Cosmic music (or the "Cosmic Sound"[1]) was a style of dance music named after the "Cosmic" nightclub in northern Italy.[2] The style's most notable DJ was Daniele Baldelli, who was hired as Cosmic's DJ in 1979.[2][3] Cosmic music was characterized by a slow speed (Baldelli states that he usually played at 90-105 bpm)[2] and the inclusion of a very diverse range of musical styles, including electro, funk, jazz fusion, and Brazilian music.[3] Peter Shapiro described Baldelli's music as a "combination of spaced-out rock and tribal percussion."[2] One genre that was usually not part of this mix was Italo disco,[3] which Baldelli believes was generally too mainstream and commercial.[2] Cosmic music has been cited as a "touchstone" for contemporary "space disco" artists like Lindstrøm collaborator Prins Thomas and Andy Meecham of Chicken Lips.[3]
The Cosmic club itself was located in Lazise, a small town on Lake Garda.[2] The club had a capacity of 1000 and decor inspired by American clubs like Odyssey 2001 (where Saturday Night Fever was filmed) and Studio 54.[2]
Links
editAn afro-cosmic disco style mix from 1981 from Baldelli's colleague/contemporary, DJ Beppe Loda: http://www.rhythmism.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42737
An interview with Baldelli by Daniel Wang
The 2002 Seven Magazine (first english language article) on the Italian Afro and Cosmic scenes by Louise Oldfield: http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=ddbdtdwn_1gwbtq8&hl