#raffaele arcella

[thesunlounge]

Whodamanny - Troublemaker [West Hill Vocal] (from The Dance Sucker, Periodica Records 2019)

[nofatclips]

Alba - Tempesta - Notturno (Musical Journey), a triptych by Modula

[thesunlounge]

Reviews 298: Afrodesia

It began with a phone call between then Best Record label manager Marco Salvatori and Dario di Pace, a producer well known for his esoteric grooves as Mystic Jungle and his work with Raffaele ‘Whodamanny’ Arcella and Enrico ‘Milord’ Fierro in freakadelic collective The Mystic Jungle Tribe (as well as their record labels Periodica and Futuribile). The two were discussing a brief yet magical period in the 80s referred to as the “Afro-Italian movement,” one specifically centered on Les Folies Studio in Milan and artists/producers such as Daniela Paratici, Ennio Ronchelli, Daniele Losi, and Roberto Barocelli, which saw forward thinking combinations of analog synthesis, vocal exotica, machine drumming, hand percussion, and live instrumentation used to craft expansive adventures in paradise disco and fantasy jazz fusion (prime examples of which are Roberto Lodola’s Marimba Do Mar, released by Best Record earlier this year, Helen’s Zanzibar and Tunis Tunis, and Losi’s Tom Tom Beat). Yearning for the timeless groovescapes of these productions...especially Lodola’s far out “Afro” mixes...and seeking to bring the same exploratory spirit into modern times, Salvatori, Mystic Jungle, and Whodamanny decided to join forces for a project called Afrodesia: an ambitious undertaking marrying the interstellar groove and future funk mastery of Mystic Jungle’s and Whodamanny’s synths and drum machines with a cast of live musicians featuring Giulio Neri, Andrea Farias, Davide “Duba” Di Sauro and the late Italo-Nigerian percussion master George Aghedo, who appeared on many of the original recordings from which this project takes its inspiration.

Simply titled Episode One, the Afrodesia 12” marks an exciting new chapter for Best Record Italy, as it is the first release of original material from the label since the early 90s. After having closed shop during that time due to poor sales, Claudio Casalini’s influential label reformed in 2014, with Salvatori joining the operation and helping it ascend towards the upper echelons of Italo reissue quality. And now, having rescued an almost unbelievable number of obscure or rare dancefloor treasures, at least a few of which have become all time favorites, change is in the air, for Salvatori is embarking on his own new venture called Spaziale Recordings, while Casalini will continue leading Best Record as always. As well, the Afrodesia 12” sees Periodica and West Hill Studio main men Mystic Jungle and Whodamanny further refining their already sorcerous production skills, this time augmenting their Casio, Yamaha, and Roland synths and old skool rhythm boxes with saxophones, guitars, and perhaps most arrestingly, dreamy Afro atmospherics and heavenly voice harmonies from Arcella and Neri. But if you’ve been following the West Hill crew as closely as I have, these forays into worlds of African and Italian pop romance are hardly as surprising as they seem, for both Whodamanny and Mystic Jungle have been increasingly experimenting with vocal and pop textures to great effect, whether through Marcelo Antonio’s JKRNDA 7” on Futuribile Record Club, the vocoder sexualities of Mechanismo, di Pace’s co-production on Modula’s deep soul groover “Argonauta (I’ve Been So Lonely)," or Arcella’s journeys into vocal sensuality and synth-pop ecstasy on The Dance Sucker.

