Schlock-Wire: DISCO RECHARGE Reissuing Disco Classics From THP Orchestra And Tantra In July

Vintage disco fans should brace themselves because the Disco Recharge series from Harmless Records has announced their latest double shot of double-disc disco reissues. The first collects another pair of albums by Canadian deluxe-disco experts THP Orchestra and the second and the second collects everything by Tantra, a legendary studio project from cult Italian disco auteur Celso Valli. As usual, both sets will feature liner notes and a variety of edits and remixes to flesh out each album. Read on for all the deluxe disco details...

DISCO RECHARGE:

THP ORCHESTRA THP #2 TENDER IS THE NIGHT | GOOD TO ME | SPECIAL EDITION

TANTRA THE COLLECTION: HILLS OF KATMANDU | MOTHER AFRICA | TANTRA II - THE JOURNEY CONTINUES

July 23rd 2013 | Harmless | CD (DRCCDX017) (DRCCDX021)

July 23rd sees the release of two more collections in the Disco Recharge series.  One double CD collection covers the THP Orchestra's Tender Is The Night and Good To Me.  Another double CD covers virtually everything Celso Valli recorded under the name of Tantra.  Both collections include numerous bonus tracks.

Following the release of THP Orchestra release “Early Riser/Two Hot For Love” Disco Recharge brings you the second and final instalment “Tender Is The Night/Good To Me”. By now Ian Guenther and Willi Morrison had established themselves as the kings of Canadian Disco and this special edition shows why.

Released hot on the heels of “Two Hot For Love”, “Tender Is The Night” features the epic “Weekend Two Step” as well as the stand out title track “Tender Is The Night” along with a cover of the Amen Corner classic “Half As Nice”. Lead vocals are courtesy of Phyllis and Helen Duncan A.K.A ‘The Duncan Sisters’. Released on the infamous Butterfly label the album was a smash hit. In typical disco style the album only featured four tracks so we have added the single edits as bonus tracks.

Disc two features their 1979 album “Good To Me”. By this time Butterfly Records was in the middle of its’ well documented demise and Guenther and Morrison signed to Atlantic Records for the final album which is credited to “THP”. More electronic than the previous albums it paved the way for Guenther and Morrison’s move into Hi-NRG in the early 80’s. The album’s title track has recently been sampled by Duck Sauce. Again only 5 tracks long we have added the single edits as bonus tracks.

The liner notes are by Alan Jones, co-author of “Saturday Night Forever: The Story Of Disco” and features an exclusive interview with Willi Morrison.

Neither album has previously been released on CD.

Disc one

#2 Tender Is The Night

1)  Weekend Two Step 13.34

2)  Tender Is The Night 6.46

3)  Half As Nice 5.18

4)  Music Is All You Need 9.29

Bonus Tracks

5)  Weekend Two Step (Original 12” Mix) 6.28

6)  Weekend Two Step (7” Edit) 3.39

7)  Tender Is The Night (UK Edit) 2.49

8 -  Music Is All You Need (Original 12” Mix) 6.22

9)  Music Is All You Need (Original 7” Mix) 4.01

Disc two

Good To Me

1) Dancin’ Is Alright 5.33

2) Two Heart’s, One Love 6.17 3) Dancin’ Forever 6.13

4) Good To Me 7.21

5) Who Do You Love 8.15

Bonus Tracks

6) Dancin’ Is Alright (Edit) 3.34

7) Two Heart’s, One Love (Original 7” Mix) 3.33

8 - Dancin’ Forever (Edit) 3.30

9) Who Do You Love (Edit) 3.56

Celso Valli is one of the Kings of the Italian disco scene. His skills as a producer, writer and arranger can be heard on some of the biggest Italo hits ever including Azoto, Passengers, Taffy & Peter Richard.

For disco fans his crowning glory was his work with studio band Tantra. Apart from a CD single release in the early 90’s and the inclusion of ‘Hills Of Katmandu’ on our ‘European Connection’ volume of Disco Discharge this much loved catalogue has been out of print since their vinyl release.

Disco Recharge is very proud to bring you this lovingly restored collection which features virtually everything recorded under the name ‘Tantra’. Disc 1 includes the first two albums in their entirety and ends on a spectacular note with the full Patrick Cowley remix of ‘Hills Of Katmandu’. This is not the unfinished version that has been widely available on vinyl for many years. This exclusive version actually features Patrick Cowley’s trademark added synth’s and percussion and is up there with his remix of ‘I Feel Love’ in the disco hall of fame. Disc 2 features the final Tantra album which features their other massive cult favourite ‘A Place Called Tarot’ as well as the haunting ‘Macumba’ suite. The rest of the disc is packed with all the 7” and 12” mixes including the incredibly rare Spanish language versions of ‘Hills Of Katmandu’ and ‘Wishbone’ as well as the Disconet remixes of ‘Get Happy’ and ‘Top Shot'.

Disc One:

The Hills Of Katmandu

1)  The Hills Of Katmandu 16.22

2)  Wishbone15.40

Mother Africa

3)  Su-Ku-Leu2.33

4)  MotherAfrica4.39

5)  Hallelujah 4.40

6)  Get Happy 4.46

7)  Get Ready To Go 6.28

8 - TopShot 7.30

Bonus Track

9)  The Hills Of Katmandu

(The True Patrick Cowley Megamix)

Disc Two:

Tantra II

1)  Macumba 14.22

i Ma-Cum-Ba Haunts Me

ii The Drums Of Ma-Cum-Ba iii Oh, My-Cum-Ba-Ay!

2)  A Place Called Tarot 15.42 i A Place Called Tarot

ii The Tarot Reprise

iii The Groove

iv The Guitars of Tarot

Bonus Tracks

3)  The Hills Of Katmandu (Disco Mix) 6.31

4)  Wishbone (Original 12” Mix)

5)  The Hills Of Katmandu (Original 7” Mix) 4.47

6)  Wishbone (Original 7” Mix) 4.43

7)  Las Colinas De Katmandu

(Spanish version of Hills Of Katmandu) 5.19

8 -  Camino El Destino (Spanish version of Wishbone) 6.45

9)  Get Happy (The Double Remix) 6.52

10)  Top Shot (The Double Remix) 6.54