What’s the first thing that pops into your head when gazing over the word ‘Villa’?
Is it a nostalgic yet timeless image of suntanned bodies in skimpy but stylish garments, dancing from dusk till dawn on vermillion beaches or swaying elegantly around pristine swimming pools adorning marble terraces that speck glowing Balearic hills?
Because that’s precisely the sort of imagery the boys of Villa have in mind when doing their stuff – and yes, that word has been mentioned: Balearic! Don’t try to pigeonhole this trio of time bandits though.
“Putting the so-called ‘balearic’ music scene in one box is against the very nature of its foundations. Balearic is no genre or tag, it’s a philosophy; an approach to music in all forms and shapes. It’s off-kilter disco, instrumental new wave B-sides, edgy pop gems, ancient house discs, below the radar rock tunes, Belgian new beat, slow motioned electro and everything in between. Preferably all in one stretch – no boundaries, all limits off. Open your mind and your feet will follow!” – there you have it.
Villa - Beats Of Love - Mylo remix by abracada
Original EP on Abracada
Sure, Villa draw inspiration from the groundbreaking turntable eclecticism from such maverick disc jockeys as the legendary Alfredo, cosmic maestro Danielle Baldelli and the illustrious DJ Harvey but also credit their roots in Ghent as a driving creative force. The small community famously spawned dance floor heroes such as 2manydjs/Soulwax and The Glimmers, but also housed the notorious Boccaccio discotheque; birthplace of New Beat in the late 80s.
With almost ten years of DJ experience behind them, Fredo & Thang step up their game. First there was the Gameplay edit of Beirut’s indie gem Nantes – cooked up as a secret weapon but soon receiving kudos from major players such as Laurent Garnier, Dixon and Tim Sweeney.
Soon after, a hook up with vintage synth collector Seba, resulted in the birth of Villa. The well seasoned composer/producer resides in his cosy farmhouse, surrounded by a collection of rare musical toys – a perfect setting for this new musical venture. Let’s make this sure, this man has walked the line in terms of styles and productions and is working on some very promising stuff.
Musically, the trio like to reference astral innovators as Quincy Jones, Bo Michael Tretow, Giorgio Moroder or Vangelis, but also the edgy pop of Blondie or David Bowie. Pop sensibility matched with avant-garde.
Findlay Brown - Promised Land (Villa Remix) by DISCODUST
VillA 'in the mix' Octobre 2010 by VILLA Soundcloud
playlist:
Frederic Riviere: Above Your Head
Washed Out: Feel It All Around
Giorgio Moroder: To The Bridge
Phoreski: the one he calls Track3 (edit for The Osmonds: I I I)
In Flagranti feat. Nathalie Smash: Through The Rabbit Hole
Sea Creatures, Flowers: At Night
Who's Who: Dancin' Machine
The O'Jays: For the Love of Money
Asha Puthli: Space Talk
Chromatics: Mask
VillA: Beats of Love (Hannulelauri rmx)
John Nedza & Zoe's Raygun: Back to my Roots (Percussive dub mix)
Cadence: Back on Love
Sources and an interview with Thang and Fredo for CityZine:
Washed Out: Feel It All Around
Giorgio Moroder: To The Bridge
Phoreski: the one he calls Track3 (edit for The Osmonds: I I I)
In Flagranti feat. Nathalie Smash: Through The Rabbit Hole
Sea Creatures, Flowers: At Night
Who's Who: Dancin' Machine
The O'Jays: For the Love of Money
Asha Puthli: Space Talk
Chromatics: Mask
VillA: Beats of Love (Hannulelauri rmx)
John Nedza & Zoe's Raygun: Back to my Roots (Percussive dub mix)
Cadence: Back on Love
Sources and an interview with Thang and Fredo for CityZine:
villanese-myspace
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