Thursday, January 31, 2008

Feel That Electricity!  



Shalamar were originally a studio session project formed by Soul Train talent booker Dick Griffey and producer Simon Soussan. Best known for the hit single "Second Time Around" the band eventually solidified into a three piece lineup which featured vocalist Jody Watley. Watley went on to have a very successful solo career in the late 80's and early 90's. In my opinion, Shalamar didn't have very many jams in their catalog, but "Right in the Socket" is not only a disco classic, it is a fine example of early Lazer Soul. The track is also a great DJ tool with its long intro and killer percussion breakdowns. No wonder it was known to be one of Larry Levan's all time favorites. This is my kind of Love Song:

mp3: Shalamar- "Right in the Socket"

Posted by Magnum | 1 comments

Labels: ,

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Prog Disco  

























This is a somewhat obscure genre. As an introduction, these two tracks give a terrific taste of the German aesthetic having been applied to disco. The first track by Ganymed is essentially a cover of Cerrone's Supernature (even including a weak version of Sweet Drums in the breakdown), but filled with amazing cosmic sounds and a story about aliens coming to Earth and changing the human race to be like themselves. There is a demonic voice juxtaposed with a sultry insincere female voice it makes for a rather unconvincing argument for them to come and do whatever they are going to do. They do say though that we won't have to work and that they are going to take us to Mars, which sounds like fun.



This other track by Goblin from Italy (the best name for a band ever) has a definite krautrock derived influence. The sound is very hard to describe. It has a little Deep Purple, mixed with Tangerine Dream, mixed with a bit of high school orchestra. Front and center is an amazing bass player and great organ sound. The track is from a 1982 horror flick by Dario Argento.


Please key me in to other artists in the same vein.

mp3: Ganymed - We Like You (The Way You Like Us)
mp3: Goblin - Tenebre

Posted by Joel Brüt | 7 comments

Labels: , ,

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Ease Out  


Being that I grew up in the midwestern region of the United States, I always like to seek out some of the jams from my former neck of the woods. Hailing from Chicago, Mid Air brought us one of the most slamming tracks to ever come out of the 80's Boogie era. As far as I know, "Ease Out" was the only release on the Full Scope imprint, which most likely means the label was formed by the band itself. It's a shame that this is the only release from Mid Air as the track is a synth-boogie tour de force. The band obviously knew they were onto something with this cut as there were three different Full Scope versions pressed at the time of the release. Nonetheless, any one of them is hard as hell to come by. Posted here is the original vocal mix and a dub mix by Joey Negro as featured on the Destination Boogie compilation.

mp3: Mid Air- "Ease Out" Original Vocal Mix

mp3: Mid Air- "Ease Out" Joey Negro Dub Edit

Posted by Magnum | 4 comments

Labels: ,

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

"Lazer"  


I know that "lazer" is actually spelled "laser," but I think whomever made the decision eons ago had it dead wrong. A "laser" can't possibly inflict as much harm as a "lazer." I'm sure this band had discussed the Z versus S controversy, but their douche bag manager convinced them to go for the S spelling to appeal to the ladies and men with lisps. This is one of the weirdest most amazing tracks ever. I have no idea what the sub genre is (cosmic proto HI NRG?); it is definitely not lazer soul. Whatever it is, at 136 BBP it is highly unlikely that it can be a secret weapon, so I had better make it blog fodder. Right on!

mp3: Laser - His Name Is Charlie

Posted by Joel Brüt | 4 comments

Labels:

Monday, January 21, 2008

It's Gonna Rain!  



There is no song more fitting on a rainy MLK day than this tune by Chaka Khan. Clouds was written by the R&B and soul team Ashford & Simpson. Chaka Khan's vocal power intense delivery mated with the slick production work of Arif Mardin this track is a flood of pure soul emotion. Turn it up!

mp3: Chaka Khan - Clouds

Posted by Joel Brüt | 3 comments

Labels: , ,

Sunday, January 20, 2008

B...B...B..Breakdaaance  



In 1983 the coastal English breakdancing scene was at it's now legendary peek. In the 5 year old and under dance category there were only three real heavy weight exponents of the 'body popping' sub genre of this particular form of physical expression, Scott, Robert and then myself. At the time I considered my style more abstract than that of the other two, fluid interpretations of the rhythm that could captivate a spectator yet at the same time challenge them, forcing them to rethink everything they once knew as gospel about 5 year olds moving like robots. I was rewriting rules. but Robert had an older sibling, and therefor access to a boombox, he also had high tops, I had sandals and so at Scott's 5th birthday when we finally battled I took a harsh and humiliating beating with only my mum, who was helping out Scott's mum with the food, there to offer half hearted crowd support. I was later scolded for eating cake without using a plate.

