I bought a two-CD set called "The World Of Italo-Pop" last week in an attempt to address the gaping hole in my knowledge when it comes to modern music from the land of Verdi, Puccini and Rossini. Although i've always loved Italo-disco and the work of Giorgio Moroder, i've never been all that entranced by the more poppy stuff. The CDs, although probably worth the £2 i paid for them, did little to correct the prejudice drummed into me by years of MTV Europe awards shows that Italian chart music is primarily made up of dreary ballads sung by slightly greying gentlemen in Armani suits. I'll have to fall back on two i know and love.


The Tamperer were Italian house duo Mario Fargetta and Alex Farolfi who, in combination with American singer Maya, are still talked about in reverential tones by many British pop fans despite the fact that they only released three singles here. They followed the chart-stomping Feel It with the brilliantly-named If You Buy This Record Your Life Will Be Better and, finally, the peerless Hammer To The Heart. Where Madonna "sampled", The Tamperer stole so, officially, the record bears absolutely no resemblance to Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight) by ABBA.

Buy Tamperer stuff

The Tamperer ft Maya - Hammer To The Heart





Milanese sisters (yes, sisters) Paola and Chiara Lezzi are just about the only Italian-language pop stars i listen to with any regularity. The quality of their stuff varies (the Blu album is absolutely abysmal) but when they're good they're very good. My favourite CD of theirs is the slightly rockier Giornata Storica which, one fan-site informs me, was the result of "seeing Braveheart and a trip to Ireland - they were inspired by magic places and a great trip that gave them a feeling of real Irish freedom." Thankfully, the Cranberries references are diluted by wonderful Puffy / Natalia Oreiro style punk-pop.


Buy Paola & Chiara stuff

Paola & Chiara - Colpo di Fulmine