What better way to start the fifth volume of
I Love ZYX: Italo Disco Collection
than with one-off act
Perestroika Power
and their "Animal Farm," which is -- maybe you guessed it, or even knew all about it already -- a late-'80s Hi-NRG production with animal noises scattered over it. A couple gangs are also present, namely
Camaro's Gang
with "Fuerza Major" and
Cruisin' Gang
with "Traces of Sand" and "America" (the latter of which incorporates some replayed elements of
Propaganda
's "p:Machinery," released a year earlier). As is standard for the series, this is a hit-and-miss three-disc compilation and most of the selections appear in 12"/extended form. ~ Andy Kellman