One of our favorite albums ever from Grace Jones – a record that has her shedding some of the disco excesses of earlier years, and moving into a great blend of sounds that really showcases the energy of the New York scene from which she sprang! The album was recorded in Nassau, with help from Sly Dunbar on drums, Robbie Shakespeare on bass, and Wally Badarou on keyboards – and most tunes have an edgier feel that makes Jones sound even darker than before. There's loads of great disco-not-disco moments – from the straight funk of "Pull Up To The Bumper" to the insane post-punk grooving of "Demolition Man" – to other tracks that include "I've Seen That Face Before (Libertango)", "Art Groupie", "Walking In The Rain", "Nightclubbing", and "Use Me". CD

A really funked-up batch of dancefloor tunes – produced with a uniquely cross-cultural approach! Ze Records diva Lizzy Mercier Descloux works here with influential post-disco, post-punk producer Steve Stanely – on a set of tunes cut in Nassau, with some great backing by a combo that includes Wally Badarou on keyboards. The resulting groove takes the skittish pan-club sound of the early 80s Ze Records scene, and infuses it with the hippest take on Jamaican rhythms of the time – resulting in a groundbreaking batch of tunes that were years ahead of their time! Titles include "Room Mate", "Sports Spootnicks", "Payola", "Funky Stuff", "Slipped Disc", "Lady O K'Pete", and "Bim Bam Boum". CD features bonus tracks "Maita", "Mister Soweto", "Sun Is Shining", "Don't You Try To Stop Me", and "Corpo Molli Pau Duro". CD

David Byrne brings his love of funk and soul to the forefront – tightening things up a bit from before, but still staying strongly in a classic Talking Heads groove! The record's possibly the last of the group's initial classic run, and has a surprisingly soulful feel at times – a hybrid of early 80s funk and club modes, played by guests who include Wally Badarou on synth, Bernie Worrell on keyboards, and Steve Scales and David Van Tieghem on percussion. Nona Hendryx sings a bit of backing vocals too – and Byrne really steps up to the grooves without ever going too far over the top. Titles include "Burning Down The House", "Making Flippy Floppy", "Girlfriend Is Better", "Slippery People", "I Get Wild/Wild Gravity", "Swamp", "Moon Rocks", "Pull Up The Roots", and "This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)". CD

An overlooked gem from the 80s years of Fela Kuti – and a set that has the Afro Funk genius working with strong studio help from Wally Badarou! The vibe's still as fierce and frenetic as Fela's classic material – each track takes up a full side of the record, with lots of hard rhythms, long instrumental solos, and righteous lyrics – but Badarou has a way of fleshing out the sound without making things sound clunky or commercial – using the some of the subtle elements of his own records, in ways that really bring out the darkness in the tunes! These effects are subtle, but powerful – and maybe work better with Fela than any other producer in the 80s. Titles include "Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense" and "Look & Laugh". CD

One of Grace Jones' best albums – recorded at a point when she was really beginning to stretch the boundaries of club music, crossing over with the early 80s post-punk/post-disco crowd through a melange of sounds that was all her own. The oveblown diva mode of her disco years is gone by this point – and in its place is a wonderfully stripped down sound that bubbles with influences from reggae, post-punk, and elsewhere! The set was recorded in Nassau, with rhythm from Sly, Robbie, and Wally Badarou – and titles include a fair bit of original numbers penned with Barry Reynolds. Tracks include "Nipple To The Bottle", "My Jamaican Guy", "The Apple Stretching", "Cry Now, Laugh Later", and "Inspiration". CD

A crossover classic from Level 42 – a set that catapulted the soulful British group into international stardom! The tunes are catchy, filled with electro bits, and produced with some great bubbling touches from Wally Badarou – whose hand in the studio really keeps things from ever getting too cheesy, despite the commercial fame of the set. There's a balance here that's hard to describe, but it's one that's allowed the record to hold up well over the years – almost waiting to be rediscovered by a younger generation who'd appreciate whole other aspects in the music. Titles include "World Machine", "Physical Presence", "It's Not The Same For Us", "Lying Still", "Coup D'Etat", "Dream Crazy", and "Good Man In A Storm". CD