Voom Voom
Peng Peng

You should have been there.

I know it's a challenge for you. That you live very far away from here. That you have a family and if you brought the kids along, it would have been the usual story: just when things were getting good, you'd have had to head back home. I feel a bit sorry, knowing you. You would have liked it. But let me tell you…

OPEN HOUSE AT VILLA ARZILLA

As you know, here at Villa Arzilla, the Staff periodically organizes evenings with the purpose of enlivening the atmosphere and creating opportunities for meetings between us DeGuests and those who come to visit. Not just friends and family, mind you: on these occasions, the gates are open and, from the late afternoon, you can hear the crunching of footsteps on the gravel of the tree-lined avenue leading to the building.

Usually, one of us takes care of certain aspects of the organization. Among which, music is, of course, fundamental.

It's understandable, after all. You know very well that one of the characteristics of us residents of this residence for elder DeBaserians is the excessive passion, in some cases even manic, for music.

But this time, the Staff spared no expense: they took care of everything.

For a couple of days beforehand, there were beautiful posters printed in four colors, instead of the usual A3 sheets written in marker. The design was done by a young man, one from Reggio Emilia, who has already been here to visit, perhaps in anticipation of his next entry as a resident.

I saw someone wrinkle their nose, reading the name of the group on the posters: Voom Voom. "Let's hope it's not the usual Latin American brew, but that name doesn't bode well," I heard muttering.

EVENING DANCE PARTY

Then, when the day arrived, towards evening, people began to gather.

Each of us, therefore, left our own room, turning off the stereo and interrupting that series of sounds that you always happen to hear while walking through the corridors of Villa Arzilla. An uninterrupted succession of fragments of all kinds of music, coming from the guests' rooms.

We went down to the ground floor, to the lounge.

Many familiar faces, in particular the DeBasic youth who never miss a night if there's drinking and dancing to be done. And a few DeLadies, who will eventually pass through this side of the gate. But for now, they're here as guests.

There was the usual suspended and undecided atmosphere, some snippets of laughter, murmurs among the groups, and the clinking of glasses. One of the DeGuys, to break the ice, took his place at the console and started playing something. Relaxed and slightly rhythmic music. Cocktail stuff, I would say. Probably as a form of tact towards the older guests who are less accustomed to certain sounds.

In the meantime, I started sampling the drinks. I'll tell you, not bad. I don't know who took care of them, but after a couple of glasses, I was quite tipsy.

Anyway, at a certain point, these guys showed up, the Voom Voom.

One of them looks familiar. Where have I seen that face? The young Neapolitan guy at the decks tells me that yes, of course, I know him: it's Mr. Peter Kruder, half of Kruder & Dorfmeister.

Ah, then we're in for a quiet evening, I think. Spacious sounds and doubtful basses. Not bad, but we've already had this before…

But those other two that came with him, I've never seen them. I ask for clarification from the other young man, the one who “loves quality electronic music, but also listens to a lot of other things. Very little rock, though!”

And I discover they are Mr. Christian Prommer and Roland Appel, two who get quite busy under different names (Fauna Flash, Trüby Trio)

PENG PENG!

Well, my dear, when those three got to work, I was stunned.

Far from Chill out!

These guys know their craft: every once in a while, it's good for Kruder to leave Dorfmeister and have fun with guys like these two.

Imagine that the DeProfessor, the Neapolitan gentleman with a passion for Brazilian soccer and particularly for one of its bearded representatives, left us open-mouthed: as soon as “Baby” started, which is the first track on the CD, he leaped onto the dance floor with surprising style and energy. He had hinted at this ancient habit, but seeing him in action was still amazing.

The volume was so high that I could easily do without my brand new hearing aid: everything was vibrating inside.

And the guests were vibrating. DeSailor, who has sailed far and wide across the seven seas almost always under the stars of jazz, was quite skeptical at first. After a while, though, I saw him go up to his room and then come back down with one of his thousand basses. He plugged a jack into an amp and began to hop around, adding warm bass lines to the already rising sonic tide in the lounge.

The music from those three seemed to work: a mixture of that stuff, young people that I never know what to call: there's a bit of techno, a funky spirit, flashes of drum 'n' bass, and something that perhaps I could call house. Perfectly timed breakbeats and fitting vocals. All played with precision and style.

Even one of the most thoughtful DeBasics, an islander and soon-to-be resident of Villa Arzilla, who naturally moves from classical music to prepared Sardinian guitar, after a couple of drinks, overcoming initial hesitation, threw himself into the fray... And you should see how he dances.

Meanwhile, the Voom Voom did not let up: in fact, at a certain point, they dropped a track with a big guitar sound, very intense: “All I Need”. And the heat in here was rising.

Sure, the three know that not so much for the guests but for the residents of Villa Arzilla, they need to catch their breath. So, here's some slowing down: you can see Peter's touch in “Best Friend”, before charging ahead again with “Sao Verought” and “Oggi”.

In the chaos, I hadn't noticed that even the Dean of Villa Arzilla, who usually wanders around listening to strange records with headphones, consisting of a single very long track, had abandoned his inseparable mp3 player and was wildly dancing.

But everyone, except for some irreducible people who wouldn't have moved even if prompted by an earthquake, was on the dance floor. And they seemed to fit in perfectly.

When we were quite exhausted, Voom Voom melted the sound into the most languid and nocturnal solution of “Vampire Song” with which they bid us farewell.

Sweaty and cheerful, a little out of breath, we accompanied them along the gravel path to the gate.

Anyway, I hope you got an idea of the atmosphere and the music. And that next time, you'll find a way to pop over to Villa Arzilla.

I know this long letter may have surprised you a bit, betraying an unhealthy passion for music that I usually never talk to you about. But I had fun. And besides, this dancefloor material can be listened to and enjoyed elsewhere, because it’s crafted with class.

And class, as you know, is something else entirely. I suggest accompanying it with a Mojito.

Ah, I'll also send you the usual 30-second samples, just for a taste.

But I think it would be wise to keep this CD handy when you organize some poolside parties this summer.

In the meantime, I’ll stay here, waiting to find out in which locations the Staff has organized the summer stays for us DeGuests of Villa Arzilla…