Afrodesia - Episode One (Best Record Italy, 2019) Helen’s “Zanzibar” is referenced directly by Afrodesia’s “Deep Down in Zanzibar,” which re-purposes lyrics and licks from that classic into a joyous new form. Snake tails introduce a low down disco beat, with cowbells ringing, güiros scraping, and timbale fills crashing through the stereo field. Hats and snare hold down the groove while cymbals generate waves of static and as the kick drum cuts away, claps delay into the void. All of a sudden, a greased up funk riff enters, with Duba’s bass guitar slithering around the fretboard, all fat-bottomed warmth walking through a tropical paradise. Quacking wah guitars percolate in as the kick drum returns to guide us through Afro-Italo dream worlds, with wiggling synth leads crawling across the sky and e-pianos generating balearic atmospheres. At some point, synths tuned like 60s psych organs scream while guitars work between hypnagogic riffscapes and bluesy acid solos and if that weren’t already perfect enough, Neri and Arcella descend upon the mix with their joyous croons…the vibe whispered and sensual…fragile and warm…with a voice in each ear singing softly and trailed by synthetic pianos and saxophones that skip across sunbeams. Sometimes the vocals fade away, leaving space for wailing saxophonics and clattering percussion cascades that seem to fill up the spectrum. Elsewhere, we move into a freaky funky riff jams before devolving into pure rhythm, with minimal and mechanized beats spreading further out as claps echo and laser blast oscillations morph into galactic fluids. And from here, Whodamanny and Mystic Jungle continue leading their session players through a coastal landscapes of African fantasy…a world of bass guitar sexualisms, joyous vocalisms, balmy synthesis, fusion guitar freak outs, and screaming tenor refrains.

In “Desert Storm,” reverberating hand drums pop amidst rising waves of noise while synthesizer squiggles swim through blasts of granular static. A simple snare beat enters as one of the best basslines all year drops, recorded so hot and up-front that you can practically see the dust snapping off the strings. Double-time hi-hats tick irresistibly as everything builds in anticipation, with the kick drum finally dropping while blasted funk riffs converse ear-to-ear, space age synthesizers weave neon threads, and wah guitars hammer on and scrape. Sometimes the melodic elements fall out and we’re led through rhythmic bridges, wherein the liquid funk basslines of Duba are replaced by that more familiar West Hill synth-bass squelch and screaming voices from the cosmic void descend from a stormy sky. Interstellar noise bursts careen across the mix and chaotic chordscapes bleat over the reverb-soaked disco drum tropicalisms, all while mutant basslines stoke alien dancefloor magic. As we drop back into the live instrumentation, with shakers rattling and bass guitar and six-string working through ultra-tight jam patterns, the terrifying screams still disperse through the stereo field while horror-tinged synthesizers move through gothic themes and rainbow colorations. For most of the rest of the track, we switch off between these two moods: a squelching synth bass groove out awash in Mystic Jungle-style sci-fi boogie sorcery and a stoner groove paradise led by sunshine guitars and funk bass fluidity. During one of the live instrumentation passages, a druggy synth solo drifts into focus, all zoner cosmic magic hovering like an LSD haze…minimal, spacious, and absurdly confident in its wafting, almost apathetic flow. And capping off the track is a baked coda of machine disco rhythmics and fluid funk guitar psychedelics.

The title of “Meet in Tunis” is perhaps another nod to Helen, though the music here seems less referential than in “Deep Down in Zanzibar.” Emotive riffscapes flow over uptempo snare and hat patterns while hand drums and further palm-muted guitar textures billow in from nothingness. The beat sees kicks stomping, snares breaking and gliding, tom fills sucking air out of the skull, and cymbal taps and bell tones ringing all throughout the background...the vibe mysterious and awash in dark disco intensity, though eventually tempered by romantic feedback melodies…as if Arcella’s Casios are mimicking Alessandroni western whistles while synthetic pianos float through golden cloudscapes. The guitars sparkle like Chic and Neri’s sax sounds hollowed out and spectral as it presages the upcoming vocal fantasias and indeed, he and Arcella work through earworm repetitions of “Tunis” before ascending into rapid fires soul verses that overflow with 70’s disco pop perfection…pushing almost towards all out Bee Gees ecstasy, except devoid of overt leads and flowing instead like a closed eye daydream. It’s so ebullient and transportive, with my imagination drifting to a Tunisian beach paradise…some sort of exotic seaside fantasy overflowing with forbidden romance. There are moments where the vocals cut out as we flash into zany percussive storms, with rave whistles flying over psychosonic rhythm cascades. All the while, Duba’s bass continues slipping, sliding, and growling through timeless funk riffs, with shakers pushing the groove euphoria to a maximum. And after another passage of wild percussive ritualism, with snares, bongos, and crashing toms sitting beneath quacking riffs and whistles, we flow through saxophone sensuality into a final “Tunis” vocal refrain, which repeats hypnotically as everything else fades to silence.

