Pop Vinyl 551 Items

Super rare Italo electro-pop project Habibi made available by the unstoppable archive label Best Record. Habibi is a joyous Egyptian-influenced Italo piece from the time that Egyptian Lover and Arabian Prince also had their Egyptian influences. Many of the typical elements of the 'Italo-Disco' era give the song a very friendly and reassuring mood, especially the (probably) Linndrum beat with tom fills and tambourine, alternating bass, a sequencer emphasizing the eights, and strings, a nice Hammond added/ "Habibi" was conceived in 1983 by Arcangelo Li Calzi after the success of the one-off project Sahara Band, with Giancarlo Ragni, the skilled arranger from Genga that produced the piece entirely in his Vallemania Recording Studio, the studio where most of the afro-cosmic songs of the dee-jays of the nearby Baia degli Angeli were made, including the album "Africa Mediterranea" by Fabrizio Fattori. The artist Myriam Ferrucci did a lovely job on the graphic work on the cover which is represented in its original way. Worthy re-issue from the depths of the golden Italo era.

Putting into perspective the incalculable impact and pioneering significance of the best-selling album of all time – Michael Jackson's Thriller – has never been easy. Though Thriller lays claim to mind-boggling statistics that serve as reminders of how pervasive and indispensable it remains to music snobs and casual listeners alike, its essence always traces back to the greatness, power, and scope of the music. Now, as it celebrates its 40th anniversary, the record that reimagined pop; united audiences; made strides towards achieving racial equality; established the video as an artistic and commercial format; and taught the world how to dance sounds even more invigorating than it did during the advent of the Walkman. Mastered from the original analog master tapes, pressed at RTI, and limited to 40,000 numbered copies, Mobile Fidelity's UltraDisc One-Step 180g 33rpm LP set does for Thriller what Jackson's unforgettable appearance on the "Motown 25" TV special in 1983 did for his career: It makes the music personal, human, desirable, relatable, imaginative – the definition of cool. This extraordinary reissue does so by presenting the songs in lifelike fashion, zeroing in on the fundamentals with laser focus, and magnifying the brilliance of the production, arrangements, and vocals in ways that let everyone experience Thriller as if hearing the album for the first time.

Surpassing the sonics of earlier reissues and pressings, Mobile Fidelity's 180g LP set strips away prior limitations and provides a clear, dynamic view of a landmark that crashed through every conceivable barrier and permanently transformed music, culture, and society. The expanse and depth of the soundstage, range of detail, percussive textures, air around the vocals, and natural decay of notes come through with demonstration-grade realism.

The gorgeous packaging of the Thriller Ud1s pressing befits the album's select status. Housed in an open-ended slipcase, the set features a special foil-stamped jacket and faithful-to-the-original graphics that illuminate the splendor of the recording. Aurally and visually, this reissue exists as a curatorial artifact meant to be preserved and examined. It is made for discerning listeners that prize sound quality and production, and who desire to fully immerse themselves in everything involved with the album.

Given that no album released during the past four decades even approaches the magnitude of Thriller, everything about it remains important. Numbers – even the "40" tied to its anniversary – don't even tell half the story. The 1982 blockbuster has sold more than 34 million copies in the U.S.; globally, it has moved upwards of 70 million units. Thriller dominated the 1984 Grammy Awards, winning a record-breaking eight trophies and sweeping every major category. It repeated the feat at the American Music Awards. Seven of its nine songs were released as singles; each charted in the Top 10. Perhaps most astonishingly, Thriller topped the Top 200 Albums chart for 37 weeks during a 59-week stretch. Fast forward 24 years, and the album was the biggest-selling catalog title of 2008.

The record's unimpeachable accolades and archival standing help provide another frame of reference. Acclaimed upon arrival, Thriller topped The Village Voice's comprehensive Pazz & Jop poll in 1983. Included in both the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry and the Grammy Hall of Fame, Thriller was ranked by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at No. 3 on its Definitive 200 Albums of All Time. Rolling Stone named it the 12th Greatest Album of All Time. Time deemed it "the greatest pop album of all time." The Independent called it "the most inspiring album of all time."

Thriller proved as influential as it did inspiring. Its unparalleled success, dazzling style, and sleek architecture changed every facet of culture and entertainment. The reverberations echoed throughout society. Thriller crossed over to mainstream channels and white audiences with a degree that no Black musician managed in decades (if ever); prompted MTV to give Black artists a widespread platform; elevated choreography and dance to higher-level artforms; shattered long-standing racial boundaries; and reconceptualized music via a genre- and color-blind blend of fleet pop, funk, disco, soul, and rock sent up with cinematic panache, oversized ambition, and dynamic energy.

