Sure, a lot of this is available elsewhere. Sure, it's not as definitive a ZE compilation as we might want (but Mutant Disco probably covers that). But it certainly has some classics on it and if you don't own a copy of some of the tracks on here then this is as good a chance as any. Is it "No Wave"? Well, was No Wave ever about sounding a particular way or following a formula? Exactly.
The range of sonic mayhem -- from Teenage Jesus & The Jerks' anarchic cacophony to the purring Eurodisco of Lizzy Mercier Descloux -- of the Ze label represented the wide horizon of underground culture of the 70s and 80s. Yes, this compilation represents the dance floor element that was in full effect at Danceteria, the Pyramid Club and others of the era. But we allowed ourselves to express every emotion - from rage to ecstasy - in the music. Five stars.
This must be the easily listening version of NoWave... instead of shrill dissonances by teenage jesus, you get avarage discopop by was (should better not have been), Alan Vega at his rock'n roll worst, rhumba bumba happy papi and more disco pop, fiitjgly called casino music. AT this track i didnt even listen any further. Excuse me...what does the description have to do with this avarage pop sauce here?
Everybody knows Motown was great, but few realize what an incubator the entire City of Detroit was for soul music in its heyday. For each artist on Berry Gordy’s label there were several more just as good who went with another major, or with a smaller, local indie. Some made their names in r&b, vocal groups or gospel before evolving into soul; others started in soul but had their greatest impact in funk. But even… more »
At eMusic, we take pride in being the place you hear about artists first. Whether it's through our eMusic Selects program - which brought you the first releases by Best Coast, Crystal Stilts, Strand of Oaks and more - or our Breaking Artist features, our editorial team is always on the grind to bring you the best new artists first. Our eMerging Artists station is your chance to be first on the Next Big Thing. more »
The office folks at Righteous Babe Records put this playlist together for eMusic. It has some choice songs from the Righteous Babe catalog but also some friends, openers and influencers we either work with or just plain like to play. Hope you enjoy! more »
Whether your tastes skew toward classics by The Smiths and Wilco or current cutting edge tastemakers like Sleigh Bells and Neon Indian, you're sure to discover something you love on Indie Hits, Past & Present. more »
While the legendary voices of such jazz icons as Billie, Ella and Sarah still ring true, subsequent generations of female jazz vocalists have taken the music in new directions, especially in the '90s, ranging from Cassandra Wilson's new-standard caress to Diana Krall's classics with a twist. Taking their lead, young singers over the last decade have been swinging the vocal tradition onto a new plateau with a pop sensibility. In the mix are tunes by… more »
This mix is not for the faint of heart, so all you groovy geezers take it easy with this one, and let the Daptone crew guide you through a soulful journey of some of our favorite party starters, and late night movers.
Get ready, cause we're gonna swing folks. There's a Happening going down in Bushwick, and we here at Daptone Records would like to share it with you. You don't have to be hip, but… more »
Nirvana and Pearl Jam. This is who you'll hear about when the topic of Seattle's music scene is brought up in a historical context. It makes sense. Alternative music has always been the face of the Seattle scene. But before Kurt and Eddie, there was Ray and Quincy and Jimi. Seattle has soul, and the hip-hop community in the 206 is the living proof. They love their hometown and the music reflects that. "Townfolk Hip-Hop"… more »
Turn your subwoofer into an impact crater. The best new and classic Drum & Bass, Dubstep and Jungle with smatterings of IDM and downtempo. Leaning towards the dark end of the spectrum, the only hard rule is it must have massive amounts of low end. You will be guaranteed to drive your neighbors insane with Mortar Bass Bomb. more »
After Elvis went into the Army and before the British Invasion, the years 1958-63 were rock's forgotten years. But they were the years that shaped the musical tastes of baby boomers and of acts from the Beatles and Rolling Stones to Bruce Springsteen and the Ramones. Hear the dance sensations, the one-hit-wonders, the girl groups and doo-wop singers, surfers and rockabilly twangers, the birth of Motown, the evolution of R&B into soul and so much… more »
Despite some overlap, Strut’s ZE 30: ZE Records Story 1979-2009 complements the 2003 expanded reissue of Mutant Disco — a two-disc comp released by the then-revitalized ZE label, presumably out of circulation at the time of this set’s release. Strut didn’t come up with a definitive look at one of the maverick labels of the late ’70s early ’80s. Instead, it chose to go rather deep while throwing in a few of the singles that received a great deal of rotation in underground clubs (such as Was [Not Was]‘ “Tell Me That I’m Dreaming,” oddball disco-funk at its baddest, unless you count the same band’s “Wheel Me Out”). Only the most knowledgeable DJs and disco fanatics have known about some of the inclusions, like Sympho-State’s brisk and elegant “You Know What I Like,” the B-side of a one-off arranged by Carlos Franzetti (a Fania and Kid Creole associate) that features Leroy Burgess (Black Ivory, Logg) and Christine Wiltshire (Aural Exciters, Musique). A couple cuts — the long version of Suicide’s “Dream Baby Dream” and the Larry Levan remix of Kid Creole & the Coconuts’ “Something Wrong in Paradise” — appeared just a few years prior on ZE’s Mutant Disco, Vol. 3: Garage Sale. Late ZE signing Michael Dracula, from Glasgow, justify their presence with a dread-filled fun-time collision of ZE vets Lydia Lunch, Cristina, and the Waitresses. – Andy Kellman