Exceptional music transcends time.
In Past Blast Music, we explore the artists who achieved significant success before the age of social media — giving them the recognition they deserve.
Before streaming dashboards.
Before viral choreography.
Before algorithmic placement.
This is Past Blast Music — and today, we celebrate Vera.
Fresh music, bold entertainment, and men’s fashion—one tight email a week.
The Hi-NRG Foundation — And Beyond
To understand Vera, you have to understand the era.
The distinctive Hi-NRG sound was characterized by pulsating disco rhythms layered with innovative electronic textures. It was kinetic. Urgent. Engineered for movement. Dance floors across major U.S. gay cities, nightclubs in Mexico and Italy, and especially Montreal — the epicenter of the burgeoning Hi-NRG movement — thrived on that energy.
Vera’s recordings lived inside that movement.
But they didn’t stop there.
Across two albums — Vera and Take Me To The Bridge — the sound expands beyond strict Hi-NRG. Funk undercurrents give certain tracks a groove-driven backbone. New Wave textures introduce melodic sharpness and atmosphere. The production blends classic disco elements with contemporary electronic techniques, but the arrangements leave space for personality.
Captivating melodies.
Disciplined arrangements.
And always — the voice.
Some artists go viral.
— INYIM Media
Others endure — powered by pure, undeniable talent
The Producer and the Toronto Disco Lineage
Vera was not just a solo act — it was a collective studio project built around an exceptional voice. Produced by Louis Toteda, whose roots in disco run deep, Vera emerged from a lineage of dance-floor engineering.
Toteda was the force behind Nightlife Unlimited, the late-’70s disco outfit known for club staples like Love Is In You and Dance Freak and Boogie. That pedigree matters. He understood rhythm architecture. He understood momentum. And he understood what worked on a packed floor.
With Vera, Toteda fused that disco foundation with the accelerating pulse of early ’80s Hi-NRG — but it was Patti Masi’s voice that transformed production into presence.
That groove-forward discipline carried directly into Vera’s catalog.
Producers can build immaculate arrangements. They can layer synths, polish percussion, and engineer hooks that sparkle under club lights.
But without an exceptional vocalist, the production dies.
Vera’s voice never did.
Production builds the house.
The voice makes it worth stepping inside.
Two Albums. One Distinctive Voice.
Across Vera and Take Me To The Bridge, Patti Masi delivers a vocal performance defined by control, clarity, and emotional intelligence.
Her tone sits forward in the mix — bright enough to cut through dense Hi-NRG instrumentation without sounding sharp. In higher passages, she transitions into a supported mix rather than pushing chest voice upward, keeping the lift powerful but controlled. Sustained notes remain centered. Vibrato stays measured. Phrasing locks into rhythm without losing warmth.
In dance music, that balance is rare.
Hi-NRG can become mechanical if the vocal lacks humanity. Patti avoids that trap. There’s subtle dynamic shading in her delivery — slight lifts on emotional syllables, careful articulation in faster passages, and enough tonal warmth to keep the performance grounded.
Stripped from production, the discipline becomes undeniable.
No effects.
No synth armor.
Just tone, breath, and intention.
Hear the Voice Alone
To truly appreciate Patti Masi’s vocal control, listen to the isolated vocal version of “Baby Won’t You Dance With Me.” Removed from the pulsating synths and four-on-the-floor rhythm, her tone, phrasing, and breath support stand on their own.
Where the Music Began (For Us)
We didn’t discover Vera through streaming.
We grew up with her.
Her biggest club track echoed through our home from disco-dancing family members who requested her at legendary Los Angeles spots like Circus Disco and Fantasia Nightclub inside the Westin Bonaventure Hotel.
That’s how music traveled then.
Not through algorithms.
Through rooms.
We learned to mix on vinyl from our uncle — crates open, turntables humming — and Vera was in that stack. The actual record. The worn sleeve. The ritual of dropping the needle.
The voice has been with me since I can remember.
I started learning to DJ at eight years old.
Before waveforms.
Before metrics.
Before engagement dashboards.
Just rhythm.
And Vera was part of that foundation.
Patti Masi: The Woman Behind the Voice
Vera’s real name is Patricia Masi.
Over the years, we’ve shared our admiration for her voice across social platforms — not tagging for attention, not chasing metrics — just genuine appreciation for the work.
She responded:
“I didn’t know I still had fans.”
That line carries weight.
Because Vera’s contributions — while currently underground — remain significant to the music scene. The Hi-NRG era may not dominate mainstream playlists today, but its influence runs directly into modern electronic pop.
Future generations will (and should) recognize and celebrate Patti Masi’s ethereal vocal talent.
Some artists go viral.
Others endure because of their pure natural talent.
Why These Albums Still Matter
Because they weren’t built by algorithm.
They were built for dance floors.
They fused Hi-NRG propulsion with funk elasticity and New Wave textures. They documented a moment when club culture was global, physical, and communal.
And at the center of it all — steady, controlled, unmistakable — was Patti Masi’s voice.
Two albums.
One distinctive voice.
And a legacy that still moves.
Let’s take a look at some of the EXCEPTIONAL singles from Vera.
Single: Baby Won’t You Dance with Me (12″ Mix)
Album: Joey
Producer: Joe La Greca Producer: Louis Toteda
Main Artist/Vocals: Vera
Composer: Donald Robert Saunders Author: Donald Robert Saunders Music Publisher: Franmar Music Composer: Louis Toteda
Author: Louis Toteda
Single: Take Me to the Bridge
Album: Take Me to the Bridge
Producer: Louis Toteda
Main Artist/Vocals: Vera
Composer: Donald Robert Saunders Author: Donald Robert Saunders Music Publisher: Franmar Music Composer: Louis Toteda
Author: Louis Toteda
Rediscover the album Joey and Take Me to the Bridge on Spotify:
Are you rediscovering Vera for the first time — or have you been here since 1983? Drop your favorite memory or track below.
