Toy Tonics

Dance music recorded by musicians and not DJs – this is the case with many releases on Toy Tonics, and it’s easy to hear.

The Berlin label is run by Mathias Modica, an Italian-German music nerd, record collector and keyboard wizard who was already writing international indie disco history in the 00s under the name Munk and with the label Gomma, and who these days mainly DJs and produces as Kapote.

The output of Toy Tonics is influenced by disco, house, italo and jazz funk, produced with plenty of enthusiasm and heart. Cody Currie, who released his debut album Lucas on Toy Tonics late last year, is a London producer and DJ who records all his music with traditional instruments.

As a former jazz pianist, he combines the expertise of a musician with his skills as an electronic producer. Same same but different: Sam Ruffillo’s music combines pop-savvy Italo disco with rap music and R&B. Along with Bárbara Boeing from Brazil and Gee Lane from Venezuelan, soon to be releasing on Toy Tonics, they’re playing at tonight’s label party at Panorama Bar.