Dave Simpson 

Various, Hustle! Reggae Disco

Soul Jazz
  
  


Even seen through rose-tinted glasses, the 1980s were a desolate musical place. Bored with Thatcherite rock in Miami Vice tailoring, some intrepid London promoters had the nifty idea of packing out London clubs with reggae versions of disco hits.

Hustle! lovingly traces this secret clubland phenomenon. Forgotten UK/JA acts Carol Cool and Derrick Laro explore the delights of Miss Ross's Upside Down and Jacko's Don't Stop Till You Get Enough respectively, if not always respectfully.

Latisha totally reinvents Chaka Khan's sublime I'm Every Woman as a hazy, lovers' rocker, while Xanadu and Sweet Lady's Rappers Delight goes off on a barmy tangent about the virtues of buttered toast.

It is perfect summer listening, but throws up an appalling dancefloor dilemma: how to dance to Saturday Night Fever when the beat is a skank?

 

Leave a Comment

Required fields are marked *

*

*