Disco Recharge: Tantra - The Collection

We have waited over thirty years for a CD edition to do justice to the genius of this music. And it is a fabulous release. It is just how I would have hoped it to be. And the great thing is that this issue collects together the rest of the Tantra releases making it definitive in its issue.Back when I was a teenager in the Seventies there was commercial Disco and Underground or true Disco that you only really knew about if you went to Disco clubs.Going to the Disco club brought you into a world of not only familiar commercial Disco pop dance tunes that you heard on radio (usually in extended 12" format") but another form of Disco that was more progressive and creative.It was like comparing Rock with Prog Rock. Or pop Disco and serious Disco. Unlike radio, the Disco club offered a perfect environment for long pieces of dance music through creative musical expression.Tantra are a great example of that era.The Hills of Katmandu is easily the best remembered track by the group Tantra. It is an amazing epic track. The piece runs for over 16 minutes.It begins with dark menacing electric guitar sound with percussion and echo. The bass line hooks you in straight away and the chorus of chant helps to build the piece towards a period of multi instrumentation and electronic synth that is multi layered and full of interesting sound. The infectious rhythm carries us to the first glimpse of the chorus. The other world sound of the arrangement has led us to a point where through the lyrics we are in a world of spiritual like escapism.The lyrics "I fly with you to the misty hills of Katmandu" and later "Packed my case, gonna leave behind this human race, ....come with me, where your spirit and your mind are free, forever" were liberating back at the time of its release and have stayed with me all these years. The track has more power now than ever. To escape some of the negative elements of this world is always going to be appealing.The symphonic shifting patterns of the musical arrangement with many twists and turns makes for good listening anywhere, not just the Disco.The rest of the album is also incredible. The second track Wishbone has equal music genius expression. I had the original album on vinyl but this CD edition sounds just fantastic. Wishbone lasts over 15 minutes and formed the B side of the original album. Two tracks, one album.The second album came out soon after and that is also included here too. Both were originally only available in Italy and my copy was imported. But later the two albums were combined as a sort of double album release internationally. Album one the Hills of Katmandu and the second album are on this CD issue disc one.Tantra and the Hills of Katmandu enjoyed a long introduction to the world of Disco and picked up a lot of respect and inspiration. Patrick Cowley later did a megamix lasting around nearly 14 minutes. This is included as a bonus track on disc one.Disc two has the third album with continued creativity and brilliance. Tantra II is great with the 14 minute Macumba siute and what was the b side of the original album A place called Tarot Suite that is nearly 16 minutes in length. In addition there are bonus tracks made up of alternative mixes etc.The whole release is a rich package and just perfect. It is really exciting to get these recordings on CD after so long.Tantra showed that although seemingly America was the home of Disco it was actually Europe. The album, an Italian production by Celso Valli known as Quelli Del Castello is effectively European Electro disco.European Electronic Synthesiser music had been growing in the seventies with groups like Kraftwerk and made its way into Disco through people like Tantra, Giorgio Moroder, Cerrone and Patrick Cowley. The synth dance element went on to form the eighties sound of mainstream pop.There is a whole pile of other recordings from the seventies and eighties that were forgotten about or ignored by the mainstream. It has been long hoped that some of this would eventually be issued on CD and often thought it unlikely. This brilliant release offers new hope of other classics to be re issued.

I near wet myself when I heard this was coming to CD, And if you know the works already the Cd is great, no over remastering packaging was a bit bland but it's the music we want, I still have the double album and it's still played to death all these years later. Hills of is just timeless and what I call REAL disco not your record company band wagon rubbish this is what disco sounds like when done by people who know what disco is all about, think Sylvester, dan Hartman,donna summer Giorgio cerrone ect, if you don't know these tracks go on treat yourself !it's worth ever penny just for the opus that is the hills of katmandu, this track just goes hyper.if you want to know what I'm like well you won't find the like of bony m in my vast collection of disco, most of what I like is still not on cd ow the pain.Why won't record company's release their more obscurer artists and not just go for a fast buck ?.One last point I have all the disco recharge cd's and at times these have been a right let down and a rip off !Not the full versions bloody instrumental dubs, I think they sound more like a collection some one would make for them selfs.But on the plus side when they do get it right well good on um.

