Postcard 13: 15/04/2024.
Your instructions according to this week's postcard: get your boogie on.
It’s an exciting week, folks! Today marks your first postcard put together thanks to a reader suggestion – my pal Sam wrote in the following request:
”I've been trying to hunt down some nice, slightly niche disco tunes (beyond the usual Chic, Sister Sledge etc), so if you have any to recommend that would be wicked.”
Well, my friend, ask and yee shall receive. This week I’ve put together a mix of slightly offbeat disco/funk/generally groovy beats for you all. I can confirm that these are all Chris Dean Certified™ bangers that have been tried and tested on very drunk individuals when I’ve commandeered the aux at some ungodly time in the morning. So, let’s get those disco boots on and get dancing (are disco boots a thing? They should be a thing).
I can’t remember where I first heard ‘Skyyzoo’ by Skyy, but this is a song that is now deeply engrained in my brain. It’s impossible not to love how ridiculous this song is; I mean, its centred around a riff played on a fucking kazoo (sorry, my bad. A skyzoo). I think it genuinely hits every single cliché for the genre within its 5-minute runtime in the most glorious way possible. And those backing vocals! Hearing the overly aggressive “Watcha gunna DOOO” immediately puts a smile on my face, especially when it’s performed by my pal Nouge. You know it’s a good track when it’s become a meme amongst friends. But aside from all that, it’s just a fun and an impossibly catchy track that is an undeniable earworm. Once you’ve heard it, I can guarantee it won’t leave your head either (apologies in advance).
‘Ain’t No Stopping Us Now’ by Risco Connection is a little more on the sentimental side but no less fantastic. In a cover of the track by McFadden and Whitehead, “Drummie” Joe Isaacs bought his background of reggae and ska music to create a crossover between straight up disco and the Jamaican rocksteady sound. The result is superb. The laidback yet undeniable groove of reggae influence gives a space to the track which allows those big moments to shine all the more clearly. When the main strings section bursts in about halfway through the track, it’s pure arms-in-the-air euphoria. I also just can’t get enough of that main bass lick, no matter how many times I hear it.
But we’ve saved the best until last. The final track on this week’s postcard by Meca is a real doozy. I first encountered it in the wild many moons ago, at a venue in East London after a long day attending Visions festival. A pal Henry and I had just seen Andy Stott perform, and were enjoying the transition from a very intense (but very good) show to a more fun dancy atmosphere. Out of the blue, I heard the first few notes of this track and absolutely lost my mind. What followed was one of the greatest clubbing experiences of my life. I won’t say any more; if you can, just listen to the playlist through and then you can stumble upon this beauty just like I did. But prepare yourselves for a track which is genuinely out of this world.
Here’s the Tidal link for all you dancy folks. Now go and get grooving! That’s an order.
Postcard 13: 15/04/2024.
Y. Gershovsky - Disco Baby (Floating Points & Red Greg edit)
Marta Acuna - Dance Dance Dance (Disco Version)
Skyy - Skyyzoo
Mary Clark - Take Me I’m Yours
Don Blackman - Just Can’t Stay Away
Lord Echo & Mara TK - Just Do You
The Edge of Daybreak - I Wanna Dance With You
Dinosaur - Kiss Me Again (Mix Edit)
Risco Connection - Ain’t No Stopping Us Now
Meco - Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band
YESSSSSS. Thanks man! Whilst we're here, I refer you to Zambian psychedelic tune Movin' On by WITCH to get your disco hips rotating