Commitment matters. The ebb and flow of today’s music scenes are fast-paced and brittle. What comes to have meaning, and who comes to have meaning are those who cut their own way and are left standing as the waves pass. Those waves have been particularly strong when it comes to the popular acceptance of disco and its relative associations. In the US this has been driven by figures connected to, and promoted by, the DFA label. In Europe one character who has continually pushed the no-wave disco sound – under his Headman & Manhead cloaks – has been Robi Insinna. His quiet reward has been seeing the kids jump on the wagon.
Insinna’s focus has been split between his label Relish and his own productions and remixes. The remixes have been regular, from bands looking for a dancefloor attitude such as Franz Ferdinand, Roxy Music and the Gossip, to collaborations with Soulwax and The Rapture (‘On’ 2006). Since his first solo record dropped on Gomma in 2003 he has released three more, the latest of which ‘1923’ featured the contributing talents of Yello’s Dieter Meyer and the Beta Band’s vocalist Steve Mason.
Relish Recordings has also recently expanded and features new artists pushing at various envelopes: from the dazed dancefloor experimentalism of Chmmr and JR Seaton, to the tight 21st C. discopop of Mickey and The C90’s. 2011 will feature another fabled Relish Miscompilation showcasing these artists along with some exciting collaborations scheduled both musically and in the art direction for the label. All this and another feature length from Robi himself to look forward to!
Headman Winter Mixtape:
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