Record Spotlight: Eli Roth's Red Light Disco - Dancefloor Seductions From Italian Sexploitation Cinema (Deluxe Edition)
- R.A. Daunton
- Jun 18
- 26 min read
Italian record label CAM Sugar has been on a roll lately, releasing and re-releasing some fantastic records of choice tracks from across the history of Italian cinema. From standalone soundtrack albums by the likes of Ennio Morricone, Nino Rota, Riz Ortolani and Stelvio Cipriani to compilations of giallo, crime, spaghetti western, jazz and exotica deep cuts, their oeuvre spans the deepest depths of the obscure to fan favourites such as La Dolce Vita. They are truly a treasure trove of delights for fans and connoisseurs of Mediterranean movies, such as myself, and a label I am always sure to keep an eye on for any announcements of new releases.
Consider myself overjoyed, then, with the announcement that renowned horror director and lover of all things Italian and obscure, Eli Roth, would be curating a brand-new compilation of tracks taken from the grimy underbelly of 1970s and 80s sexploitation cinema. I couldn’t wait! Not only is Roth a personal favourite of mine, with films such as Cabin Fever, the Hostel series, and recent slasher Thanksgiving ranking as some of my favourites in the canon of modern horror, but I am also a deep admirer of his non-fiction work in Eli Roth's History of Horror – which is, in my opinion, one of the greatest documentaries (and podcasts!) ever made on the genre. I was well aware of his love for Italian cinema, also, and knew that if anybody would bring the respect to a release such as this, it would be him. Oh boy, was I not wrong. Bring on Eli Roth's Red Light Disco!
Alongside CAM Sugar archivist, Andrea Fabrizzii, Eli has put together a two-record (three, if we are talking the deluxe edition and the included bonus 7” single – which we are!) collection of some of the wildest slabs of sleazy disco, funk, jazz, exotica, and rock ever put to wax. Housed in a beautiful, mirrored package, complete with poster, booklet and postcards, this is an incredible set, and a real treat for collectors.
Packed to the gills with interviews, articles and retrospectives, the booklet alone is worth the price of admission – and something that I know I will be revisiting for years to come (an interview with Edwige Fenech? Count me in!). The poster and postcards are beautifully designed (as is that cover art – ooft!), and really help to elevate this release above and beyond its contemporaries. CAM has become well-known for its incredible deluxe and collector's’ editions, such as the jaw-dropping Paura box set from a few years past, but for sheer sleazy aesthetics, Red Light Disco takes the proverbial disco biscuit for my lira.
Within this article, I seek to go through each track, offering my take on them, and giving a brief overview of the films they have been taken from. Where possible, I shall add clips, a trailer, or even a link to the full movie – but please keep in mind that some of these films are of the blue variety and can only be found on certain websites that shan’t be linked to on here. Feel free to do your own Google searches for those, but perhaps not whilst you’re at work!
So, without further ado, let’s drop that needle and roll that film as we dive into the dank, filth-encrusted gutters of 1970s Italy and prepare ourselves to get deep down and dirty with some of the funkiest, most infectious tracks you’re likely to ever hear. Be sure to bring protection!
SIDE A:
Track 1: Alfonso Zenga, Paolo Gatti - Sparklin’ Conversation : from Sensi caldi (1980)
* Previously unreleased on digital
Kicking off the album with a bang, Zenga and Gatti treat us to a slice of high-energy disco battery that sets the tone right from the start. Scoring the erotic Rita Silva (New York Ripper) vehicle, the song starts with a luscious hi-hat-laden drum beat and a sinister synth drawl that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Fabio Frizzi score. Promising that this album will be fun, funky, yet not devoid of the kind of unsettling eeriness Italian genre music fans know and love, the track feels tailor-made to open a compilation such as this. The extended sax solo that takes us from the halfway point to the track’s conclusion is a particular highlight and spotlights the kind of virtuosity that is often prevalent in Italian soundtrack music, yet often goes criminally unsung.
