Ivan Smagghe Presents Death Disco

Raiders Of The Lost ARP

Kerrier District

Kitsuné Midnight

Besides being one of the hippest DJs on the planet, Ivan Smagghe is the only Frenchman I’ve met who speaks perfect English with a pronounced Midlands accent. Chatting to him for the first time at Sonar in Barcelona last June totally threw me because I didn’t expect him to say, like a Notts native, something along the lines of, “Alright mate, how’s it going? I love VICE, it’s wicked.” We’re fond of him too: his “Kill The DJ” soirees in Paris’ Pulp club are always sordid affairs packed with model types and, as half of prolific electro goths Black Strobe with Arnaud Rebotini (plus its sister project Volga Select), Ivan has a knack for knocking out crowd-pleasing bouncy acid rave. While they’re still struggling with that tricky debut album, Ivan’s already on to his second DJ mix CD in less than a year and my, what good taste he has. Like many a bloke in their late 20s/early 30s who’ve collected credible records for half their life, whose vinyl defines them, Ivan suffers from a mild case of the condition Gary Coleman calls “show-off-itis”. He’s a cool guy with cool records and Ivan Smagghe Presents Death Disco, the latest mix on the Glimmer Twins’ Eskimo label, is, like that duo’s recent offering, another just-so selection of obscure electronic pop, proto-rave and hot new disco re-edits of tracks no-one ever heard in the first place. There’s little point regurgitating the tracklist (look it up online) but it goes without saying that Death Disco locks into a smacky four-four synth groove early on and meanders melodiously for 70-odd minutes. The real gem here is the seven-minute Happy House mix of “Get Real” by Paul Rutherford, a 1988 acid house bliss-out by the main man in Frankie Goes To Hollywood who wasn’t Holly Johnson. But in terms of ’spotter one-upmanship, Darren Emerson closed his Global Underground mix album with this same sublime cut over three years ago. Not that anyone cares, right?

Those who fell in love with Jolly Music’s dreamy flexi-pop and Mat 101’s scrambled electronica (same two Roman guys, different projects) will rejoice at the news that one of the pair, Mario Pierro, has an album of solo material out this month. As Raiders Of The Lost ARP, Pierro conjures a seductive style of smooth electronic funk that manages to sound both raw and romantic. On tracks such as “City Lights” and “Module Detach” rich analogue melodies unfurl gracefully over crisp, clean beats and rippling Detroit bass. A melancholy, soulful feel belies the immaculate satiny sheen of Pierro’s thoughtful production. Released by Nature Records, 4 is the kind of soft-focus retro-futurist affair you’d ideally play in your car as you cruise into the distance past mirrored buildings illuminated by neon graphics on an empty carriageway after you’ve just broken up with your girlfriend, a pair of Ray-Ban Wayfarers hiding the tears welling in your eyes… but in those situations you’re normally stuck with football on Radio 5 Live on a faulty stereo.

On an equally serene disco tip is Luke Vibert’s Kerrier District long-player for Rephlex. Incredibly, Kerrier District is Vibert’s third musical alias in almost as many months—as Amen Andrews he peddled jungle, then with YosepH served up vintage acid—and this time he’s excelled himself with an album of velvet house grooves and irresistible space-disco. Kerrier District is the name of the Cornish county council region where Vibert grew up. It’s also a play on Metro Area, the tasteful New York house duo whose finely-crafted tunes are an obvious reference point. Kerrier District is no homage, however, and the loose live-sounding Salsoul disco style complements Vibert’s predeliction for funky breaks and a winning riff. At times Kerrier District sounds as if it’s being performed by a ten-piece band (backing singers included) with Vibert slyly tweaking the controls. Of all his recent projects, this is easiy his most satisfying.

Another extremely special Rephlex offering is Black Devil’s ultra-rare “Disco Club” EP. Originally released in 1978 on Out Records, a French label, “Disco Club” was apparently written by Joachim Sherylee and Junior Claristidge, but there Google’s help ends. Either way, Rephlex has somehow licensed and remastered this insane Italo funk epic and you’d do well to check it out. Essentially one magical intergalactic disco odyssey divided into four parts, “Disco Club” marries the naïvety of early synth-pop to an endless exotic groove and can, in controlled conditions, melt your mind.

VICE’s favourite Paris fashion/record label Kitsuné, whose fox logo we adore, follows its Love compilation with another concept album. For Kitsuné Midnight a dozen acts were invited to write about the witching hour. Sure, it’s a pretty vague theme but most sound like they just handed in whatever was on their hard-drive that week, resulting in a rather lightweight electro-house selection (see Black Strobe, Freeform Five). A few, like Midnight Mike, Romuald, and Cosmo Vitelli, made a concerted effort to concoct a malevolent nocturnal flavour. But then since when has midnight been scary? For most, it’s a time for heading out to clubs and bars, or for sleeping. The whole package looks beautiful, though (they’ve even designed their own font), so maybe that’s enough.

On Thursday, February 12, VICE’s Cocadisco party is proud to present, for the first time in the UK, all the way from Gothenburg, an evening with DJ Luke Eargoggle. The Stilleben Records boss, who records as Catnip (with Legowelt), Achilles and Monkeyshop for the Bunker and Crème labels, is the star of our Valentine’s disco special, so expect plenty of free love down at The Social (5 Little Portland Street, London W1; Oxford Circus tube), from 7p.m. to late. No door tax.

THEYDON BOIS