I read other reviews regarding the recording quality and I must say I am not disappointed at all. In fact the quality of the recording is quite good. I bought the 12" single of Hills Of Kat Mandu in 1985 (Wishbone) on b-side which is when I first heard this song. I am very glad I now have the album on CD (incidentally I bought the album on cassette in 2004 from a BP petrol station but you can't can't beat CD quality recordings). Highly recommended

Well. There were many years that I was waiting for a serious release of this great "disco" band. My wish came true, and today when I finally got to listen to digital a few of my favorite songs I felt a great emotion. For this reason I love music so much. And these are the most beautiful emotions, truly. Listen back to the suite "Su-ku-leu/Mother Africa / Hallelujah" has sparked in me the desire to dance and sing ... and I think you will not be still and impassive unleashed with the sound of these songs. Completing the package some remixes taken from the maxi-singles and 7 "singles, as well as some very rare versions. Congratulations to HARMLESS that has once again hit the mark. And the hearts of music lovers.One of those who have written to the label many months ago to publish the collection was me. What do you say, I did well or not? ;-)

Another great release in the Disco Discharge series. The music is fantastic- A 2 disc set that shoehorns 3 original albums and a number of remixes onto the collection. This is eurodisco at its best from 1979/80, The arrangements are terrific, the intricate melodies are influenced by eastern music and the sound quality is stunning. For all true disco fans!

I was sure I would never obtain a CD of The Hills of Katmandu. I was delighted to find it was available through Amazon. The sound quality is everything I hoped it would be. Has pride of place in my collection.

I played these records for more than 30 years now.All 3 albums are included including the double remix and spanish versionswhich appeared on Importe/12 records. The mastering is great!I hope Harmless will do the same with Azoto, The collection, 3 albumsalso from Celso Valli. This is real disco!

Tantra was and it's still a Big Disco Hit ,when i'm invited to a oldie Disco Party every Smart 70'S Dee Jay Plays Tantra "Hills of Katmandu"

Dans le monde de la musique de dance d'aujourd'hui rien ne rivalise avec ce qui ces fait dans le passé et en voici la plus belle exemple, rythmé et varier et vous donne l'envi irrésistible de danser.