Sparklin’ Conversation is the kind of song that you could quite easily sneak into a disco set or party playlist and have all in attendance turn their heads in awe and ask, "What is that?’". It does the best thing that these unearthed Italian soundtracks do; it makes one wonder why each and every track is not already a certified, well-known classic. Who knows, perhaps – hopefully – because of releases like this, they may one day be just that. But for now, I am just happy to consider myself part of the lucky few getting to discover these songs for the first time, or perhaps, even all over again.
Track 2: Gianni Ferrio (and Gloria Guida) – La musica è : from L'infermiera di notte (1979) (Night Nurse) * Previously unreleased on digital
Gianni Ferrio’s (Blood for a Silver Dollar, Death Walks at Midnight) title track for this commedia sexy all'italiana classic is a Latin-inspired pop-disco swinger that features the rasping vocals of the film’s leading starlet, Gloria Guida (Being Twenty, How to Seduce Your Teacher), in full Raffaella Carrà-inspired glory. Performed during a rousing scene in the film in which she writhes and dances around in a bright-red bodysuit, in what is possibly the sexiest thing that has ever happened anywhere in the history of time, the track is a real sizzler, complete with Hammond organ, guitar solo, and trumpet. A mish-mash of styles and genres that combine to elevate the song to more than just a throwaway song from a long-forgotten soundtrack, this second song on the compilation continues the strong start and does much to keep the listener intrigued, as well as dancing.
Taken from a film that can be best described as Saturday Night Fever for perverts (in the best way possible, of course), La musica è is a delicious slice of vibe, that is all the more tantalising by the inclusion of Guida’s sultry vocal stylings that prove that she was far more than just a beautiful face, but, indeed, a true star of Italian genre cinema.
Track 3: Carlo Savina – Una vergine in famiglia : from Una vergine in famiglia (1975) *** Completely unreleased
(Video N/A – Too spicy for here!)
Una vergine in famiglia is Red Light Disco’s first foray into the realms of jazz, and I’ll be damned if it isn’t a belter. Composed by Carlo Savina (Lisa and the Devil, Nine Guests for a Crime), this is a piano-led odyssey peppered with sensational drumming and wah-guitar as sweet as Negroni. The main focus is a track-length piano solo that is so good I refuse to believe anybody can listen to it without a smile on their face and makes this such a good track that it would not feel out of place on any number of other jazz compilations (including CAM Sugar’s own fantastic 2022 release, Boom! – Italian Jazz Soundtracks At Their Finest (1959 - 1969). It may have missed the cut-off by a few years, but there is always hope for the sequel!). The fact that this is the first time the track is getting a release, not just digitally or on vinyl, but at all, is borderline criminal, and just goes to show the importance of compilations such as this. God bless Eli and the good people at CAM for finally giving this the exposure it deserves, and what will hopefully lead to far more recognition for Savina’s incredible and grossly underrated talents.
Track 4: Franco Campanino – Avere vent’anni (Disco) : from Avere vent'anni (1978) (Being Twenty) * Previously unreleased on digital
Taken from another Gloria Guida classic, which sees her acting alongside the fantastic Lilli Carati (Gangbuster, Il corpo della ragassa) and the always brilliant Ray Lovelock (The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue, Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man) on their erotic adventures to Rome, this song is a space-aged version of the titular title track by Franco Campanino (The School Teacher in the House, L'insegnante al mare con tutta la classe).
Putting a disco tint on the original theme, Campanino ups the rhythm and adds some very spacey synth swirls alongside more wah-guitar than you can shake a stick at., whilst the glorious keyboard soloing on display gives proceedings a frantic, galaxy-faring vibe that helps to transport the listener into the otherworldly throes of climactic ecstasy that the loving starlets are seen feeling on screen.
Disco-ing up this already perfectly produced pieces of soundtrack gold only ups the enjoyment factor to ten, and makes it fit perfectly here on this compilation. Tracks like this really make you thankful for the effort these composers went through for their craft, as well as the creative freedoms they were given to experiment. Digging into albums such as this is such a mind-expanding, joyous feeling, and it really does make one yearn for the days when movie music was as rocking and funky as it was back then. A perfect continuation of the feel-good vibes all round, then! You sure can’t beat a bit of space disco!
