Problemes D'amour
By Alexander Robotnick
““Problemes D’amour” is a seminal track written by Italian producer and musician Maurizio Dami, released on a small Italian label in 1983. ”
It was then released in the US on Sire record one year later.
It became very influential in the States among House and Techno DJs and helped shape both genres, becoming a cult classic!
Maurizio Dami was a young Italian producer from Florence that started his music journey in the late '70s, first learning how to play guitar. Maurizio began playing jazz guitar late in life and became aware that he would probably never become super skilled at it because of this.
At that time, there was a growing music scene of up-and-coming New Wave musicians in Florence. Maurizio knew the head of a record label called Materiali Sonori called Giampiero Bigazzi.
Maurizio, in the meantime, got fascinated by electronic music and bands like Kraftwerk, so he decided to buy some electronic equipment and start creating electronic music.
Giampiero, the label owner at Materiali Sonori, convinced Maurizio to create some disco music. He told Maurizo that Disco tracks with a 4/4 steady beat would sell, and they could make a lot of money together.
“Maurizio then started experimenting with some newly purchased equipment: a Roland TB-303 bassline, Roland TR-808 drum machine, A Korg Mono/Poly keyboard, and a sequencer. ”
Maurizio created a new music persona for this new project called Alexander Robotnick. A Russian immigrant living in France.
The instrumental track was very original, ahead of its time. Maurizio probably tried to replicate the sound of disco music by using a Roland TR-808 drum machine, resulting in a very house-sounding beat with a groovy and catchy bassline created with the Roland TB-303.
We can also hear an interesting rimshot part that resembles some American electro records released at the time, making it very distinctive from the Italo disco sound of the era.
After creating the instrumental track, Maurizio decided to write lyrics and record the vocals in French with a strong Russian accent to make this new music project more original and exciting.
Maurizio then finalized the track in a small studio using a 16-track recorder, a mixer, and a few outboards. The result was something much closer to Electro than Disco.
Maurizio was thrilled with the result, but he got disappointed with the overall sales of the record, as it sold "only" 10,000 copies, which were not many at the time, but that would be a lot now.
Although it did not sell well at the time, it started getting an excellent reputation among American DJs. Maurizo was unaware of that, although some friends who went to the USA told him they heard his record being played on the radio and in the clubs.
After releasing the track, Maurizio released an entire album called "Ce N'est Q'un Début" for the same small Italian label Materiali Sonori in 1984 and then started different projects with different pseudonyms focusing on Ambient and World music.
The song became popular again after the new millennium, bringing back interest in the project. Maurizio Dami started his new career as a DJ and recorded more albums using the Alexander Robotnik moniker in 2001 and 2007.
That was a new beginning for Maurizio, that started touring as Alexander Robotnick for the first time, discovering that his tracks became a cult classic worldwide.
"Problemes D'amour" is one of the most fascinating Italo disco tracks. A catchy timeless tune that stands the test of time. An original Italo master cut that never gets old, with a unique and distinctive sound!
What's your favorite italo-disco track, and why? Tell us in the comments!
