Venus
Welcome To The Modern Dance Hall

So far and yet so close, these Venus, to Italy: they are Belgians, like the unpredictable dEUS or the Americanized Soulwax.
Their album "Welcome To The Modern Dance Hall" is released by Sonica, an Italian label owned by a certain Mr. Gianni Maroccolo (Ferretti, Ferretti always Ferretti. But in the CCCP-CSI project, who was on bass?).

They opened for our Marlene Kuntz during the tour of their latest live CD and established a relationship of esteem and friendship with Scisma (with whom they wrote the touching "I Am The Ocean," also featured on the Italian group's album "Armstrong").
Venus are among us: like ghosts, an imperceptible and foreign presence.

Listening to their debut work, it is impossible to understand how, with their concentration of melody, freshness, and the push of an all-Italian label, they didn't manage to break through in our country. The truth? They hide within themselves that taste for trying new compositional paths, with an atypical lineup composed of voice-guitar, double bass, violin, and drums that so intimidates our record market.
Quintorigo tried it, and they partly succeeded.

Perhaps less bold are the songs of Venus, but solid and well-structured. In short, it's impossible to resist a great song like "White Star Line" (it was love at first listen), the violin plucks of "Royal Sucker," and the freshness of "Pop Song."
And what about the compelling rhythm of the charming "She's So Disco," in which acoustic in bottle-neck and violins alternate and blend, among electro-influences and variations that find no obstacle in entering the listener's mind, and then staying there.

Truly a pleasant discovery.
Info and curiosity: the album is from 1999. In 1998 under BMG/RCA, the "Royalsucker EP" was released, the band's official debut. The name "Venus" is a reference to the song "Venus In Furs" by Velvet Underground.

[There is also an official site]