Track 5: Gianni Ferrio (and Gloria Guida) – Quando vuoi con chi vuoi : from La liceale seduce i professori (1979) (How to Seduce Your Teacher) * Previously unreleased on digital/**Previously unreleased on vinyl
Gianni Ferrio returns with another pop-disco hit, and this one is a real banger. Once again featuring the stirring vocal talents of leading lady Gloria Guida, this tune takes everything brilliant about La musica è and continues the trend, this time adding one of the most rousing and unforgettable choruses I have heard for a long time. The fact that this is the first time the song has been released on vinyl boggles the mind, as this has hit written all over it and could no doubt have been huge if released to tie in with the film at the time. The movie even includes yet another jaw-dropping performance by Guida singing the track, which is fit to drive even the most stoic of men wild! And not to mention that poster – ooft!
Filled with exciting drumming, a great guitar solo, and a funky feeling all around, this is absolutely the highlight of side A, and a perfect track to end on. I will be singing this song to myself for a long time to come and can’t wait to delve further into Guida’s musical output now that I have been introduced to it here. A real hidden gem within a mine full of them, I can only hope that this track can go on to get some kind of second life now that it is having the spotlight shone on it once again. Get this woman a microphone, damn it! We need a comeback tour!
SIDE B:
Track 1: Don Powell – Amori stellari – Giochi erotici nella terza galassia (Titoli) : from Giochi erotici nella terza galassia (1981) (Escape from Galaxy 3 aka Starcrash II) *** Completely unreleased
Starting side B off with an intergalactic big bang, we have Don Powell’s (Black Emanuelle 2, The Young, the Evil and the Savage) sweeping sci-fi disco theme to the unofficial, sequel-in-name-only Starcrash II (amongst several other names). And no, he is not the drummer of Slade.
This track is a great way to start this side, as it sets the tone well. It is a side filled with a much different, slightly more bizarre and rawer vibe, and the opening of this song immediately puts the listener in the mood. Featuring a rather sinister string intro that gives way to some dramatic horns and piano chords, followed by some funky drumming, you would be forgiven for thinking this was pulled from a poliziotteschi or euro-spy thriller. It is after this, however, that the song begins to bring you on its journey into the stars. Squelchy synth squeals and explorative horns come in and pick the pace up, pulling the listener into straight-up sci-fi fun and continue until the bracing climax.
A great theme for an interesting movie that, while lacking the quality of the original, is worth the price of admission to see Cheryl Buchanan (Zombie Holocaust, What Have They Done to Your Daughters?) in that blue leotard, alone!
Track 2: Nico Fidenco – I'm number one : from Eros Perversion (1979) (Twelfth Night) ** Previously unreleased on vinyl
(Video N/A – No way!)
Now, this is what I’m talking about! Without a doubt, my personal stand-out track from the entire album, Nico Fidenco (Black Emanuelle, Zombie Holocaust) brings us a hard-rocking anthem that can easily stand toe-to-toe with any 1970s rock classic – honestly, it is that good!
Featuring leering vocals reminiscent of Screaming Lord Sutch, braggadocios, sleazy lyrics, and an eerie piano lead that feels as if it is following you through the dark, grimy streets of Rome itself. It is all wrapped up by an absolutely incredible two-plus minute guitar solo outro that is, and I do not say this lightly, as good (and stylistically similar) as Hendrix. Seriously, this track, and the solo especially, blew my mind, and I have had it on repeat ever since hearing it – and I have still not gotten bored.
It says a lot about Italian soundtrack music that I now have two all-time favourite guitar solos taken from the genre that rank higher than many other “proper” rock songs of the genre and era – you know, where they are supposed to come from. (The other being from Aquaman by Goblin, which isn’t technically from a soundtrack, but you know, it still counts.)
Taken from the soundtrack to a film that is essentially a softcore porn version of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, starring Nikki Gentile (La compagna di banco, The Schoolteacher Goes to Boys' High) and Ajita Wilson (Eros Perversion, A Woman in the Night), this song is proof above all that these hidden gems of Italian cinema often hide some of the best music that you have never heard.
