Tracks of Note: 3/14/2025

Transgressive, Mainliner, disco

Artwork by Rusted Winds

Bombardement - "Désordre"

Remember that one Blues Traveler video with John Popper playing covertly behind a curtain while a label-approved group of good-looking pretenders thrash about on stage? Probably not because Blues Traveler sucks and that was 31 years ago. (I had to look this up because I'm a journalist: It was for "Run-Around." While we're here, didn't John Popper tell Behind the Music that he almost had a heart attack while wanking it? Can someone confirm?) Anyway, I bring that video's premise up because Dans La Fournaise, Bombardement's newest full-length, is like Wolfpack was hired to secretly provide the tunes for a hologram-reanimated Motörhead. Rips. Perhaps not as immediate as the stellar Le Futur Est Là, but it feels like there's more stick-to-your-ribs material here, something warranting smashing the repeat button during a long-ass road trip.

TDK / ТДК - "Zhiveya v kanalizatsiyata"

Simultaneously nervier and more immediate than "Bulgaria's dissapointment [sic]"'s breakout, 2023's Nemesta. Still, it's equally aurally expansive and experimental, taking its noise rock base and driving it straight into the heart of the art rock sun. Just, you know, way less stuffy than you’d expect; RIO in spirit, even. One of the best bands in noise rock. Should be far more acclaimed. At least we did our job, right?

Transgressive - "Remember Us to Death"

The debut of vocalist Bethany "BEEF" Pitts on "Bury Me in Rainbow Flags" promised a heavier direction for the thrashers, but I'm not sure I was expecting something so progressive on the long-promised nearly nine-minute "Remember Us to Death." The Artillery influence is still there, especially in the twin guitar attack of Alicia Cordisco and Joshua Payne, not to mention Leona Hayward's plucking-a-power-line bass tone, but this pushes the band toward something more complex and knottier.

Mainliner - "Black Sky"

Say goodbye to your hifi. Lol. Guys. What a speaker wrecker. Taigen Kawabe's bass is so blown out, swallowing everything around it, that Mellow Out's "Black Sky" just becomes a harsh noise wall. The only thing that rises from the din is Kawabe's ghostly vocals. Oh, occasionally, you can hear Shimura Koji hitting a cymbal and shredder Kawabata Makoto shredding away as always. But those are like long-lost memories between the WUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMs.

ADAPAR [Álvaro Domene & Álvaro Pérez] - "LI5M4NĪÆ"

Whoa. You know how I feel about Álvaro Domene and Álvaro Pérez, but this might be my favorite release from the pair, a beguiling feast of outre timbres that, while alien, also feels so...human? Anyway, I could go on and on, stuffing this blurb with sounds-like-thises and sounds-like-thats, but kind of curious: What does this sound like to you?

Hate Inclination - "Ran Through at the Tavern"

Can't believe it has been almost four years since the last Hate Inclination release. Bad news: No Nikhil Talwalkar, though his snare samples are present. Good news: The base here is something like Defeated Sanity if it had seasickness, taking the delirium tremens of Hate Inclination's early work and using it to shake these slams until they go askew. Also, have to mention this line in the liner notes: "Maritime Depredation is finally here to shiver your timbers and plunder your booty." Ah. Yes. Of course. What is it that everybody has and some pirates and thieves try to take?

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Top 25 Favorite Disco Songs

By popular demand, and by popular I mostly mean JT Extreme, here are some love-to-see-you-dancin' favorites that will get me to boogie…and crush my metal cred. For eye-bleed reasons, I'm going to go short on the blurbs. Also, writing long-ass descriptions of disco songs misses the entire point of disco. Onward.

25. Phyllis Hyman - "You Know How To Love Me"

Oogh, that vocal is immaculate. Hyman's story is a bummer, so don’t read that and just remember her for this feel-good thumper.

24. Minako Yoshida - "Town"

Had to get some Japanese heroes in here, so it was either this or Yukihiro Takahashi's "Elastic Dummy." While it’s probably better categorized as city pop, Yoshida’s “Town” has some undeniable disco drums driving it.

23. Telex - “Moskow Diskow (Original Mix)”

Every time I’m out at a mutant disco night, this song goes off. Anyway, it’s probably heresy that I’m reaching for this over Italo disco, but I think that stuff is closer in spirit to something like the post-disco of D-train and Class Action. I’m no expert; that’s just my gut feel. Like, would you call Clio’s “Faces” disco? Rules…but no, right?

22. The Salsoul Orchestra - "Nice 'N' Naasty (Original Walter Gibbons 12" Mix)"

With that repeated drum loop, the Walter Gibbons version of this all-timer seems even grimier. The music bed for a thousand gay club commercials. I’m also not much of a vintage t-shirt guy, but I’d definitely wear a “Dance Your Ass Off to Salsoul Records” shirt.

