The Vinyl Dungeon recommends DISCO

01 CHIC - Le Freak (12”)

02 A TASTE OF HONEY - Boogie Oogie Oogie (7”)

03 DAVID NAUGHTON - Makin’ It (special disco version)

04 SOCCER - Ooh Ah Love

05 CARTE BLANCHE - Get Up, Get On Your Feet (12”) 

06 SLICK - Space Bass (12”)

07 THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA - Ooh I Love It (love break)

08 WINGS - Goodnight Tonught (long version)

 

01 CHIC - Le Freak (Atlantic/Warner/Rhino)

Released in 1978, "Le Freak" by CHIC is a disco classic inspired by a frustrating nightclub experience. With its iconic "Aah, freak out!" hook, infectious groove, and funky rhythm, it became one of the biggest dance hits of the disco era.

 

02 A TASTE OF HONEY - Boogie Oogie Oogie (Capitol Records)

"Boogie Oogie Oogie" (1978) by disco group A Taste of Honey is an iconic, upbeat dance anthem. Driven by a catchy bassline and infectious groove, the song urges listeners to get up and dance. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 and earned the band a Grammy Award.

 

03 DAVID NAUGHTON - Makin’ It (special disco version) (RSO)

David Naughton's "Makin' It" (1978) is an upbeat disco-pop hit. Naughton sings and stars in the short-lived ABC sitcom of the same name, playing a disco-loving young man chasing success. The catchy theme song peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100.

 

04 SOCCER - Ooh Ah Love (CBS)

"Ooh Ah Love" is a 1979 track by the disco-funk group Soccer, featured on their self-titled album. Produced by Tony Valor, it delivers an energetic, danceable rhythm powered by driving basslines, horn arrangements, and soulful vocals quintessential of late-1970s club music.

 

05 CARTE BLANCHE - Get Up, Get On Your Feet (Pye Records)

"Get Up, Get On Your Feet" (1979) by Carte Blanche is an energetic disco single written and produced by Steve Voice and Peter Yellowstone. Released via Pye Records, the upbeat dance track combines driving rhythms with lively lyrics urging listeners onto the dance floor.

 

06 SLICK - Space Bass (Fantasy)

Slick’s “Space Bass” (1979) is a cosmic disco-funk instrumental driven by a deep bass groove, synth textures, and a futuristic dance-floor feel. Released on Fantasy Records, the track became a UK disco hit, blending Philadelphia-style funk with spacey electronic elements.

 

07 THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA – Ooh, I Love It (love break) (Salsoul Records)

"Ooh, I Love It (Love Break)" is an iconic 1983 disco track by The Salsoul Orchestra, remixed by Shep Pettibone. Originally written by Vincent Montana Jr., its driving bassline and lush strings became heavily influential, famously sampled in hip-hop classics like "Paid in Full" and Madonna's "Vogue".

 

08 WINGS - Goodnight Tonight (long version) (Parlophone/MPL)

"Goodnight Tonight" is a 1979 non-album disco-rock single by Wings, written and produced by Paul McCartney. Driven by an infectious bassline, a four-on-the-floor dance beat, and a distinct flamenco guitar solo, the track became a top-five hit in both the US and UK.

 

The Vinyl Dungeon recommends 4AD

1. BAUHAUS - Dark Entries

2. MODERN ENGLISH - Life In The Gladhouse (12” mix)

3. PIXIES - Velouria 

4. LUSH - Undertow

5. IT HUGS BACK - Work Day

6. COLOURBOX - Baby I Love You So 

7. BELLY – Gepetto (remix)

8. DRY CLEANING - My Soul-Half Pint

9. COCTEAU TWINS - Heaven Or Las Vegas

10. PALE SAINTS - Sight Of You

1. BAUHAUS - Dark Entries (1980)

This is a pioneering gothic rock/post-punk single by Bauhaus, released early in their career on 4AD (under the Axis imprint). It's driven by Peter Murphy's dramatic, theatrical vocals, angular guitar riffs, and a propulsive bass line, creating a tense, shadowy atmosphere. The lyrics explore themes of narcissism, esoteric obsession, and dark introspection (with references sometimes linked to figures like Oscar Wilde). It's a raw, danceable yet eerie track that helped define the goth sound.

