Stuff You Gotta Watch: Italo Disco: The Sparkling Sound of the 1980s
Tacky or genius? That is the central question of Alessandro Melazzini’s documentary Italo Disco: The Sparkling Sound of the 1980s, an hour-long journey through one of the most misunderstood genres that ever took over European dance floors.
It was a bright and seemingly inconsequential new sound that represented the sea, sex, and sun philosophy of the Mediterranean. So it’s no surprise that Italo disco—at first—seemed to be just another frivolous fad attempting to mimic the joys of a never-ending vacation. But under the trite plastic surface hid a formative new style whose innovative production techniques and aesthetic approach would play a crucial role in the evolution of electronic dance music—a legacy that is thoroughly discussed in the documentary by folks such as DJ Hell, the La Bionda brothers, Claudio Casalini, Pierluigi Giombini, and Sabrina.
Italo Disco: The Sparkling Sound of the 1980s is both a treat for fans of the genre and an informative resource for those unfamiliar with the addictive sound of “la dolce vita,” unveiling the magic behind what some critics dismissed as a trashy and forgettable novelty.
Review by Ana Leorne. Check out the full archive of the Stuff You Gotta Watch column.