Review: Mangiami Is A Feeling

Mangiami was a hangout spot in New York: a cultural haven that sat close to the heart and core of Golf Channel as a record label and to Phil South, its founder. 

The label has always dabbled in the cool and creative. Mangiami was a hub that represented Golf Channel’s ethos and sentiment. Old stories still circle online about the likes of DJ Harvey having dinner and a dance alongside the likes of Tim Sweeney and Eric Duncan in this space now gone. 

Over the past couple of years various records were released as a testament whilst presenting the sound and emotion of Mangiami. However, little over a month ago a record surfaced from the Golf Channel camp which helped to truly capture the experience found by the dancers who partied late into the small hours.

The Mangiami compilation is a stroke of genius which helps to paint a picture of what really went down as bodies jived side by side in the heat of the night amidst the masses of New York City. 

It opens with a dreamy rework of a track called "Jungle". Keeler and Capablanca lure us softly into a musical trance with delicate percussion and synths above a plodding baseline.  It captures a mood of nostalgia that might reflect the opening of many a set heard played as you drank in the bar. 

Another highlight is Dedication’s “Let Me Rock You”: a blissfully euphoric, piano heavy, disco wanderer.  It rises and falls across a seven-minute melodic journey. 

The whole record reeks of musical credibility and cool. Each track takes its own influences from the likes of rock and roll, jazz, disco, house, Latin and African percussion. The record is an international meeting place of sound which makes for a spectacularly danceable soundtrack.  It captures the sound of a small time disco bar which held the upmost importance, and each element heard reflects a musical experience in which somebody lost themselves to dance. 

Tracks such as “Band Practice” highlight a sense of rowdiness in the music. They demonstrate the versatility and primal nature of the parties that took place at Mangiami whilst on the other hand tracks such as “Doin’ It” are addictively and gently soulful. 

This is a wonderful insight into a little lost part of New York City. It represents a piece of musical history and this record is important to the DJ’s and dancers who dedicated their time to a little time club with a big sense of character. 

Buy the Mangiami compilation HERE.