Italo Brutalo wastes no time kicking off his sophomore album Second Horizon with the single “Chasing Shadows,” a turbo-charged acid-synth banger that feels like a high-speed chase through neon cityscapes.
Released May 29 on Bungalo Disco, his own label with his girlfriend, Second Horizon is a masterclass in vintage analogue synth wizardry, where every track blends nostalgic warmth with futuristic energy. From here on out, you’re stepping into an alternate electronic universe crafted by one of Germany’s finest producers.
The journey opens with City Sight, a track drenched in rolling grooves, crisp snares, and dreamy vocoder vocals that blur the line between human and machine. It sets the tone immediately: warm, introspective, yet propulsive enough to ignite any dancefloor. Next, Memory Sync crashes through like a final-level boss in an ’80s video game, dark and menacing, while Digital Freedom delivers an instant serotonin hit with its irresistible hi-hat kick pattern and cheeky Italo disco melody.
Then comes Surveillance State, an eerie 3D soundscape that makes you feel watched by some omnipresent techno overlord. Heiss Oder Kalt (“Hot Or Cold”) follows, weaving warm and cool synth tones around a mad-scientist vocal sample for a deliciously unsettling effect. By the time you reach “Chasing Shadows,” you’re strapped in for a ride: an acid-fuel injection from the TB-303, robotic vocals that demand movement, and a pulse-pounding drop that makes it impossible to stay still.
As the album unfolds, Free To Move offers a brief reprieve with graceful melodies dancing in perfect sync, leading into Black Gold, a cinematic soundscape worthy of a sci-fi epic. Human Code rekindles the melodic warmth of the opener, primed for peak-hour club play, while I Am a Creator slows the tempo with dark, sleazy undertones that reveal Brutalo’s creative depths. Finally, Tonight closes this electronic odyssey on a joyous, satisfying note.
With Second Horizon, Italo Brutalo has not only conquered the sophomore slump but delivered a monumental statement: retro synth fetishism meets modern production in a record that moves both bodies and hearts. Enjoy.
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