It's the Supersound

London’s Retro/Grade are to release their new Mindfighter EP at the end of the month. It marks the first of three EPs they’ll be releasing this year, which together will form the duo’s debut album. If you’re not already familiar with Retro/Grade, it’s the side-project of Tom Neville and Serge Santiago, two world renowned producers at the top of their game. With new single ‘Mindfighter’, Retro/Grade have delivered a heavy-hitting piece of italo-disco, the video of which you can stream below. Stay tuned for the full release and concluding album, but in the meantime check out the new vid and be sure to cop the mellower Maxxi Soundsystem remix, which I’m feeling a lot at the moment:

Retro/Grade – Mindfighter (Maxxi Soundsystem Warehouse Mix) by Retro/Grade
Sweet FA

Retro/Grade is made up of Serge Santiago and Tom Neville, two great kings in the music industry. Since 2005, Santiago and Neville have been slowly developing and cooking up of what is to be described as a “career-defining album”. Their inspiration is taken from a period between disco and house (basically their sound is like the modern day Italo-Disco). Retro/Grade’s newest single “Zoid” contains an emotion that constantly builds and builds, quite epic. This will be released in November on vinyl only; look out for it at Juno. This track samples Automat’s “Droid”, a classic 1978 Italo track.
MP3: Retro/Grade - Zoid (12″ Mix)
And as promised, the sample lifted from “Zoid” (which is the Cecile Edit):
MP3: Automat - Droid (Cecile Edit)

Retro/Grade also released a huge relived italo-banging dancefloor track prior to Zoid titled “Moda”, which samples Amin-Peck’s “Coda”. This release has received support from the likes of Erol Alkan, Simian Mobile Disco, A-Trak, Riton, etc.etc. Buy the Moda vinyl at Juno.
MP3: Retro/Grade - Moda
And the sample:
MP3: Amin-Peck - Coda

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Just on another note, a huge huge banger for 2009 was Erol Alkan & Boys Noize’s “Waves” - such a killer track. Not really falling under this Italo post is this next track but however, it does sample an Italo track! - and also an oldie. The main tune is sampled from Albion’s (Albion Venables) ”Space Time Continuum”, which was released on the Ambassador’s Reception label. The dinstinctive drums is sampled from Sparks‘ “Beat the Clock”. Waves was out on Boys Noize Recs.
MP3: Erol Alkan & Boys Noize - Waves
MP3: Albion - Space Time Continuum
MP3: Sparks - Beat the Clock (Long Remix)

Retro/Grade is made up of Serge Santiago and Tom Neville, two great kings in the music industry. Since 2005, Santiago and Neville have been slowly developing and cooking up of what is to be described as a “career-defining album”. Their inspiration is taken from a period between disco and house (basically their sound is like the modern day Italo-Disco). Retro/Grade’s newest single “Zoid” contains an emotion that constantly builds and builds, quite epic. This will be released in November on vinyl only; look out for it at Juno. This track samples Automat’s “Droid”, a classic 1978 Italo track.

Retro/Grade – Zoid (12″ Mix) [Sorry folks, stream only]

And as promised, the sample lifted from “Zoid” (which is the Cecile Edit):
MP3: Automat – Droid (Cecile Edit)

EDIT: How could I forget Creative Use’s “Are You Jeff Vader” edit??:
MP3: Creative Use – Are You Jeff Vader?

Retro/Grade also released a huge relived italo-banging dancefloor track prior to Zoid titled “Moda”, which samples Amin-Peck’s “Coda”. This release has received support from the likes of Erol Alkan, Simian Mobile Disco, A-Trak, Riton, etc.etc. Buy the Moda vinyl at Juno.
MP3: Retro/Grade – Moda
And the sample:
MP3: Amin-Peck – Coda

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Just on another note, a huge huge banger for 2009 was Erol Alkan & Boys Noize’s “Waves” – such a killer track. Not really falling under this Italo post is this next track but however, it does sample an Italo track! – and also an oldie. The main tune is sampled from Albion’s (Albion Venables) ”Space Time Continuum”, which was released on the Ambassador’s Reception label. The dinstinctive drums is sampled from Sparks‘ “Beat the Clock”. Waves was out on Boys Noize Recs.
MP3: Erol Alkan & Boys Noize – Waves
MP3: Albion – Space Time Continuum
MP3: Sparks – Beat the Clock (Long Remix)

UPDATE: Here’s the mp3.

Retro/Grade – Zoid (12 Inch Mix) (YSI)

Retro/Grade – Zoid (12 Inch Mix) (zShare)

Papillion was a memoir written by convicted felon and fugitive Henri Charriere, with his nickname derived from the butterfly tattoo’d on his chest. At the time it was an autobiographical novel but seen today by modernists (us) as fictitious due to Henri’s depiction and narration of other inmates he was in isolation with… all very interesting stuff.

‘Papillion’ by the Editors is an enjoyable tale of escape and an introspective look at todays over motivated and paced world. Bind this with an array of electronic weapons, segued high struck and rhythmic harmonics and the Editors have a boundful anthem on there hands.

‘Make our escape, your my own papillion’

The EP features an edit and two Tom Neville mixes cleverly named Sleep Twitch and Sleep Twitch Dub (the chorus is the answer).

Editors - Papillon (Tom Nevilles Sleep Twitch) ysi 192

The Editors are releasing their third album ‘In This Light and In This Evening’ on the 13th of October.

Ubbs

This amazing track has been hyped up aplenty and it’s already been playlisted by the likes of Erol Alkan, Riton, Trevor Jackson, SMD, Pete Tong, Annie Mac, A-Trak, Boys Noize. Pretty much everyone has been holding their breaths waiting for this dancefloor destroyer from Retro/Grade (ie Serge Santiago and Tom Neville) to drop. “Moda” sees them pair up retro italo disco (those synths are to die for) with more modern electro sounds and it’s a winner. An album is anticipated for a 2010 release. (Thanks to Rebel Butterfly)

Retro/Grade – Moda (YSI)

Retro/Grade – Moda (Sharebee)