Track 3: Nico Fidenco – Sexy Night : from Porno Holocaust (1981)
One of the strangest and most interesting tracks on the album, Fidenco once again serves up a platter of vocal-led insanity; however, this time within the easy-listening pop genre. In stark juxtaposition to the crazy subject matter found within the film that it is soundtracking, the song is calm, cool and sensuous, with some gloriously cheesy and borderline broken English lyrics. Sexy piano fondling, whispered female vocals and disco drums give this track a distinctly 70s porno cool to proceedings, which fit the explicit sexual nature of the film (a porno with a real plot and everything!), but considering the extreme violence and gore also found within, make a stark juxtaposition that makes the track, and the film in question, all the more of an oddity worth checking out.
Directed by Italian genre stalwart Joe D'Amato (Papaya, Love Goddess of the Cannibals, Antropophagus) and featuring the iconic George Eastman (Antropophagus, Absurd), the film is (if you could not tell by the title), an attempt to mix hardcore pornography with the cannibal genre, surely making it one of the most interesting pieces of cinema within the pantheon of Italian horror. A fantastic track by a fantastic composer, who has proven himself within this compilation alone to be one of the most interesting musicians to come out of the era, and one I will be sure to check out more of going forward.
Track 4: Pulsar Music Ltd. – Taxi Girl (Ritmico Disco) : from Taxi Girl (1977) *** Completely unreleased
One of the shortest tracks on the album, but by no means does that detract from its quality. This is about as perfect as can be for a record spotlighting Italian sexploitation cinema, feeling as if it was composed solely to be the final word on what you think of when talking the genre. Funky bass, wah-guitar and disco drums adding a jiggling, breast-shakingly danceable beat – this ticks just about every single box of 70s porno and commedia sexy all'italiana music!
Starring the sensational icon of Italian cinema, Edwige Fenech (All the Colors of the Dark, The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh – and about a hundred other giallo and commedia sexy all'italiana movies) and Aldo Maccione (The Virgo, the Taurus and the Capricorn, A Policewoman in New York), the film itself is iconic within the genre. It even features a scene in which Fenech belly dances, so you have probably already left this article and are stuck watching that on repeat. I don’t blame you.
In the meantime, whilst I wait for you to return, I will be jamming out to this funky track, bobbing my head, and thanking whatever powers may be that music like this exists. For it makes the world a better, happier, sexier place. And ain’t that just wonderful.
Track 5: Stelvio Cipriani – Nude Odeon (Ritmico Funk) : from Nude Odeon (1978)
*** Completely unreleased
(Video N/A – It’s out there, but I sure ain’t leading you there)
If you know me, then it will come as no surprise to hear that Stelvio Cipriani (The Frightened Woman, The Anonymous Venetian) is my favourite Italian composer. Indeed, his score for The Frightened Woman is my favourite soundtrack of all time. Yes, Morricone is the maestro, and Goblin transcend the genre into being straight-up one of the greatest bands of all time, but whenever I listen to a compilation album such as this and I hear something for the first time that makes me turn my head and say, “Wow! Who is this?”, it is almost always a Cipriani composition. This track, taken from Marino Girolami’s (Zombie Holocaust, Valentina ...The Virgin Wife) mondo sexumentary, is no different.
A very funky disco instrumental with keyboard soloing throughout, staccato guitar strums, and the filthiest bassline this side of Super Freak, Nude Odeon feel perfect to score a film awash with such scenes of sexploitative gratuity. This truly feels like a lost classic within the annals of mondo soundtracks, with it feeling just as funky, fresh, and memorable as more well-known hits like Umiliani’s Mah Nà Mah Nà and Ortolani’s Ti guarderò nel cuore. It is high time that this particular track has been given the respect it deserves and finally released from the CAM vaults, and I for one could not be happier, as not just a Cipriani fan, but as a fan of movie music in general. A slice of disco greatness that can stand toe-to-toe with the best of them.
SIDE C:
Track 1: Riz Ortolani – L’erotomane (Beat) : from L'erotomane (1974) (Erotomania) *** Completely unreleased
Here we go with the second record, and what a mind-bending start we have. Composed by the famed (and previously mentioned) Riz Ortolani (Mondo Cane, Cannibal Holocaust), this is a psychedelic nightmare of funky, screaming jazz that leaves the listener breathless and entranced. No surprise that the composer of the soundtrack to the most notorious film ever made would craft something so unhinged and effective – this track is filled with screaming female vocals, jazzy drumming, fuzz-laden guitar noodling and liquid bass that combine to make a genuinely unhinged and uncomfortable listen; and I love it.
