Sneaker’s ‘Canatalo Journey’
    from Automaticamore
    July 14th 2023, Beate Uwe, Berlin


As my old promo sticker proudly declares – in the past I explored Chicago – Italo – Synth!
The selection here however is stringing together Canadian electronic disco from the golden age in the early 80s. I honestly can’t imagine for whom they produced it and whether or where Canadians danced to it. Only via Rams Horn some licensed records found their way to Central Europe (the Dutch were early fans of Italo Disco, too).
The Canadians take on the topic is professional, honed by a top notch production, warm like early Italo and has better but equally simple and generic lyrics. They somewhat co-shaped the Hi NRG sound (yet without gay connotations) and were even more rooted in disco, soul and funk than the Italians (no Krafty influences; like in Chicago for example).
Unlike in Italo the “oeuvre” is tiny, limited and overseeable. There is little gems, rare or private pressings. Who knows why also the markets were so different back then?
And the present of Canatalo?
The hype only starts here!

Credits and props:
I picked up these records here and there, often in the US, of course researched on discogs, peeking on what the eponymous female DJ Automaticamore is doing in Toronto, initially inspired by the cover version of Lost In Love by the Parallax Corporation.

Thanks to Hank Clap and Andre Zucca from Automaticamore (follow them here on Facebook! or there on Instagram)!
Excuse that I sneaked in a Gertalo juwel by our project Bionda e Lupo and finished with the mad classic by UK punk band Crass.
Fun in the oven for Sane, my dear! I hope you join again soon!