Most of the break dancing songs that I knew came from the movie 'Breakin which was shown on the BBC at some point during hours in which I was allowed to be awake and watching TV. I heard the Glimmers play 'Reckless' from the sound track in a mix recently, a tune that featured a very young Ice-T, but someone recently emailed in and requested the opening boogie number from the same album Body Work by Hot Streak, hear is the full vocal mix:

Hot Streak - Body Work

Posted by Black Shag | 4 comments

Labels:

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Mix Nº. 1  



Live mix. All vinyl.
--K
Mix Nº. 1
1. Maze "Twighlight" 12" Capitol Records 1985
2. I Level "The River" 12" Epic Records 1984
3. The Earons "Land of Hunger" 12" Island Records 1984
4. Osmonds "I,I,I" 12" Special Promo Mercury Records 1979
5. Geraldine Hunt "Can't Fake The Feeling" 12" Prism Records 1980
6. Queen Samantha "Take A Chance" 12" T.K. Disco Records 1979
7. T-Connection "At Midnight" 12" T.K. Disco Records 1978
8. Instank Funk "I Got My Mind Made Up" 12"Salsoul Records 1978
9. Melody Stewart "Get down, Get Down" 12" Roy B. Records 1980
10. Tracey Webb "Sure Shot(Instrumental)" 12" Quality Records 1983

mp3: Kelley B - Beat Electric Mix Nº. 1

Posted by T. Preston | 2 comments

Labels:

Sunday, January 13, 2008

You Don't Care About Our Love  



China Burton was a British songwriter that had success in the 80's penning tracks for Julian Lennon and Taylor Dayne amongst others. His own recording output was sparse but he did manage to release the single "You Don't Care About Our Love" in 1979 on the Logo Records label. This ultra rare cut has one of the hottest breakdowns of any disco number period. The soaring strings, flanged out guitar riffs and keyboard effects blow this track through the roof. No wonder the single fetches for over $300.00 when it randomly pops up. This mp3 is a little bit cut off at the end and the quality not quite up to par with the usual Beat Electric standards, but I simply had to share it as is. Thanks to our good friend Tom Noble for this one.

mp3: China Burton "You Don't Care About Our Love"

Posted by Magnum | 4 comments

Labels:

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Modern Talking  


This German pop sensation got together in 1984 and produced immensely popular albums in the euro pop and italo disco vein for 3 years. They have a very unique sound, with vocals similar to Erasure and music that is classic italo. The goup's producer Dieter Bohlen (you can call him Steve Benson for short) quoted "Precious Little Diamond" by Fox the Fox as his inspiration for the use of falsetto in the choruses. Hopefully Black Shag will add that track to this post. They are very campy tunes for sure!

mp3: Modern Talking - You're My Heart, You're My Soul

Posted by Joel Brüt | 3 comments

Labels: ,

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Thrifty Thursday #2: Nice & Soft  


Wish was one of the genius offerings from Greg Carmichael and Patrick Adams. They also worked together producing tracks as Bumblebee Unlimited, Clair Hicks and Love Exchange, and The Universal Robot Band. With incredible vocals by La-Rita Gaskin, a ridiculous bassline that is too loud and drums that beat anything but nice and soft, this track very unique. I hadn't realized this before till my iTunes already had a listing as Wish, but an edited version is featured on Chicken Lip's fantastic DJ Kicks Album. I dug this record brand new and unopened out of a pile of 50 cent records, quite a score indeed!

mp3: Wish - Nice & Soft (Instrumental)

Posted by Joel Brüt | 1 comments

Labels: , , ,

Monday, January 07, 2008

Runaway  


If you had a funk band in the 70's you were "Bunch" and if you had a kick ass disco band in the 80's you were a "Gang." Gary's Gang, with the production whiz and trademark vocals of Eric Matthew, (he also produced Sharon Redd, Toney Lee, Sinnamon and many others), produced a string of hits throughout the late 70's through the late 80's. Their first major hit was 1978's Keep on Dancin' on Sam Records. As many disco acts met their demise after the year disco died, Gary's Gang continued to bring it! This track from 1984 is one of the band's last, but it is so strong and has such a solid disco pop presence it is amazing that the band took a three year hiatus after its release.

This recording features some new hardware, I hope you enjoy it. To see any recording details, check the info section on the ID3 tag.

mp3: Gary's Gang - Runaway

Posted by Joel Brüt | 4 comments

Labels: ,

Sunday, January 06, 2008

This is the Voice of "Q"  

The Voice of "Q" was a one-off project from the relatively obscure disco production team of Michael Forte and Bruce Weeden. Released in 1982 on the burgeoning Philly World International label, the track had a strong influence on the leftfield disco/electro genre. With its ultra funky bassline and vocoder bits laid over a haunting synth melody, it made for something pretty original sounding. From what I have gathered, this cut appealed to the new wave fashionistas and B-Boys alike. Good luck finding the 12 inch, and if you do track it down, expect to pay some coin for it.

mp3: "Q"- The Voice of "Q"

Posted by Magnum | 5 comments

Labels:

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Il Veliero Version Excursion  


Dance music covers of prior classic dance music are rare when compared to other genres I feel. Rock and jazz albums are rife with versions of classics and standards from their respective genres, but modern dance music artists are more inclined to pay homage to a tune by remixing it rather than completely reinterpreting the piece from scratch.

One exception to this though is Italian musician Lucio Battisti's 'Il Veliero', the haunting melody of which has been covered by at least one artist from each subsequent generation of dance music producer.

Here I have posted Battisti's 1976 original, the DJ Harvey favorite and much sought after cover by dutch disco funk outfit The Chaplin Band, the italo english translated electronic rework by Lama entitled 'Love Is On The Rocks' and finally Lindstrom's contemporary 'nu disco' take on the tune called 'The Contemporary Fix'..


Lucio Battisti - Il Veliero
Chaplin Band - Il Veliero
Lama - Love Is On The Rocks
Lindstrom - The Contemporary Fix

Posted by Black Shag | 5 comments

Labels: , , , , , ,