Taken from a film that deals with psychosexual obsession, this track fits perfectly with that theme. It genuinely feels like it could score the most depraved, drug-fuelled orgy this side of Kenneth Anger, and is an unforgettable piece of music that I find hard to believe is only being released for the first time now – especially considering who the composer is. A perfect start to the first side of the second record in this set, it again sets the tone incredibly well, reminding the listener that, when it comes to Italian soundtrack music, it is never safe to let one’s guard down and get all too comfortable, as you never know what lurks behind the next corner…
Track 2: Stelvio Cipriani – What Can I Do : from La supplente va in città (1979) ** Previously unreleased on vinyl
Cipriani returns, proving that he is truly the master at sailing the seas of genre and styles. A stark departure from Nude Odeon, we are treated here to a vocal-led disco pop odyssey very reminiscent of the Bee Gees or Boney M. and all the funk bass, disco drumming, horn sections and vocal harmonies that entails. This is one of the most danceable tracks on the compilation, and like many other tracks here, it feels strange that it was never commercially released at the time to make a dent on the disco charts or dancefloors, as it seems perfect for just that. Still, we have the opening to the film itself to show us what could have been, with Mauro Frittella (Brillantina Rock, Rock 'n' Roll) doing what he did best in giving his best Travolta in Saturday Night Fever impression (in a white suit, no less!) upon the floors of a Rome disco.
Showcasing the versatility of Cipriani is an easy task, and one that this album continues to do very well. Never one to stick to one style, and always adaptable to whatever the score requires – What Can I Do really shows off just why he continues to be a firm favourite of mine.
Track 3: Bruno Nicolai – Servizio fotografico : from La dama rossa uccide sette volte (1972) (The Red Queen Kills Seven Times)
God damn, I fucking LOVE this track and movie! Quite what it is doing on this album, I don’t know – as the film is strictly giallo, not sexploitation – but I sure as hell ain’t complaining. Any excuse to relisten to this Bruno Nicolai (All the Colors of the Dark, Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key) classic, I will take. Not that you should need one!
Starring the incomparable Barbara Bouchet (Milano calibro 9, Don't Torture a Duckling) and Marina Malfatti (Seven Blood-Stained Orchids, The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave), this Emilio Miraglia (The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave, Shoot Joe, and Shoot Again) shocker is a true bloodstained classic of the genre. Fitting the gothic sensibilities of the film extremely well, Nicolai gives proceedings an eerie, timeless quality with sweeping string sections and a baroque harpsichord lead that really drags the listener in and engulfs them into the movie. The way in which the song picks up towards the end, with crashing rock-drumming fills that eventually give way to a sombre and downbeat harpsichord outro, is of serious note, upping the melodramatic, spooky feeling felt throughout the track to a truly terrifying, heightened degree.
One of my all-time favourite giallo themes, and a pleasant surprise to find it included here within the compilation.
Track 4: Franco Campanino (and Marivana) – Do It With The Pamango : from Una moglie, due amici, quattro amanti (1980) (Do It with the Pamango) *** Completely unreleased
(Video N/A – Delisted as I was writing this article!)
Campanino returns, this time with one of the most eye-raising tracks to be found on Red Light Disco. Context is key, ladies and gentlemen – and it is a good thing too, as within the confines of a soundtrack album, this track is a fascinating slice of movie weirdness, but taken out of context…probably not so much. There is most likely a good reason why this song was never released outside of the film’s soundtrack, despite featuring the vocals of Italian popstar Marivana. A Latin-influenced, incredibly 80s sounding, disco-pop track that not so much dances on the borders of twee, but tangos into it head-on, it is grating, cheesy, annoying and ridiculous. And it is INCREDIBLE.
