Italo Brutalo

Italo Brutalo is the alias of Vincent Fries, a DJ, producer and live act based in Berlin. He was born and raised in the tri-border region between Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic. A former national and European DJ champion, he is also the co-founder of Bungalo Disco. Within his DJ sets he mixes up to five different sources using one or even two mixers, an approach that is quite distinctive. As a committed believer in the power of hardware samplers and analogue synthesizers, Fries has built his own universe of soundscapes.

His music draws on 1980s reference points including EBM, Italo disco, acid, electro and darkwave, produced with original equipment from that era and translated into the present. As a live act, he performs with an array of vintage hardware on stage and no computer, relying on analogue machines with all their roughness and directness.

Earlier in his career, releases appeared on labels including Mechatronica, Inner Shah, Melodize, Mozzarella Records, Days of Being Wild, Compuphonic, RFR Records and Nang Records. Fries subsequently moved toward self-releasing through Bungalo Disco, the label he co-operates alongside his partner.

His partner Tania also makes music under the alias Acida Dominga, and Bungalo Disco has so far operated as a vehicle focused on Italo Brutalo's own output. His 2022 debut album "Heartware" was followed by "Second Horizon" in 2025, continuing his deep investment in analogue-driven sound design. The debut was voted album of the year by more than 23,000 readers of FAZE Magazine. "Second Horizon" is built around acid-drenched basslines, punchy drum programming, rich synth layers and warped vocal treatments, offering a raw, kinetic blend rooted in electro, EBM and synth-first club music. The "Heartware" remix album further extended the record's reach, with reworks from Fabrizio Mammarella and Kris Menace among others, reflecting the breadth of the audience his productions have reached.