Closer “Orion Beat” comes to life on blasting kicks and rocketing claps before before settling into a slamming electro beat. Burning siren waves arc across the mix, bringing that kind of freaky atonal synth psychedelia that could only come from Mystic Jungle Tribesmen. Growling synth bass lines are smothered in cavernous verb as palm-muted guitars flutter overhead and the drums are so hot and heavy, with cymbals spitting fire and snares and claps cracking through the air. There are moments where the burning synth waves usher in passages of interstellar jam perfection, with guitars holding it down while panoramas of phase-distortion and frequency modulation synthesis generates dial-tone scats and telephone tracers while bleeps and bloops are repurposed into fusion fire. Elsewhere, we move into sections of slinky stoner bass guitar riffing while harmonious pads swim through the sky, their hovering chords of heavenly majesty surrounding an electro-funk zoner jam. Then following a bridge that leans towards progressive rock, the mix reduces to just kick drums and claps before dropping into an amazing passage of Afro-tribal intensity…the vibe like entering an otherworldly jungle, wherein crazed hand drum tapestries flow through deep space reverb tunnels. The groove stutters and stomps before smoothly gliding back into electro breakdance magic…like cruising the cosmos on the tail of a comet with starshine gas trails flowing all around the spirit. And after further burning wavefronts of dissonant synthesis subsume the mind, the Afrodesia crew work themselves into dueling harmony magnificence, with synths and e-pianos descending together in pure retro-funk majesty and bass guitar ripping through romantic soul motions…brief yet so perfect as the heart is carried way to paradise realms far beyond the stars.

(images from my personal copy)

[thesunlounge]

Reviews 275: Whodamanny

Though his solo productions tend towards the weird, wild, and far-out, Raffaele “Whodamanny “Arcella has an incredibly well-honed pop sensibility, one that is often on full display during his energetic DJ sets and mixes. There you will find delirious collections of Italo dance magic spanning several decades, with Whodamanny cutting ecstatically between all manner of vocal oriented and neon-hued proto-house, synth pop, disco, boogie, and funk. And on the The Dance Sucker 12″, he perfectly combines his interests in futuristic sonic experimentation with the balearic euphorias of these club sets, resulting in some of the strongest and most surprising material yet to come from Periodica Records and the West Hill Studio. I say surprising for several reasons, not least of which is the presence of Arcella’s voice, which here is deliciously foregrounded…a sort of expressive croon moving through sultry serenades, summertime hooks, and sexual soul whispers. The 12” is also a marvel of synth programming, as every non-vocal sound here, including drums, has been sourced from the artist’s beloved Cazio CZ-101…a fact that is all the more remarkable given how colorful and physical everything is, with fat greasy basslines and infectious electro-rhythms dancing beneath a canopy of sci-fi squiggles, synthesized fusion solos, and pads that waver like a mediterranean mirage.

Whodamanny - The Dance Sucker (Periodica Records, 2019) We start with “Future Talk,” which sees space lasers firing as an energetic disco shuffle comes to life. Gooey spacefunk basslines wiggle and slide, tribal tom panoramas rocket through the mix, aquatic ripples flow upwards, and blasts of static billow through the background as Whodamanny drops smooth vocal magic, all sensual and hedonistic…his intimate and soulful murmur eventually erupting into an infectious chorus, with earworm repetitions of “oh I will speak to you” dancing in grooved out syncopation with the fat-bottomed bass motions. Blasts of static billow through the spectrum and layers of glowing space psychedelia drip over everything while elsewhere, the mix is cut down to boogie bass and disco drum minimalism. And near the end, Whodammany whispers “it’s alright” amidst other lyrical eroticisms, his confidence and vocal sass utterly irresistible as we glide and groove through a futuristic fever dream. In “Dance to the Bone,” quivering pads give way to squelching bass synths and drums locked into a downbeat boogie stomp, with claps blasting and disco hats supporting space age fusion leads that flow ear-to-ear…their melodies of yearning and midnight sexuality flowing over the body while sequences composed of smeared crystalline fire swim through the air. There are moments where we break down into pure rhythmic heat, with synthbass and laser squiggles sometimes dancing through sexual harmonizations above skeletal rhythms while at other times, kicks and claps fire together as tambourines rattle into the void. But we always return to the cosmic fantasy leads and the slithering basslines of funkfied grease, with Whodamanny hitting upon a mixture of romantic balearica and downtempo future funk that aligns closely with the recent work of his fellow tribesman Mystic Jungle.