Its effect on multitudes of subsequent artists cannot be overstated. Thriller opened up a new galaxy in which Prince soon strolled. It's the same universe that Usher, Maxwell, and Jamiroquai joined in the ‘90s and that contemporary headliners like Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, and Bruno Mars orbit today. Their style-blurring identities, R&B-rooted foundations, and interdisciplinary approaches directly link to those on Thriller. Notably, the album's first single – "The Girl Is Mine," a duet and co-write with Beatles legend Paul McCartney – captured the record's unwillingness to cater to a specific race, generation, class, or style. Eddie Van Halen – at the time, the world's premier rock guitarist – performed a similar bridge role by supplying the electrifying solo on "Beat It."

Jackson, Quincy Jones, and company do the rest. Drop the needle on any track on Thriller and the insatiable desire to move takes hold. So do sensations of familiarity, pleasure, fun, and soulfulness. Be it the breathless, bass-laden swagger of the Moonwalking "Billie Jean"; horn-accented, post-disco slide of the gossip critique "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"; rousing tempo of the lush, sequin-adorned "P. Y. T. (Pretty Young Thing)"; gentle balladry and liquid vocal phrasing of "Human Nature"; vivid hybrid of funk-disco and horror-film drama of the title track; or streetwise strut and rhythmic fantasia of "Beat It," Thriller never lets up.

A Greatest Hits album which was originally released in 1974. It offers nice selection of classical and contemporary Turkish music in 60s and 70s. Zeki Muren was adorable and always welcomed by the Turkish people, nevermind whatever his sexual attitude. His distinctive voice and stylish apparel was always on the front. Great singer and sound.

Hassan Ideddir’s 1989 single “Atfalouna” sees an expanded repress courtesy of Dark Entries. Born to Berber parents in Morocco, Ideddir began making music at the age of 10 after being discovered singing in the stairwell by his school’s headmaster. Encouraged by his peers, he began playing concerts, and his status grew. In 1987, he played a string of sold-out concerts in Casablanca, Rabat, and Marrakesh, in support of a children’s charity. The success of these concerts secured him a record deal, and he went to Paris to record his debut single “Atfalouna” in 1988. Released in 1989 on WEA, “Atfalouna” is a dense slab of multi-genre pop. An opening wash of digital synths and reverberant vocals quickly falls away to a cascade of orchestra hits and pulsing electronic drums; the monotone chant-rap of a female chorus collides with Ideddir’s soaring melismatic vocals, pleading against the injustice and hunger in the world. While Hip-Hop and New Beat borrowed tropes from Arabic music, “Atfalouna” inverts the gesture, resituating orchestra hits and sampling techniques within a Moroccan music framework. A shorter instrumental version follows, which preserves the female vocals. Also included are two tracks not on the original 12”. “Ibina” is a moody, downtempo instrumental that sounds like a cult Italo B-side. The record closes with “Ydouchababe”, an electro number driven by funky guitars, electronic claps, huge horn riff. Here, Ideddir sings of a youth festival honoring Hassan II, former king of Morocco. All songs were remastered by George Horn. The sleeve is a replica of the original 12” cover art, featuring Ideddir set in a cheeky collage of clocks, columns, and camels. Also included is a postcard with a photo of Hassan, as well as lyrics in both Arabic and English. We will be donating 100% of proceeds from this release to Sphere who provide support to the young queer community across Ukraine and the Palestine Children's Relief Fund who help provide urgent humanitarian care for Gaza's children.

Limited to 7500 copies.

40th anniversary edition of "A Celebration§ - U2´s 7th Single, originally released in March 1982 between the albums October and War. This limited edition reissue is a 4-track EP, containing two previously unreleased recordings: a studio out-take of the title track, lus a performance of b-side and live favouite "Trash, Trampoline And the Party Girl", recorded in Oct 2015 in Cologne during the iNNOCENCE + eXERIENCE tour. 4 track 12" EP / cut at 45 rpm / 180g black vinyl, housed in plain polylined inner / single sleeve outer - with graphic-based front cover in a similar style to the original single cover artwork, using gold print and additional spot UV high-gloss varnish. Back cover features images of each of the band taken from the original music video.

