"It's the Monkey !" is one of the most striking and unique reissues of Best Record Italy to date, rises like a flame from the history of the Italo-Disco. Very well arranged and enriched by a creative use of many different sounds. There is nothing else quite like it!
Strada (which in Italian means ‘road’) was born in a studio (not on the road) where the extraordinary arrangers Ennio Tricomi, Enzo Vallicelli and Romano Trevisani know even better how to exploit Enza Kucic's superb vocal skills, favorite backing singer of their Crusin' Records after the departure of Spagna who had started her fantastic solo career.
"It's the Monkey", considered to be one of the Top Five Italo-Disco tracks of all time!, is a loaded electro monster with all kinds of weird sounds and effects, wicked synth stabs, very original use of drum kits and arpeggios, topped with screams of monkeys, including money noises plus a male vocal sample that doesn't spoil the track! If this genre existed I’ll define it Italo-Prog for the deep roots in rock music of the arrangers.
And judging by the excellent cover, we may suppose they were opting for a new-wave style, which was overly popular at the time. So a rare example of dark psychedelic sound in the era when a much more stereotypical pop atmosphere was beginning to dominate and seal the fate of the Italo-Disco scene.
In short, there is nothing else that looks like this piece apart from "Raging Waters" by Al Jarreau in the 12" Dance Remixed by Judy Weinstein and Larry Levan. But how can one claim that someone copied Levan when Strada's album was releases three months earlier?
“Street Dance” on the flip is an underrated electronic track with a deep dance potential, rhythmically slightly slower, with very catchy synth strings. Among the most evocative and important reissues of the year.
