D02

As with most "scenes" -- especially those tight and condensed enough -- certain labels, producers, and names pop up with surprising frequency.

In a lot of situations, this is a good thing. Listeners and distributors are generally smart enough to latch on to stuff that's at least decent, so whether you're in heavy metal or rap, if you're for some reason both sought after by consumers and producers alike, you're in a good place.

American Disco was a "big" label in the 1980s, releasing approximately thirty 12"s. I'll admit some ignorance here, though, because I'm not quite getting the appeal of American Disco. The label specialized, it seems, in discovering acts that fit nicely in between Y.M.O., Depeche Mode, and ... maybe Charlie or something a little classier and legendary.

While I sort of dig the below Scotch track, "Penguin's Invasion" (their biggest "hit"), there's something especially dated about it ... as though it could've appeared on the Hot Dog ... the Movie's soundtrack. I've nothing against that film -- who doesn't like swigging flasks of whiskey on the slopes and ogling hot babes? -- but it's pure novelty.

Join me for D03 soon. Hopefully that installment will feature some more intriguing finds. Not all disco was created equally. (As a bonus, I'm including Prins Thomas' worst song ever, "S.O.S.," here -- not all Prins was created equally. I think he made this in collaboration with Kenny G. for the Norwegian Elevator series.)

Scotch - Penguin's Invasion

Prins Thomas - S.O.S.