Today’s Single of the Day is from one of my favourite musical duos of all time, Deutsch-Amerikanische Freundschaft (or D.A.F to you and me). Comprised of Gabriel ‘GabI’ Delgado-Lopez (he’s the sceptre wielding gentlemen in the above picture) and Robert Gorl, they were proclaimed by none other than John Peel to be the ‘Grandfathers of Techno’ and to this day the pair remain the sleazy stalwarts of everything EBM, NDW and industrial.

Taken from their 1981 album Gold Und Liebe, ‘Goldenes Spielzeug’ was produced by legendary Kraut-rock producer Conny Plank, who also produced Gabi and Robert’s first three studio albums. Gentle yet menacing chimes are placed over the top of a tough and hypnotic analogue sequencer and drums, with D.A.F’s trademark intimidating vocals barking instructions to the dance floor. This is Golden techno-pop at its finest, sceptre and all.

D.A.F – Goldenes Spielzeug

MAGIC WAVES 2010

To celebrate the forthcoming Magic Waves Festival, Days Are Numbers is going all Italo, electro and synthy for a week! With special mixes from Casionova and one from yours truly, we’ve also got loads of, ahem, magical tunes that will gear you up for the weekend, starting with N.O.I.A’s 1983 Italo classic, ‘The Rule To Survive (Looking For Love)’.

But first, here’s the quick Resident Advisor blurb about this year’s festival…

The Magic Waves online radio station will celebrate three years of on-air activity this month with a two-day festival at Corsica Studios.

Taking its cues from I-F’s now defunct CBS, Magic Waves has set out to broadcast the best in Italo, electro and disco. To celebrate their third birthday, they’ve managed to secure some of the biggest names in both the UK and Dutch scenes as well as dragging some of the old guard out of retirement especially for the festival, which takes place next Friday and Saturday. Alden Tyrell, Legowelt, Mr Pauli and Moustache Records owner David Vunk will lead the charge from the Hague, whilst the UK is represented by a wealth of artists from Dissident Records’ roster, including Heartbreak, Ali Renault, Casionova, Helium Robots and Brassica as well as label owner Andy Blake. Their biggest coup, however, lies with the older acts they have on the bill, with Fred Ventura, Fockewulf 190 and Oppenheimer Analysis all set to grace the main room of Corsica.

N.O.I.A – The Rule To Survive (Looking For Love)

MAGIC WAVES FESTIVAL 2010

Sometimes you just need some good old fashioned disco to help you through a cold and bleak day and this little Salsoul rocket from 1978 should do the trick.

A perennial favourite of Lovefingers, this Richie Rivera mix is taken from Gaz’s self-titled album. Produced by three of Giorgio Moroder’s co-producers (Mats Bjoerklund, Keith Forsey & Thor Baldursson, just in case you were wondering who they were), ‘Synth He Sized Her’ has an unassuming cosmic quality about it. Aided by some deep and heavy percussion & FX, this is an excellent dancefloor distraction from the winter chills. Brrrrr!!!

Gaz – Synth He Sized Her (original Richie Rivera album mix)

After a weeklong sojourn to the Big Apple, we decided that we need something to keep the holiday memories burning bright and to ease ourselves back into the groove of things, sigh. So to cheer ourselves up, here’s a classic NYC groove from former Weather Report member Miroslav Vitous.

Released in 1976, ‘New York City’ was one of the first 12” on Warner Bros and is taken from Vitous’ album Magical Shepherd.

Featuring the ubiquitous Herbie Hancock on keyboards, this is a dazzling disco-jazz track. Delightfully capturing 70s New York, its funk-fuelled percussion and trippy female vocals cutting in and out (advising you to take the A train no less) elevates the track above the usual jazz-funk fare of the time.

This collector’s choice was also a firm club favourite amongst the likes of David Mancuso and Nicky Siano and original 12” copies go for a pretty dime.

I’m off to get the A train. In my mind. Sigh.