“Troublemaker (West Hill Vocal)” starts right away on an infectious solar drum swing, with bouncey kicks sitting beneath pitch-shifting snares that fizzle through layers of reverb static. Laserbeams morph across the stereo field as lyrical basslines sing songs of summer romance, with Manny soon joining in on the mic and instructing you to “free your body”…the whole thing flowing effortlessly into balearic synth pop perfection. It’s like being transported to an 80s paradise beach, with a crowd dancing together aside crashing waves of blue and every hand raising together towards the shining sun. Vocals and bass intertwine and glide through blissed out motions while Whodamanny’s Casio mimics riffing funk guitars, with everything coming together and evoking the sound of Island Records and the work of Wally Badarou, especially the passages where fantasy pads alight on dreamy new wave adventures. And of course, as poppy as it all is, this is a West Hill Studio production, so Whodamanny naturally intercuts the mix with sci-fi tracers and all-consuming siren blasts. The Dance Sucker also includes “Troublemaker (West Hill Dub),” which sees Whodamanny completely reconfiguring the track a stunning piece of instrumental synth-pop sunshine. There are dramatic differences in arrangement, as the dub version starts with paradise pads and soft claps before the beats cut in, which are overlaid with the Casio synth-guitars in a way reminding me of Whodammany’s own “Dancing Ritual.” But the biggest difference, aside from the lack of vocals, comes via the tripped out percussion midtros…these stretches of mechanical drum ritualism, with claps blasting through cosmic caverns and tom-toms rolling all across the spectrum…like a swaggering tribal dub groove sourced by outer-dimensional androids.

(images from my personal copy)

[thesunlounge]

Reviews 250: Il Giardino dei Semplici / Whodamanny

After visiting the gorgeous pop exotica of Marcelo Antonio’s JKRNDA 7” and the sexual vocoder funk of Mechanismo, Futuribile sets its sights on the past with a reissue of Il Giardino dei Semplici’s “Carnevale da Buttare.” Il Giardino dei Semplici are undeniable legends, having sold millions of records and ascended to the very heights of Italian pop stardom. Their body of work reaches back to the mid-70s and covers a remarkably wide range, with diverse styles such as prog-kissed disco and Neapolitan folk all tied together by radiant vocal harmonies, breathtaking arrangements, and a wholly unique sense of pop songcraft. Originally released in 1982 as part of the album …E amiamoci, “Carnivale Da Buttare” finds the band in prime form, as magical, melancholic, and at times ecstatic vocal harmonizations fly above swooning string synth movements, sunshine guitar riffs, e-piano dreamscapes, and soaring saxophones. And though re-releasing this beautiful track would have been fine enough, Futuribile have gone one step further by including an instrumental rework of “Carnevale da Buttare” by interstellar groove explorer and Casio funk master Raffaele Whodamanny Arcella, who also happens to be the son of Il Giardino dei Semplici’s keyboardist and founding member Andrea Arcella. Thus the release gains an extra layer of emotional resonance as Whodamanny pays tribute to his father and the very music of his DNA. 

Il Giardino dei Semplici - Carnevale da Buttare (Futuribile, 2019) The drums of “Carnevale da Buttare” are crisp and gliding, as Tommy Esposito moves through joyous hi-hat, shaker, and cowbell patterns while toms flash and snares crack above a disco kick pulse. Gianfranco Caliendo’s candy coated voice is sensual and vaguely melancholic…a beautiful whisper with the potential to swell into all-out falsetto power…and certain lyrical lines are trailed by echo hazes while swooning string synths evoke the ecstatic warmth of a Neapolitan summer. There’s a brief interlude dominated by smokey jazz guitar wanderings…as if we’ve briefly flashed into the world of fusion…before the track explodes into a radiant vocal passage where Arcella, Esposito, and bassist Luciano Liguaro back Caliendo with spellbinding harmoninizations, all while the drums gallop through clouds of string synth romance. The guitars riff and scat somewhere between reggae sunshine and funk intoxication and Liguaro’s bass guitar snakes through sexual groove motions, with everything leading towards a climactic solo passage wherein emotional saxophone solos wrap around the heart and carry the spirit away to a mediterranean paradise. After another sensual verse and further jazz guitar noodling, the track breaks into another pounding drum gallop, though instrumental this time and featuring swooning orchestrations rising towards the sun. After the group serenades return and wrap around a crooning and fragile voice solo, we are treated to one more sexual saxophone firestorm, this time drawn out and even more emotional, with twilight runs and screaming reverb tails fading into ether.

