The sounds that define a clubbing era naturally change over time. As Berlin’s techno clubs are pushing harder and faster sounds, the house music scene is pulling in a different direction. Embracing the classic Italo disco sound and the modern variations that have arisen from this genre, clubs are now filled with rich synths, full-blown vocal choruses and slick grooves.
At the heart of the movement is the city’s biggest Italo disco party, Italorama Bar at Berghain’s Panorama Bar, and its resident DJ Franz Scala. Since its inception in 2018, the event has been aiming to capture that classic 80s sound by booking legendary DJs of the scene alongside modern acts at the forefront of the Italo disco resurgence. Italorama Bar has brought panache and swagger back into the city’s nightlife – and the world’s most famous techno club.
The genre’s renaissance here in Germany shouldn’t really come as a surprise. Although its name suggests otherwise, Italo disco’s roots are embedded in German music history. It was the German label ZYX that coined this style of music in the early 1980s. The label began licensing the music from Italy, repackaging it and then spreading the sound across the continent.
ZYX was responsible for ensuring that future generations knew exactly what Italo disco was. The sound eventually started to dissipate during the 1990s, splitting off into derivative styles, but disco itself never really went away – we have the likes of Prins Thomas and Daft Punk to thank for that. With many Berlin DJs, that passion for Italo disco always remained, fostering an underground spirit within smaller venues.
Before Italorama Bar, Franz Scala was running the Italo-focussed Wrong Era events in Berlin for several years, bringing together talented producers such as Curses and Giulia Gutterer. A lot of other DJs have been taking note of the revival, creating amalgamated sounds and sets that embody the music’s ethos: people like Paramida, Frinda di Lanco, Tallac and Ercole Gentile are leading the charge. Other events, such as Italomania, Maledetta Discoteca, and Biscotti Disco Affair, are also helping to put Italo back on the map in Berlin.
Just because the times are getting darker, it doesn’t mean that our music has to. Berlin’s electronic music scene is really at an interesting apex at the moment. The techno modern DJs are playing has never been harder, but at the same time, the scene is busy bringing human elements, enriched soul and slower tempos back into the mainstream. This Italo movement is all about reminding ourselves that behind each record is a person who has a voice and is filled with love, passion and ‘Human Nature’.