21. Eko - "Kilimandjaro My Home"

What an absolute banger. Feels like it starts at a high and keeps driving toward a crescendo that never resolves. Anyway, Eko, fascinating individual. From Africa Seven's reissue of Funky Disco Music:

Eko Roosevelt Louis has had a music career spanning over forty years, born the grandson of a Kribi tribal chief, his musical persuasion beginning humbly with his village's local church before his formal education at the Senegal conservatoire and Paris' Ecole Normale de Musique. Eko then cut his teeth making jazz funk and disco records in the mid-seventies before extensive touring in and around France. In the 90's Eko returned to Cameroon to take over his grandfather's tribal chieftaincy, a role he still holds today. Eko also works with the Cameroun artistic societies and schools performing, teaching and even leading Cameroon's national orchestra.

20. Far Out Monster Disco Orchestra - "Step Into My Life (M&M Mix)"

The first of some newer tracks. The M&M, which is often seen as M+M, is disco mix god John Morales and Sergio Munzibai. Munzibai died in 1991, but M&M lives on. Anyway, you’ll see their call sign pop up a few times over the course of this list. So, the song: It additionally features an arrangement from Arthur Verocai, which is ridiculous, “Step into My Life”’s real draw is the vocal that hits a perfect note of hard-to-get sexiness.

19. The Jones Girls - "Nights Over Egypt (Tom Moulton Mix)"

Technically Philly soul, but come on. One of the best basslines of all-time. Plus, our first from the true edit king, Tom Moulton, who can read more about here. Anyway, since we’re talking Philly soul, know that a metric crapton of choices could’ve slotted in here, like Bunny Sigler's euphoric “Let Me Party With You,” but I feel like “Nights Over Egypt”’s cool vibe is unmatched. Also, an early antecedent to the Chicago house heartbeat beat.

18. Patrick Hernandez - "Born To Be Alive (Extended)"

It was either this or Sylvester’s similar “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real).” I prefer this one because it hits a near hi-NRG fever pitch.

17. Christopher Cross - "Ride Like The Wind (Joey Negro Extended Disco Mix)"

Speaks for itself. An epic track made epicer. The only sin is that the guitar solo isn’t there.

16. First Choice - "Armed And Extremely Dangerous (Tom Moulton Remix)"

“Calling all cars, calling all cars, be on the lookout for this absolute brain-destroying earworm.”

15. Deodato - "Whistle Bump (Disco Mix)"

A little perkier than the album version, which makes it an instant dance floor filler.

14. China Burton - "You Don't Care (About Our Love) (12" Version)"

One of those songs I keep expecting to be rediscovered. Shout out to the crate diggers in Beat Electric, who were responsible for a lot of my playlists in the late ‘00s.

13. Dan Hartman ft. Loleatta Holloway - "Vertigo/Relight My Fire"

Just massive. This is disco.

12. Bettye Swann - "When The Game Is Played On You (Tom Moulton Mix)"

Wrote about this one a couple years back. You can read that here.

11. Instant Funk - "Crying (M+M Mix)"

This is also disco. The horny heartbreak of this song encapsulates everything great about the genre.

10. Donna Summer - "MacArthur Park Suite"

You will win over every crowd if you play this in full. Controversial: Summer's best track? I tried to keep this list to one song per artist, so that’s why “MacArthur Park” is muscling out some equally deserving landmarks.

9. Late Nite Tuff Guy - "Do I Believe In God (LNTG Muscle Mix)"

Briefly wrote about this for the birthday bash. If you nudge the BPMs up, it goes even harder.

8. Change - "Searching (12" Version)"

Alright, here is your Italo disco. Luther Vandross crushes the vocal, but try getting that hovercraft bassline out of your melon.

7. Loose Joints - "Tell You (Today) (Original 12" Vocal)"

Ah, the wonderfully askew world of Arthur Russell. Up there with Tom Tom Club for songs that crush every indie-ish party I’ve been to.

6. Marc Evans - "The Way You Love Me (Tom Moulton Philly Re-Grooved Remix)"

Soft as velvet, smooth as silk.

5. Barry White - "Let The Music Play (M+M Mix)"

The party starter. Listen to the snare tone! UGH.

4. Inner Life - "Ain't No Mountain High Enough (Larry Levan' The Garage Version)"

The one to play when everyone is peaking. Runs so, so hot.

3. Double Exposure - "Ten Percent (Walter Gibbons Disco Mix)"

The first disco song I fell in love with. Those skyward strings are perfection.

2. Harold Melvin & The Blues Notes - "Bad Luck"

Teddy Pendergrass sells this so well, turning a decent bumper into an all-time anthem.

1. Brainstorm - "Lovin' Is Really My Game (12" Version)"

Yep. As good as it gets.

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