If you heard this song on the radio, with its nonsensical, repetitive lyrics, beeping and booping keyboard nonsense, bombastic synth trills and samba rhythm (with an admittedly fantastic Santana-esque guitar solo), it would probably drive you insane. Here, though, well, I’ll be damned if it isn’t just a hell of a lot of fun, and something really standout and different – especially after the darkness of the previous song. A little vacation in the sun to elevate the mood, then!
Tracks such as this really show how diverse the landscape of Italian soundtrack music was back in the day. We have, unfortunately, come a long way away from those days, though, when experimentation and weirdness were not just allowed, but seemingly encouraged. I would take a hundred songs such as this over the thousandth cookie-cutter, foghorn-filled snoozefests that constitute cinematic music these days, that’s for sure.(Also, the film features the lovely Olga Karlatos (Zombie Flesh Eaters, Murder Rock), who graduated from the same university as me – which is pretty damn cool!)
Track 5: Gianni Ferrio – La settimana bianca : from La settimana bianca (1980) (Girls Will Be Girls)
Taken from the commedia sexy all'italiana version of 80s ski resort comedies, featuring Anna Maria Rizzoli (L'insegnante al mare con tutta la classe, La ripetente fa l'occhietto al preside), Gianni Ferrio is back again with another sensational slab of salacious, sleazy disco funk. Similar to Don Powell’s Amori stellari – Giochi erotici nella terza galassia (Titoli), the track has a preluding tone of a cool, sleuthing police procedural, but soon gives way to its main, frantic bounce of danceable disco delight. Bubbly bass, head-nodding rhythmic drums, liquid-y synths and even an accordion break give this a real fun and sexy feeling to proceedings – perfect for the kind of light-hearted, erotic fun on display in this comedy romp.
Featuring one of my favourite posters in this collection (how does Rizzoli always seem to be losing her clothes in these?), the movie is an interesting entry in the pantheon of two sub-genres. Whilst, on first look, it may display Italy’s obsession for cashing in on whatever movies were popular at the time – usually with much more fascinating results than the originals – it does, in fact, predate more famous American and Canadian examples such as Hot Dog…The Movie and Copper Mountain by a good few years!
A lovely little number, perfect to sign off this side of the second record. Happy and jaunty, it is sure to keep the slopes bouncing all night long.
SIDE D:
Track 1: Giuseppe De Luca – Studio X : from L'altra faccia del peccato (1969) (The Queer... The Erotic)
(Video N/A – You are kidding, right?)
The first track off the final side of the compilation is a real treat. This is exactly the kind of thing I am into, and by god, I could not be happier! An organ-led, 60s freakbeat swinger with guitar noodling and howling female vocals that is so evocative of the time that I can almost feel myself walking the pavements of Carnaby Street. I live for tracks like this, and for me, this is worth the price of admission alone.
It comes as no surprise to find that the composer of the track also worked under the name Peppino De Luca (Wages of Sin, Oh dolci baci e languide carezze), who composed one of my favourite film scores of all time, for one of my favourite films of all time – La ragazza con la pistola (The Girl with the Pistol), featuring scenes of the always impeccable Monica Vitti walking the streets of 1960s Edinburgh, my hometown! To say that I was overjoyed at finding more music by this incredible composer, and to find that it was this good, would be a gross understatement. I love it, I love it, I LOVE it!
Scoring what must be one of the most salacious mondo sex-docs of the time, the ‘60s beat fits perfectly for the scenes of sleaze and really does pull the listener into its world. I cannot say enough good about this track. Go listen to it!
Track 2: Giuseppe De Luca – Studio Z : from L'altra faccia del peccato (1969) (The Queer... The Erotic) *** Completely unreleased
Another track by De Luca from L'altra faccia del peccato, this one has a similar style and vibe but is much more laid-back and, dare I say it, sensuous. Continuing the ‘60s beat styling of the previous track, this once again contains come very cool organ but ups the orgasmic female scatting and focuses mainly on a sexy, jazz guitar solo that plays throughout. I feel as if this fits perfectly placed after the last song, as it is definitely a companion piece, and works wonders being unveiled for the first time here as a follow-up. Roth and Fabrizzii have done a spectacular job in placing the song here, working as it does as a chill palate cleanser after the frenzy of Studio X and keeping it in context with the film from whence it originates.