 

2. MODERN ENGLISH - Life In The Gladhouse (12” mix) (1982) 

From the album After the Snow, this extended 12" mix is a pounding, energetic post-punk/new wave track with driving rhythms and catchy hooks. The lyrics depict a chaotic yet vibrant social scene ("Life in the gladhouse is never dull... wrought with overgrown people, broken engagements"), blending humdrum everyday life with wild, twisted energy. It's a highlight of the band's indie success, known for its thrilling, danceable edge in the extended version.

 

3. PIXIES - Velouria (1990)

A standout from the Pixies' Bossanova, this track mixes surf-rock elements, loud-quiet dynamics, and a theremin for a dreamy yet driving feel. Black Francis wrote it as a surreal love song inspired by a woman connected to Rosicrucian folklore, the lost continent of Lemuria, and underground dwellers beneath Mount Shasta in California—evoking UFOs, mythical "velour"-like softness, and sci-fi romance. The title plays on "velour" fabric and lemur-like imagery.

 

4. LUSH - Undertow (1994)

From Lush's album Split, this shoegaze/dream pop song features hypnotic bass, swirling guitars, and the intertwined ethereal vocals of Miki Berenyi and Emma Anderson. It's built around a metaphor of trying to rescue someone (possibly a lover) from sinking into depression or misery, like being pulled under by ocean currents, while they withdraw. The track has a beautifully crafted, immersive groove with emotional depth.

 

5. IT HUGS BACK - Work Day (2008) 

A single from the band's 4AD-era debut Inside Your Guitar, this is jangly, lo-fi indie rock with sleepy, autumnal vocals contrasted against bright, excitable hooks and guitars that occasionally veer into power-ballad territory. It captures youthful escapism, lazy afternoons, and optimistic energy—like bunking off responsibilities for carefree adventures—with fuzzy, warm production.

 

6. COLOURBOX - Baby I Love You So (1986) 

Colourbox's dub-influenced, electronic take on the Augustus Pablo/Jacob Miller reggae classic (also associated with Dennis Brown). It features soulful, yearning vocals over a mesmerizing, original production with heavy bass and atmospheric layers. The lyrics express devoted, unwavering love ("Baby I love you so... night and day I'll pray"). It's a standout 12" single blending reggae roots with the band's sample-heavy, innovative style.

 

7. BELLY – Gepetto (remix) (1993) 

From Belly's debut Star (featuring Tanya Donelly, formerly of Throwing Muses/Breeders), this zippy, power-pop/alt-rock track uses the Pinocchio puppetmaster metaphor for a controlling or dominating relationship ("lying on top again just like Gepetto with his doll"). The remix version amps up the energy. It's catchy, electric, and darkly playful, with strong hooks and a sense of being trapped in someone else's creation.

 

8. DRY CLEANING - My Soul-Half Pint (2026) 

A track from the post-punk band's album Secret Love featuring Florence Shaw's deadpan, spoken-word-style vocals over minimalist, weaving instrumentation. The lyrics humorously yet pointedly address domestic resentment ("I like to sort... colour coding... But I don’t like to clean, I find cleaning demeaning"), touching on feminism, gender expectations, and personal immaturity in household roles. It's introspective and relatable with a wry edge.

 

9. COCTEAU TWINS - Heaven Or Las Vegas (1990) 

The title track from the band's landmark dream pop album, showcasing Elizabeth Fraser's majestic, glossolalic (made-up language) soprano vocals as an instrument amid warm, echoey guitars and rich production. Lyrics are abstract and hard to parse but evoke romantic confusion, choices between purity/heaven and hedonism/sin (Las Vegas as vice and glamour), or emotional gambles. It's ethereal, emotionally charged, and a pinnacle of their sound.

 

10. PALE SAINTS - Sight Of You (1990)

A signature shoegaze/dreampop track from Pale Saints' debut EP The Comforts of Madness. It features fuzzy, atmospheric guitars, a prominent bass line, and Ian Masters' vocals in a song of heartbreak and jealousy after a breakup—the narrator resents seeing their ex with someone new and harbors dark wishes. It's fuzzy yet clear in its emotional punch, with a build that feels both raucous and controlled; often cited as a highlight of the era.