Just about every year, Ben Liebrand issues another 4-disc compilation of original, full-length disco mixes from all over the dance spectrum. '70's classics, huge '80's hits, underground favorites, some electonica...there is always a mix of the familiar and the forgotten and the waiting-to-be-discovered rarity.
This edition happens to have one of my Top Five all-time disco favorites, "Born To Be Alive" by Patrick Hernandez. Driving guitars, booming handclaps, blaring horns. I think I know all the lyrics. Unless one in particular ISN'T "never needed all those things just to find my life slice slice." Other '70s gems include Rick James' "You and I", Peter Brown's "Crank it Up (Funk Town)", and First Choice's "Doctor Love". From the '80's come Aretha Franklin's first big hit on Arista, "Jump To It" as well as Chaka Khan's "I Feel For You" and Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel."
Lesser-known entries I particularly enjoyed were Gwen Guthrie's "Padlock", Joe Bataan's "Rap-O Clap-O" (trust me, it's better than the title indicates), Sparque's "Let's Go Dancin'", and "Everybody Here Must Party" by Direct Current. But there's not a bad song among the 41 here. Highly recommended and looking forward to more goodies on Volume 9.