Raffaele Arcella is back – and who could blame the Neapolitan? After landing a regional hit across the Adriatic and Tyrrhenian with »Baila Chica« last year, he now follows it up with Placebo, a track that could easily stem from the same session. The direction is clear: polished Italo disco whose DNA already hints at early 1990s Italo house – though still not quite destined for the club. Instead, it’s more Sanremo than warehouse rave, evoking the iconic Italian song contest that annually captivates the country.
Success is well deserved for Whodamanny, who’s been grinding for years in the West Hill Studio in Naples’ Vomero district, alongside Dario di Pace (aka Mystic Jungle Tribe) and Filippo Romano (aka Modula), shaping a signature sound somewhere between underground funk and local flair. A sound that tastes of everyday life in the Mezzogiorno – and is southern Italian in the best possible way.
Loca Loca, the double A-side, leans further into the dancefloor, sitting neatly between disco and house. In a way, it’s a reception of the Todd Terje reception of Italo disco – a full circle moment worth savouring. Ideally with a drink in one hand and an SSC Napoli scarf in the other.
Placebo / Loca Loca
