Italians Do It Better (the Johnny Jewel record label)

[windhoek]

I've just recently discovered and become absolutely hooked on Windswept by Johnny Jewel (the title track as well as the full album) as the music and production value are right up there imo (I think Johnny Jewel must have one of the best sounding synthesiser rigs out there!). Technically speaking, I first heard the track Windswept a couple of years ago as it featured in Twin Peaks: The Return, along with a number of other tracks by artists on his label; indeed, his label seems to be one of the go-to labels for modest-top budget independent films (Ryan Gosling's Drive, for example).

Anyway, Wikipedia describes the music associated with the label as contributing to electro/synth pop, post punk and Italo disco. The label offers CDs, LPs and downloads. Sadly, Windswept is OOP on vinyl and used copies are going for £35 plus so I'll hold out for a reissue. But the good news is that every album on the label is a dollar a whip to buy as a WAV or MP3 download!

Fwiw, a lot of Johnny Jewel's music leans towards synth soundscapes as much as pop, probably a lot more so, and apparently, Johnny is a hands-on producer who definitely influences the end-sound of the artists on his label. Make no mistake, the guy is an extremely talented multi-instrumentalist and I approve of his hands-on approach.

Click here to visit the website and click play below to enjoy Windswept

 

[Hoopsontoast]

Big fan, got quite a few records from Desire, Symmetry and Chromatics along with the After Dark records.

Themes for an Imaginary Film is my favorite, really recommend getting that!

Lost River & Drive (Kavinsky etc) soundtracks are superb too.

On the Synthwave/Synthpop genre, some of my other favorites are Electric Youth, The Midnight and Gunship.

EDIT - and also forgot College with Teenage Colour, Heritage and Secret Diary are great, not really got into Shanghai yet.

 

[guey]

I'd also recommend the Jorja Chalmers albums, particularly the first, Human Again - very Lynch/Badalamenti.

 

[windhoek]

I've been listening to the 30-second samples of Johnny Jewel's other albums and have just bought Vapor as a WAV download. As with Windswept, the synth sounds are just mesmerising and of the highest quality, musically and sonically - demo material if ever there was! And to think all the albums are only 74 pence each? Bargain of the century!
Once I've worked out which Johnny Jewel albums I'll be buying I'll work my way through the other artists on the label and no doubt, I'll end up with a good handful of high-quality downloads, as well as vinyl where available.

Vapor

I meant to say wrt Windswept, it totally feels like you're in Twin Peaks universe when you close your eyes and crank up the volume. Just dreamy, dreamy, dreamy...

 

[guey]

I'm just downloading Vapour, Digital Ice, and Themes For Television by Johnny Jewel.
Three 24 bit wav downloads for, *checks paypal* £2.22 - ridiculous bargain.

Cheers to windhoek for the heads up.

 

[Weekender]

Have the After Dark on 3xLP...unopened. Oops.

 

[windhoek]

I've now bought Digital Rain and Themes For Television by Johnny Jewel in addition to Windswept and Vapor. I also bought this Twins Peaks: The Return Original Soundtrack on CD (at ebay) last night as it was only ever released on CD and vinyl, and the vinyl is OOP and out of my mental budget. Oh, I also bought Windswept on vinyl from Discogs yesterday too. If it sounds better than the WAV download then me and my neighbours are in for a treat!

 

[Yank]

There's only one Johnny Jewel:

 

[windhoek]

I've become so enchanted with Digital Rain that I've now bought it on vinyl as well as download. The high frequency sparkle and shimmer stuff is nothing short of pure Class A candy for the ears and the mind. Thoroughly mesmerising and, without sounding like I've been smoking something I honestly haven't, utterly transcendental from start to finish. The translucent, pink champagne vinyl is lovely as well

 

[windhoek]

Windswept on vinyl is back in stock here @ Amazon. The artwork is first class, the vinyl pressing is first class and, imo, the music is first class as well.

 

[Alex N]

Windswept...

I hadn’t seen this thread, and I have that one; I’m sure I posted it here before it had a physical release. I also have Symmetry’s Themes For An Imaginary Film, Desire’s first album, and Chromatics’ Night Drive, Kill For Love, and Closer To Grey, which was available for 99c or something for about fifty tracks of it from their website for a while.

Chromatics’ Night Drive is the first Italians Do It Better release I bought, and the one I keep going back to. Right from the opening seconds, a very atmospheric and (this isn’t quite the right word) romantic album that I’ve just had to put on again. Brave to include a dreamy cover of ‘Running Up That Hill’, but it fits in pretty well.

Oh, and this is a great look...

There’s quite a few things on this thread I haven’t heard, and some I haven’t heard of, so thanks all for the homework.

 

[windhoek]

I've bought a few JJ downloads and I've also downloaded Jorja Chalmers albums. But I've recently started playing Music To Drive - an epic double album featuring songs by various artists on the IDIB label. Turns out, it's great!

The cover for Music To Drive is another classic, it certainly seems to conjure up the right image wrt the film Drive.

It's amazing to think you could probably buy the entire IDIB catalogue in 24-bit WAV for £50 or something like that, probably less!

I'll probably check out more Chromatics next as Dream Pop (the sub-genre mention on Wikipedia) is quite alluring if not seductive.

 

[guey]

The Ramxes album is worth a listen- sitting somewhere between Pye Corner Audio, and later period woob.

 

[windhoek]

I just came across this hour-long extended mix of Tick of the Clock by The Chromatics - press Play and drift away...