The Visitors

song by Gino Soccio

Gino Soccio is a Canadian singer, disco producer, synth pioneer, and multi-instrumentalist from Montreal. His Italian roots aren't present only in his name but also in the music. In the early days of Disco, late 70's music wasn't spread at the speed like it is nowadays. The biggest music promotion platform was the radio, and for some song to be played, the DJ needed to dig the vinyl in a record store or get a promo shipment abroad.

By listening to "The Visitors," you could say that the sound of Moroder influenced Soccio, but Soccio was a true Canadian Space Disco pioneer.

He was interested in Disco sound in his student days, and at an early stage of his career, he played keyboards in the band "Kebekelektrik." It couldn't be "funkier." One of the songs the band covered was "Magic Fly" by "Space," which explains Gino's influence and approach to Disco sound.

They were primarily released on the Canadian label "Celebration" in 1978 as a 7" and 12" single. The release contains two versions, one with vocals in French and the other in English. The two versions also have slightly different mixes.

A dozen reissues followed on US, Italian and German divisions of "Warner Bros" and "RFC Records" in 1979.

"The Visitors" was used in Federico Fellini's movie "La Città Delle Donne" (City of Women) in 1980 but stayed uncredited.

The song is wholly composed, produced, played, and arranged by Soccio. For today's standards, it's expected that you have individual producers who are making music on their own, but back then, that was only done by people who were masters of the craft in terms of composing, recording, production, sound design, synthesis, arrangement, etc.

"The Visitors" is mastered by Jack Skinner, mostly known for the works on the music by The Kinks, Alice Cooper, Jean Michel Jarre, Easy Going.

"The Visitors" is a unique space flight with an impressive sound palette, a mixture of Italian sharpness, and creamy, smooth Canadian soundscapes.

You'll love this one; it has that "moogish" bass arp done with a Minimoog and sweeping phaser that drives you step by step. Space "Jarre" like effects and "Vangelis" type of arp that goes a bit out of sync packed with unexpected stereo brass and the distorted guitar solo is what puts this piece in a unique position of Space Disco gems.

This piece is yet to be appreciated; it's a Disco one of its kind, which could only be crafted by someone with an enormous knowledge of world music.