The instrumental version expertly walks the line between reverence and exploration as the original track’s instruments, melodies, and arrangements are gently phase-shifted into a futuristic dimension. We start with an extended drum intro, with claps flying over double-time cymbal patterns, four-four kicks, and cycling tom fills. The cowbell is still present, though minimized, and melodious bass lines now flow through Whodamanny’s acid-fried funk machines while scatting wah-wah liquids replicate Gianfranco Caliendo’s guitar.  Symphonic feedback melodies evoke swooning string orchestrations while lush synth-piano riffs bring hues of sunset sensuality and huge blasts of spectral synthesis sweep through the mix, at some point leading to a pounding rhythm passage where squelching synthbass energies and ritualistic toms accompany a tropical disco gallop. Later, riffing synth/guitar fluids and romantic waves of e-piano magic sway in the sunshine while claps and snares crack hypnotically on the beat. And instead of exploding into searing sax leads as in the original, Whodamanny instead drops a mind-melting synth solo…a sort of intergalactic rain of psychedelic sound backed by gaseous organ atmospherics. Later, we find ourselves in a tribal dub-drum breakdown, with stomping kicks, cowbells, and electro-toms percolating through reverb caverns. Whodammany then builds the jam back up, introducing each element in turn before exploding into another far-out synthesizer solo, one that’s somehow even more freaked out than before as it travels through neon dimensions and polychrome starfields.

(images from my personal copy)

[thesunlounge]

Reviews 056: Whodamanny

For me, 2018 has been dominated by all the magical 7” two-trackers from Periodica (and Futuribile). First there were the stoned echo jams of Space Garage, then the shimmering new age funk of Pàscal, and most recently, the giallo and poliziotteschi vibes of Modula. Now we have Dancing Ritual by Whodamanny, who is also known as Raffaele Arcella (of The Mystic Jungle Tribe and The Normalmen). This 7” is the most unassuming of the group in terms of packaging and presentation, yet it houses some seriously far out disco jams dominated by space funk riffing, dub fx, and vintage synths, strings and flutes. Also worth checking out the wild and esoteric music video. 

Whodamanny - Dancing Ritual (Periodica, 2018) The A-side features the “Disco Version”, with a rhythmic backbone comprising a propulsive machine beat and sexy funked out bass riffing. Cosmic synth leads glide and pan through the stereo field, supporting the spellbinding echo guitar work, weaving subtle groove spirals in each ear and occasionally dazzling with ascendent soloing. Outerspace noises and synth fx drift perpetually through the mix in that Mystic Jungle Tribe style, and softer chords drop atmosphere alongside deliciously warm and lo-fi disco strings. Towards the end, playful mellotron flute dances in round with the futurist synth leads, resulting in a vibing combination of dusty disco beats, stoner funk, galactic noise, and subdued prog rock theatrics.

On the flip is the “Dub Version”, where Raffaele focuses in on the psychedelic liquid guitar line from the A-side, now given space and allowed to softly reverberate throughout the mix. The galactic riffing, dub-delay drums, and funk bass soar through a star-field of outerspace noises and zooming high frequencies, resulting in a freaked out minimal disco glide, though occasionally soft pads appear, cooling down the fiery groove with shades of dark blue. Eventually the drums fall away, leading to an extended outro of spacey guitar and synth fx. The whole vibe leans kosmische without the surrounding funk-disco structure…just hypnotic delay riffing alongside cascading alien electronics.

(images from my personal copy)