It is gritty yet laid back and more than just a little bit dirty. The perfect soundtrack to wandering the streets of De Wallen, lost and alone. De Luca is truly a master of sonic invocation, and it is a crying shame that his output was not a thousand times larger than it was, as I, for one, can’t get enough of him and his ‘60s cool.
Track 3: Giacomo Dell’Orso – I’m So Young – Versione coro : from L'infermiera... di mio padre (1981) *** Completely unreleased
Giacomo Dell'Orso (Vento, vento, portali via con te, Nero and Poppea - An Orgy of Power) brings us back to the realms of commedia sexy all'italiana with this easy-listening track from the film starring Daniela Giordano (The Night of the Scorpion, The Girl in Room 2A) and Maria Pia Conte (Spasmo, The Arena). A chorus of angelic female vocals leads us through a track of Mediterranean grooves, wah-guitar, calming strings and sexy synth shenanigans that really put the listener in the mood. Half porno-chic, half kocktail kitsch, the song is subdued but effective at setting a very distinct vibe as warm as the shores of Sorrento.
Filling out side D nicely so far with a mix of frenzy and calm, this track does a lot to keep the record spinning. Whilst compilations have a tendency to run out of steam by this point, especially if they include so much material as is collected here, this is not the case with Red Light Disco. The album is filled with oddities, classics, and newly excavated soon-to-be-classics that will leave fans of the genre drooling and crying out for more. Every track feels necessary and in step with each other, and this is no exception. A perfect breather before the insanity that is to follow.
Track 4: Daniele Patucchi – Runnin’ Around : from Bionda fregola (1980) (Strawberry Blonde) *** Completely unreleased
This is a real weird one, and the kind of craziness that I have come to expect (and be thankful for) from Red Light Disco. A bizarre, robotic pop-disco song with synthetic bloops and blings, a horrifically addictive running bass line, cheesy keyboard noodling, drum machine breaks, a SAX SOLO, delicious guitar work and cybernetic vocals spouting some actually rather inspirational lyrics. A mind-fuck and a half.
Whilst, again, not taken from a sexploitation film, but rather a straight-up comedy affair, it matters not – my life is far better for hearing this slice of ‘80s strangeness. I never knew that I needed Robby the Robot to sing to me over a disco beat, whilst telling me not to waste my life, but here we are.Composed by Daniele Patucchi (Sex of the Witch, Sacrifice!), the inclusion of this track is a fantastic choice. Side D seems to have been set aside for some real wonderful and eclectic samples of Italian soundtrack music, from across the decades where they were most prevalent. A veritable smorgasbord of sleaze, if you will! It is, without a doubt, because of tracks like this that this record will go down in history as one of the best and most interesting compilation albums of the genre to be released for a very long time, and truly puts CAM Sugar firmly at the peak of the (volcanic) mountain.
Track 5: Stelvio Cipriani – Il sesso del diavolo (Finale) : from Il sesso del diavolo (1971) (Sex of the Devil)
Have I mentioned how much I love Cipriani? Because I’m about to do it again. But first off, let’s get this out of the way: yes, this is In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida. No, I don’t care. It still kicks ass. It’s a GOTHIC In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, and if that ain’t just the coolest thing you’ve ever heard, then I don’t know what to tell you. Sucks to be you, I guess?
I was first made aware of this track on CAM Sugar’s previous giallo compilation, PAURA: A Collection of Italian Horror Sounds from the CAM Sugar Archives, and I have been spinning it ever since. In fact, it actually gets a lot more play than my Iron Butterfly records, so make of that what you will.
Fuzz-laden guitar (playing that riff) and some of the best fucking organ I have ever heard make this an instant classic. Seriously, the organ pushes this track to the next level – and far improves on the original, for my money! Italians, it seems, really do seem to do it better. I could listen to this on repeat for days on end, and have done so many a time. One of my absolute favourite soundtrack tunes of all time, and proof once again why Cipriani is my favourite (told you I would do it again). I don’t even care that CAM have released this already. I just want to listen to it again. And again. And again… And I shall.
