Sunday 4:07 PM EST. Sitting in a Miami roach motel with a killer hangover. Brutal trance remixes creeping in from the mega hotel next store. DJ Fucknuts 5000 on the decks 24 hours a day. Must cleanse the soul with some quality boogie. AM-FM to the rescue.


AM-FM - You Are The One

So everybody knows Gino Soccio's 'Dancer', part of the standard cannon, and for good reason. It has been covered several times, most recently I heard Escort do it live and no doubt over the years there have been versions I have yet to hear, but of those I do know (including the original) Starflight's is my favorite.

Most people sweat this record because the other side Contains 'Dance To The Beat', a track that appears on mixes all over the place and got an Automan bootleg re-release, but few mention the Gino Soccio cover version. It keeps the original's driving disco edge but with an 808 breakdown and subtle turbtable scratch bridge that indicates that it is now 1983 and things have moved on four years since Gino first penned the track.

Starflight - Dancer

Infatuation came out on New York's small Silver Cloud Records in 1983. Look out for anything on Silver Cloud, its all boogie gold, and although the label and their number of releases were small they seemed to have enough distribution that their output will now run you between $7 and $70 for the rarer cuts.

This is perhaps their best known release, alongside the highly sought after Heavy Hitter by Barbara Norris that came out on parent label United Performers, which has been turning up on trendy italo/electro disco bootleg comps over the past couple of years. Both tracks share production by Edward Colon, who I believe still had house music credits dating up until the late nineties.

Up Front - Infatuation

Not much to say other than that I am glad this exists. This is a very campy and very driving disco tune that was produced by cheesemeister Michael Lloyd. Lifted from the internet:
"*(Mitsuyo "Mie" Nemoto, Keko "Kei" Masuda) Known as "Pink Lady", these two female Japanese rock singers were introduced to American television via this comedy variety hour [Pink Lady and Jeff]. Mie & Kei may have been popular in Japan, but their U.S. debut quickly fizzled out. One reason the series disappeared: the stars spoke very little English and had to be guided through the program sketches by American comedian Jeff Altman."

mp3: Pink lady - Kiss In The Dark

Barry White really needs no introduction.
This track is a sultry, slow disco tune that kicks back behind his vocals quite nicely.
Released in 1977 as a single on 20th Century Records from the album "Barry White Sings For Someone You Love".

mp3: Barry White - It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me

I feel like just about every post I write these days is about a one-off artist and Elite are no exception to that rule. Released in 1980, "Rock The House" fell into that nice roller-disco sound that Vaughan Mason and Crew helped pioneer just a year earlier on Dakar's parent label, Brunswick Records. By no means a rare gem, "Rock The House" is a fine party jam with a sort of heavy, yet minimal groove.

I would love to brag that this track lights up the dancefloor whenever it gets dropped at one of our epic Beat Electric DJ sets. It is probably safer to say that almost every time without fail someone dressed straight out of an Old Navy catalog circa 1997 comes up and requests that I play something from the '80's instead. In fact, one time a babe sporting a tube top and true religion jeans once asked our guy LeBaron to "play some Michael Jackson" while he was in the middle of spinning "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough". I can definitely respect that.

Elite - Rock The House (Part 1)
Elite - Rock The House (Part 2)

Powerline is a collaborative effort between Andy Sojka and Jerry Pike. This track, "Double Journey", is a 13+ minute musical endeavor released on both Elite and Prelude Records in 1981, then again by Françios K.'s label Wave Music in 1998. The bassline in this track is perfectly laid back yet driving. The track was mastered by famed Herb Powers Jr. and it is a true pleasure to listen to. There is a rather hard to find promo release of "Double Journey" on Prelude which is what is posted here.

My apologies for such a poor photo, I am clearly not a strong swimmer when it comes to the photographic arts.

mp3: Powerline - Double Journey

Jeanette "Lady" Day burst onto the scene in 1981 with this killer entry on the excellent Prelude label. The track is laced with raw sexed-up vocals, a super tight arrangement and some stellar percussion breaks as well as a fine mix by the one and only Francois Kevorkian. Once again we have another one hit wonder soul diva here. She dropped this gem of a cut and disappeared quickly into the disco nether, never to be heard from again. Damn.