DISC 1:1. HILLS OF KATMANDU 16:222. WISHBONE 15:433. SU-KE-LEU 2:334. MOTHER AFRICA 4:395. HALLELUJAH 4:406. GET HAPPY 4:467. GET READY TO GO 6:288. TOP SHOT 7:309. HILLS OF KATMANDU (The True Patrick Cowley Megamix) 13:53DISC 2:1. MACUMBA (Macumba Suite) 14:222. A PLACE CALLED TAROT (Tarot Suite) 15:423. HILLS OF KATMANDU (Disco Mix) 6:314. WISHBONE (12" Mix) 6:095. HILLS OF KATMANDU (7" Mix) 4:406. WISHBONE (7" Mix) 4:437. LAS COLINAS DE KATMANDU (12" Mix) 5:19 (Spanish version of "Hills")8. CAMINO AL DESTINO (12" Mix) 6:43 (Spanish version of "Wishbone")9. TOP SHOT (The Double Remix) 6:5310. GET HAPPY (The Double Remix) 6:54All of Tantra's music resides in the deep shadow of their massively mind-blowing "Hills of Katmandu," yet there's more to hear and experience beyond that musical milestone. This 2-CD Disco Recharge collection gathers Tantra's music together for all eternity.Recorded in Italy in 1979, "Hills of Katmandu" crept slowly into the American club and music scenes in mid 1980 with a combined ultra-sleek sophistication and pounding, unmistakeable Euro-ness and entrancing musical mystique wholly its own. It's the quintessential genre-spanning song, bridging perfectly the death of disco with the emergence of Hi-Nrg, and flaunting the best of both eras. "Hills of Katmandu" is both retrospective and breathtakingly forward-reaching at the same time. There's little I can add to what's already been said and written about this epic track; I feel it should be absorbed on a personal level for its ability to transport and deeply affect.Tracks 3-5 play as a seamless medley, evolving from the Africanized chants of "Su-Ke-Leu" into the more familiar bass guitar-propelled, handclap punctuated gospel groove of "Hallelujah." "Get Happy" picks that beat up a bit. "Get Ready To Go" propels dancers back into the no-nonsense near-Eastern power established in "Hills." This song could/should have continued on and on. "Top Shot" is a straightforward guitar rock disco number, intended unapologetically for the dance floor. "Wishbone" disorients and sleeks it way under your skin like an irresistible opiate with repetitive rhythms, melodies and compelling and impenetrable lyrics receding, advancing and sweeping over listeners until all sense of time is lost, causing it to feel longer than it is, yet I want it to continue ever on. It's an under appreciated achievement. Patrick Cowley's legendary remix of "Hills" is here, and is an enjoyable revision but not as radical a reworking as what he created with Donna Summer's "I Feel Love."Disc 2 features what was released as the Tantra II album and a collection of edits, remixes and Spanish versions of Tantra's songs. "Macumba" moves assuredly along in an Afro-Carribbean spirit, while featuring an insistent 'timpani drums echoing at the bottom of a barrel' sound reminiscent of Giorgio Moroder's "Evolution." "A Place Called Tarot" takes a slower pace and explores more musical variations, swinging between eerie voodoo-ism and almost upbeat vocals and then into rough guitar. The disco mixes of "Hills" and "Wishbone" tease with their intriguing musical variations on the original versions but are too short; especially frustrating is the unexpected fade on "Hills." The two "Double Remixes" at the end of this disc are wonderful surprises, especially the sweaty, uncompromising, fully-leaded, leather-chapped, dancefloor-aimed amyl-drenched reshaping of "Top Shot." Turn it up, inhale and drift away...Thorough collection, excellent sound, revealing liner notes. An essential release for disco and dance fans. Thank you, Harmless and Demon.Listening to this music so many years after its initial release and in such tremendous quality gave me a deeper respect for its master, Celso Valli, and all the others who came together to create this unusual music - unusual then and unusual now. I appreciate the focus that propelled them to follow their vision and instinct and record this incredible music, and especially for - forever more - the timelessly mysterious "Hills of Katmandu." Thank you.Superb.

prodotto ottimo e prezzo ancor di più per ben 3 lp in 2 cd, ne facessero altri. Viva disco recharge.

It is simply not possible to give this cd anything less than the maximum five stars. It is just THAT good . It was in 1986 that I first came upon this recording. I was in a record shop in a side street off Avenida Atlantica , in Rio de Janeiro, South America. Browsing through their records, looking for some good music, I came across an lp recording with a bright red cover and one word name.....TANTRA. Up to that point in time, I had never heard of Tantra. As usual, I asked to hear some of it. The girl put the record on the turntable an it began to play. The precise moment the first few bars of the 16.20 minutes " THE HILLS OF KATMADU" hit my ears, I knew I was going to buy it. I ended up listening to the whole 16.20 minutes before buying it, knowing I would have to wait until my return to Sydney to hear the rest. I still have the lp recording, in perfect condition. But, I put all of my cd's onto iTunes as well as my best records. It was happy days when I discovered it on Amazon. It is now on my iTunes and the rest is history. This is a cd that you simply MUST have....no if's but's or maybe's. It is a recording not to miss, a recording you would die for.Get it, you won't regret it.

After being disappointed by the lack of quality songs on Spotify and Youtube, I decided to buy this CD compilation and I am extremely glad I did. All songs are tastefully remastered to capture the pure energy that Tantra so expertly infused into all of their music. Much better than any vinyl rip on Youtube. And this collection is more complete than I could ever want; multiple rare versions and remixes for many songs that serve their own unique purpose. The 15 minute version of Ma-Cum-Ba is my favorite, with an impossibly funky bassline that rips through the middle of the song. Definitely a dance floor banger. And the updated Patrick Cowley remix of The Hills of Katmandu is modern enough for today's clubs while still keeping the spirit of Mr. Cowley alive. I could go on about every song, but you have to experience it yourself. If you are a dance music fan who is still debating whether or not this compilation is worth a purchase, trust me, it is.