Technically Dusty’s seventh studio album, See All Her Faces is a collection of tracks from the late 1960s and early 1970s, and released on the Philips label in 1972. The original album was never released in the U.S., though some of the tracks had appeared on singles there.Amongst the many highlights was the bossa nova-influenced title track, another bossa style number, Come for a Dream, co-written by Antonio Carlos Jobim, as well as beautifully. orchestrated pop ballads, like I Start Counting, and a stab at a Motown-style groover Girls It Ain’t Easy. There were also some deeply soulful tracks, echoing her ‘In Memphis’ LP, such as Tony Joe White’s Willie & Laura Mae Jones, as well as featuring songwriting royalty in the shape of Goffin & King’s That Old Sweet Roll (Hi-De-Ho), Jimmy Webb’s album-opener Mixed Up Girland Greenwich and Barry co-writes -What Good Is I Love You and Nothing Is Forever. Bonus tracks - This unique package includes an additional LP of rare tracks, recordings from the shelved ‘Faithful’ album along with out-takes from the original album sessions

Limited to 9000 copies.

First time on Picture Disc for The Cure’s 4th studio album from 1982. The artwork and the new cut by Miles Showell at Abbey Road have been supervised and approved by Robert Smith. Features the single ‘The Hanging Garden’ and fan favourite ‘The Figurehead’.The original design by Ben Kelly and The Cure has been prepared for a picture disc release by Robert’s long-standing collaborator, Andy Vella.

Straight from the immense shelves of the Full Time Production warehouse, here's a new must-have gem for the italo disco lovers. Released for the first time in 1980 , eponymous album "Kano " is remastered for vinyl for the first time since then and is given an incredible new life through this version pressed on limited edition hand-numbered vinyl that is deep in grooves and inspiration. The first successful pioneer and ambassadors of the newly-minted "italo disco", Stefano Pulga and Luciano Ninzatti formed the core of Kano forging a consistent and memorable sound maintened throughout. This is the sound of an army of buzzing, mini-computers and thickly-slapped bass guitars igniting neon squares across dancefloors worldwide. As such, it sort of straddles the line between italo disco and synth funk. Each of the six songs provides 6 to 7 minutes of danceable delights with lengthy instrumental stretches perfect for nightclubs. With vocals that are a mix of natural, falsetto and robotic, this is an album for boys, girls and androids alike. The best of the bunch open and close the set, with "It's a War" marrying a downright deadly bass line with a furiously funky organ and apocalyptic screeching synths and "I'm Ready" providing a veritable celebration of this new sound that would go on to be a big hit in two different decades. "I'm ready" was not only the beginning of Italo Disco but also a starting point for Hip Hop because that track became a classic for breakdance. "Now Baby Now" provides further thrilling proof of the success of this sound. The positively boppy "Ahjia" hails its all-encompassing power with a jubilant refrain of "everything is music!", while the mostly-instrumental "Cosmic Voyager" acts as an adventurous, triumphant soundtrack for a hero spacecraft. "Super Extra Sexy Sign", meanwhile, grooves through the Zodiac signs in entertaining fashion.

Raised from the ashes of eighties new wave (when Materiali Sonori debuted the Fuzz Dance series), Problemes D’Amour soon began a disco and electro classic all over the place. Florence born producer and musician Maurizio Dami - with co-conspirators Giampiero Bigazzi, Arlo Bigazzi and Marzio Benelli – created a mysterious character, a so called “modular structure born out a soviet calculator and promptly runaway". He was singing in french and was supported by primordial digital machine, using at the same time the more classical electric guitars, sax and sensual female voices. A handful of evergreen are still played all over the world by many international deejays, while “Problemes d’Amour” was even featured on influential Strut compilation Disco Not Disco 2. American label Sire (home of Talking Heads and a young Madonna) published a Fuzz Dance Ep in 1985 with the Robotnick masterpiece and several contribution from Mya & The Mirror, Gina & The Flexix and Naïf Orchestra. Maurizio Dami is still performing worldwide as a dj and is still composing new music. After 40 years Spittle Records in joint venture with Materiali Sonori re-issues the mini album and the 12” with its original artwork. "Once I was in Chicago, it was around 2010, I was just finishing my set and went outside the club to light a cigarette. Suddenly a police car stops nearby. I thought the policeman was here to fine me (I was more than 20 meters outside the venue), but he just lifted a poster of mine and asked to sign it. Then I realized that "Problèmes d’Amour" has been for a longtime the opening theme for a popular radio broadcast well-known between the black community (hence the policeman was black)”. Maurizio Dami

Limited edition remastered reissue of Funky Family, the italo disco studio project from 1984. This production features Nicola Nicolosi from Nicolosi Family
we can remember him on Amnesie by Turas) and represents a real example of proto-house that became a Chicago classic regularly played by Ron Hardy at Muzic Box and during WBMX radio shows. This edition has the full instrumental cut on the side two instead of the short radio edit available on the original one.

Stone cold Italo classic - reissued from the ZYX Archives!