rago and Farina, MBG, Paolino Bova, Gianni Bini and Paolo Martini, up to names that have remained more in the shadows but have given great lymph and depth to music Made in Italy such as Leo Anibaldi , Andrea Benedetti and Eugenio Vatta (Frame), Leandro Papa (Last Rhythm e Stonehenge), Cesare Cerulli and Toni Verde (Blue Zone), Graziano Ragni (High Tide), Massimo Berardi (Underground Nation Undertour Sensation and Cosmic Galaxy) and Massimo Zennaro and all those producers that we were not able to include in this collection because of the lack of space. A rhythmic journey to rediscover what has been, what continues to be and what will be, “Ciao Italia” tells a story that still sounds incredibly current, whose reverberations continue to be the object of veneration among DJs, clubbers and music lovers of new generations. As confirmed by the new productions ideally inspired by the iconic sound of the time, the testimony of an Italian avant-garde alive and vivid not only in memories but more than ever in the here and now. Not only a “musical style”, but also a way of approaching reality characterized by enthusiasm, a global vision and a spirit suited to the most eclectic and boundless creativity. Born from an idea of Daniele “Shield” Contrini, with the art direction of Stupefacente Studio, the project took shape in a double vinyl format with an insert, signed by the journalist Elia Zupelli, which reconstructs an era through the voices of the protagonists, photographs, interviews, rarities and dazzles from the dancefloors. So, while the vinyl slides under the needle, the hope is to be able to grasp the atmosphere and live it again for a few moments, clinging to the indomitable charm of the “underground” grooves: a mnemonic flow from the past and a driving force for a new course projected into the future.

Brand new, never played, sealed