What an ending to what is quickly becoming a firm favourite release of mine. But wait! There is more – for this is the Deluxe Edition! And it comes with a bonus 7” single…
7" DELUXE EXCLUSIVE
SIDE A:
Track 1: Silvano Spadaccino (and Gloria Guida) - Avere vent’anni : from Avere vent'anni (1978) (Being Twenty) ** Previously unreleased on vinyl
Keeping with tradition, CAM Sugar includes a beautiful, see-through 7” single with the deluxe edition of Red Light Disco. Their deluxe editions have become much sought-after collector’s items in the last few years due to their incredible packaging and tantalising extras (seriously, just go look at that Paura deluxe edition – ooft!), and this is no different.
The 7” is a lovely addition and kicks off perfectly with a beautiful Silvano Spadaccino (Naked Violence, Slaughter Hotel) rendition of the Avere vent’anni theme.
Whilst we have previously had the Franco Campanino disco version of this track on the album, this version is an entirely different beast altogether. Replacing the disco funk of the previous version, Silvano strips things down, instead focusing on Spanish guitar and the INCREDIBLY seductive vocals of Gloria Guida, who gives her best performance on this record by a mile, which is certainly saying something! To hear Guida sing again is a pleasure, and she really comes into her own here. Her smoky, rasping vocals match the laid-back guitar perfectly and give the listener visions of warm beaches and sweeping shores that make me want to book the next flight out of Scotland and head straight to the south of Italy!
It is really interesting to hear different versions of the tracks included here, and I think it was a great idea to include them on this bonus disk, rather than the main album itself. With space on the track list already full to the brim with fantastic choices, it makes sense not to have too much repetition, even if this version is so vastly different and enjoyable. Here’s hoping that CAM one day release, and it gets included on a compilation of Gloria Guida songs sometime in the future, as it would be a shame for those unable to attain the deluxe edition to miss out – and that is for sure a record that I would pay good money for!
Track 2: Alfonso Santisteban - Doppio sesso incrociato – (Disco Sexy – Edit) : from Atraco a sexo armado (1980) *** Completely unreleased
Space-age samba disco funk! What a track to end this compilation on. Liquid bass runs, conga drums, spacey synths and some damn funky guitar combine to make this an infectiously danceable track that takes the listener to the far reaches of the galaxy and back – and then does it all again. Wrapping proceedings up in a neat little bow, Alfonso Santisteban (Chaste and Pure, Hell in the Jungle) incorporates almost everything great and on show in the compilation into one final, all-encompassing finale to leave the listener with a smile on their face as wide as the Tiber.
To leave the listener on this note is a real bittersweet feeling. The joy I feel listening to this pains me at its conclusion, knowing that it is finally finished and the journey has come to an end. I want more, damn it! Tracks such as this remind us why we love Italian soundtrack music so much, and that there is always more to discover and consume. Hopefully, there is more to come from CAM Sugar in the future, as now that I’ve gotten bitten again, I won’t stop until I get my (sugar) fix! A perfect ending to a perfect compilation. Bless Eli and co. for this exploration into the genre. I hope to see them again soon.
What a wild ride it’s been. From disco to funk, to hard rock, pop and beyond, Red Light Disco has had it all. What began as a curious pick-up due to my admiration of Roth’s work quickly became something far more. His love, passion and knowledge for this subject matter are on clear display here, and really show that he knows his stuff about all things Italian soundtrack and cinematic (not that it was ever in doubt). With a first release as strong as this, I truly hope that he collaborates with CAM Sugar further and we get subsequent releases down the line, whether that takes the form of a Red Light Disco volume 2 or a compilation that explores the music of a different genre, it matters not. I know we will be in safe hands, whatever he may choose to do.
From start to glorious finish, I have become enamoured by this release and know that I will be spinning it again for years to come. The track list is impeccable, the packaging is sublime, and the feeling I get while listening to it is one of complete and utter joy. If you have even so much as a cursory interest in this kind of music, do yourself a favour and pick up this release. You won’t be disappointed, and you, too, may even become a card-carrying member of the cult of CAM. Give in to the ecstasy, and let the funk carry you away to places beyond your wildest dreams!
Here’s to horror!
- R.A. Daunton
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