“XPRESS Edits Vol. 8” Hits the Virtual Shelves of The Disco Express’ Bandcamp
The East London label releases a new four track EP of house edits of hidden disco gems, downloadable for free
‘XPRESS' Edits Vol. 8’ Cover
“If your life is one big mess
pack your clothes - and your dancing shoes
and get on, get on, get on, get on, get on
the train to happiness”
While I can only suppose that East London nu-disco label and party crew The Disco Express took its name from this 1980 gem, I also think that the verse quoted above wouldn’t be out of place in a hypothetical manifesto of theirs. Starting out in 2017 with a series of groovy loft parties, they have since expanded their activities creating their own label in september 2020. Over the past eighteen months they have surely delivered, publishing an uncommonly long slew of 24 releases between EPs and VAs. And they continue to deliver with their latest entry in the XPRESS Edits series, volume number 8.
The coolest thing about this series is that for each entry they select 4 underground disco classics for their collaborators to make an edit of, and transform them into groovy house tracks guaranteed to fill the dance floor. The second coolest thing about this series is that each one of these Bandcamp exclusive releases can be downloaded for free. So let’s not waste any more time: listen to what the guys at The Disco Express have cooked up for us this time.
After a short bit of delightfully confusing studio chatter that sounds like it’s coming from another space-time continuum, Charles Vaughan’s four on the floor beat transports us into the horn-driven joyfulness of “He’s Looking Good” by Sound Experience. This one’s my personal favourite among the four. Be prepared for the trippy, laconic, shy-at-first guitar solo at the end!
Ben Jamin takes care of Ozone’s “Keep On Dancing” and its thumping bassline. I especially enjoyed that he put up-front the guitar part and that characteristic sliding roar: I loved grooving back to it every four bars.
Over to the virtual flip side, Ken@Work gives us a version of “The Groove” by Rodney Franklin with a strong handclap and emphasis on the stylish groove and jazzy feeling; and it’s Patrice Rushen’s “Feel So Real” that closes the EP in a sped-up interpretation by Holmes Price. The ‘80s vibe is powerful in this one, with metallic slap bass and bouncy, yet smooth drum machines driving the track. The jangling guitar lick keeps it in check while the spacey synth accents give some room for the vocals to shine through the highly energetic rhythms. A masterpiece.
Charles Vaughan, author of the edit for “He’s Looking Good” by Sound Experience
Be sure to check out the previous XPRESS Edits entries, where you’ll find more nu-disco bonanza, including reworks of The O’Jays, Zé Roberto, Eddie Kendricks and of course Plastic Surprise’s “Disco Express”. You can download all of them for free here.
Words by Alessandro Cebrian Cobos