Jeanette "Lady" Day- Come Let Me Love You

Driving drums with a lot of reverb, check; electronic toms, check; simple well executed melody, check; incredible vocoded vocals, check. This is an italo electro track that does everything that Chris Menace and Fred Falke want to do, but did it in 1985. Produced by Italian dudes A. Zanni (who was also in Faxe) and S. Cundari (who produced Hipnosis, Koto, and a Ken Laszlo track which was previously posted here.) This must have blown people's minds when it came out.

mp3: Cyber People - Void Vision (Slow Version)
Get a sped up version at The Red Room here

Aurra was a modern soul group from Ohio that got together in 1979. The project was a spin off of Slave and it allowed the talented songwriter/producer/arranger Steve Washington to bring twice the heat (and make twice as much scrilla) to two separate labels. The singers, Starleana Young and Curt Jones have a playful and conversational way of singing the songs which really make the songs special. It is almost like you are listening to an argument between a married couple sometimes. Aurra disbanded 1986 due to a legal dispute, after which Young and Jones went on as Déjà.

mp3: Aurra - Nasty Disposition
mp3: Aurra - Checking You Out
mp3: Aurra - Such A Feeling (LeBaron Edit)

Dazzle is the collaboration of Leroy Burgess and Stan Lucas. There wasn't too much in terms of releases from these guys, one LP, one promo 12" and a 7", but what they did release is pretty fantastic. "You Dazzle Me" is the B side to "Walk Before You Run" on the 12" promo release on De-Lite Records in 1979, and is far and away the hit. This is a very upbeat track and the production is spot on.

mp3: Dazzle - You Dazzle Me

Five Special formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1978 and disbanded circa 1981. Their only hit "Why Leave Us Alone" reached #9 on the Billboard R & B charts in 1979. This very soulful, epic disco number was a favorite of Larry Levan's and is featured on 2006's Journey Into Paradise compilation (NOT the Levan mix) on Rhino Records. The only 12 inch version listed on discogs is a mix by Rick Gianatos. I happen to have an Elektra red label copy with a 10:17 Larry Levan and Billy Kessler mix. I couln't seem to find any information online about this particular pressing or mix. I would have put a photo of the label up here but my digital camera is on its last leg and I couldn't get a proper shot. My guess is that this pressing is a complete rarity. Nonetheless, "Why Leave Us Alone" takes it to the next level.

mp3: Five Special - Why Leave Us Alone (Larry Levan + Billy Kessler Mix)

The beginning of this record is simply perfection.
Patti LaBelle released this powerhouse track, "The Spirit's In It", in 1981 on Philadelphia International Records as part of the same named LP. Philadelphia International also released an extended version of the track as a reasonably elusive white label promo 12". The backing band delivers an epic performance with guitars, sax and a horn section that further lifts her vocals.
From start to finish this track is full force.

mp3: Patti LaBelle - The Spirit's In It

This is a really heavy italo boogie track that is a powerhouse of soul. The positively iconic horns and Chic like guitar make this a track a secret weapon. This tune is loaded with charm while having none of the cheesiness that is rampant in much of the italo tunes from this era. I am 90% sure the singer doesn't speak a word of English.

mp3: Ose' Jang - Shake Me (Extended Version)

Rather ironic due to their moniker, very little is known about Legacy. The band released two private label 12"s and the "Word Up" single on the more ubiquitous Brunswick label in 1982. "Word Up" is a tight Boogie track featuring killer synth-bass, an awesome staccato guitar line and driving cowbell. This heavily sampled cut is probably best known as the blueprint for "Peter Piper" by Run DMC. The track also probably has one of the best lyrical/vocal arrangements of the era. Just listen for the "Raawwwr" and "Say What??" lines. Classic!

Legacy- "Word Up"