Miroslav Vitous – New York City

Often confused with P&P’s Peter Brown, this hypnotic and incredibly funky track from the other disco Peter Brown was released in 1977 on the TK off-shoot label, Drive.

The b-side to his smash hit Do You Want To Get Funky With Me, ‘Burning Love Breakdown’ is a sparse and downtempo Chicago classic that has been sampled and looped by the likes of Ron Hardy and Derrick Carter.

With its bubbling bass and windy electronics, it continues to be a seminal disco track that still burns up any ol’ discotheque. HOT!

Peter Brown – Burning Love Breakdown

The mighty Stones Throw recently released a retrospective compilation on the magnificent Bruce Haack. Chronicling the influential electronic producer’s prolific work from 1972 to 1982, this is a timely and essential re-issue that should, in an ideal world, grace every music fan’s collection.

Thought to be the ‘The King of Techno’ and the first person to use vocoders in his recordings, Haack produced otherworldly electronic symphonies often combing futuristic psychedelic sounds with acid-infused pop.

Cited by the likes of Stereolab, Beck and Madlib amongst others as an influence, Bruce should be hailed as a vital electronic pioneer alongside the likes of Joe Meek and Raymond Scott. Anyway, enough of my yapping! Go and have a listen below and get your good self on the Stones Throw site to find out more!

We love you Bruce!

Bruce Haack – Electric To Me Turn

The eccentric French singer-songwriter Michel Polnareff recorded this lavish camp disco stomper for the 1976 Margaux Hemingway starred film Lipstick. One of the first twelve inches to be released on Atlantic, this rather jaunty number is curious due to the dubious nature of the film it soundtracks (I’m not gonna tell you about it!!! Google it!).

Bit of a cult oddity, Polnareff is one of France’s best kept secrets (in fact I only heard about him when Alan kindly lent me a retrospective CD), and today’s Single of the Day is just a glimpse of the crazy talent the man had.

I’ve just remembered that Rhythm Heritage did a cover version of this on their 1977 album Last Night On Earth, so to those of you who thought it sounded familiar, there’s your answer.

Michel Polnareff – Lipstick

Taken from her fourth album Asha L’Indiana, today’s Single of the Day is a sublime and down-tempo disco groover from renowned Indian singer and performer Asha Puthli.

Having worked with the likes of Ornette Coleman and Bill Laswell as well starring in films made by Merchant & Ivory and Bruno Corbucci, Puthli was an extremely talented and glamorous vocalist (she was a regular at the one and only Studio 54, infact, the track ‘Music Machine’  from this very album is dedicated to Steve Rubell’s hedonistic disco palace. What a party animal!). Her albums from 1974 and 1982 have been critically lauded and have been sampled by artists such as 50 Cent and Die Fantastischen Vier (!).

A slinky and seductive late-night dance floor mover, ‘Mr. Moonlight’ will gently light up any after-hour party with its gorgeous and sexy melodies provided by the electric Ms. Puthli.

Asha – Mr Moonlight

A DJ Harvey favourite, this sleazy bad boy of a Balearic tune was released in 1978 and as you can tell from the sexy cover (arf!) is rather wonderful.  Taken from Amadeo’s album Real Magic, Memories was featured on the aforementioned DJ Harvey’s seminal Sarcastic Disco mix. A debauched pop-infused, slo-mo disco number, it’ll have you recalling “memories” of “Paris” and “San Francisco” (It’ll make sense once you’ve heard the song). Ahh, memories!!!

Amadeo – Memories

Shango was one of many solo guises of the legendary Afrika Bambaataa, a lo-fi and early electro cult classic, ‘Shango Message’ was released in 1983 and was produced by Bill Laswell. A Celluloid Records staple,  it combines Bambaataa’s wizardry with some fresh breaks ‘n’ beats resulting in a sparse yet funk-fuelled breaker’s anthem. Shango!

Shango – Shango Message (edit/instrumental)