mix: Gino Soccio's Dance Exercise Music

"It's Alright"
Mort just stumbled upon this banging mix of retro-disco on Beat Electric, which is most the spot if you're into obscure disco and other crazy ass old-school dance ish. As may you be able to guess from his name, producer Gino Soccio, who is actually Canadian, could be described as Giorgio Moroder's "less robotic" brother. The A-side of Dance Exercise Music, which was actually released as a workout comp, features three of Soccio's biggest hits, including "Dancer", which could rage a sorority slumber party as hard as it would a K-fueled warehouse party in Bushwick. My only complaint about this mix is that its thirteen minutes go by way too quickly. Recommened for anyone with an urge to get busy on the dancefloor.

Gino Soccio- Dance Exercise Music

mix: Maurice Fulton - Futureboogie

"Straight From The Heart"

Maurice Fulton has been producing super-funky, futuristic retro disco from outer space since the mid 90s, and this mix he put together for the Futureboogie booking agency is one of the best we've heard in the genre, right up there with Morgan Geist's Unclassics and Murphy and Mahoney's masterpiece, Fabriclive.36. So if you are into of either of those two albums, then do yourself a favor and give Maurice a spin. Above all else, this mix is a lesson in pacing; it has a laid back yet energetic vibe throughout, and subtly uses tension and release to give it that extra boost. Of course, it also features some incredible, obscure disco cuts, but that kind of goes without saying. Download below.

Maurice Fulton - Futureboogie Mix

classick viddyo: Soul Train

"We wish you love, peace, and SOUL"

There are very few things in this world that we here at the Bobka appreciate more than a well-executed dance move. The physical manifestation of the rhythm divine is a thing of beauty in and of itself, to say nothing of the joy that an exuberant dance party spreads to those involved (and even to those who prefer to stay on the sidelines). This is why we've always held a special place in our hearts for Soul Train, the legendary dance show that taught white people all over America how to properly boogie down.

And now, in what is perhaps the greatest dance video ever assembled, we present you with a highly-abridged "Best Of The Soul Train Line" retrospective. For those who don't remember, The Soul Train Line is the segment of the show where dancers strut, spin, gyrate, bounce, kick, and/or slide their way through a gauntlet of fellow revelers. This segment gave birth to some of the flyest dance moves ever to hit the airwaves, and a lot of them are captured in this video. Our personal favorite is the dude at the 2:58 mark -- you just don't see that kind of creativity nowadays.

underrated: Marc Bolan & T. Rex

"Children of the Revolution"

Glam rock emerged in the UK in the early 1970s, at the tail end of the psychedelic movement's acid hangover. Marc Bolan, and his band T. Rex, helped set the tone for the glam era with their flamboyant and sexually ambiguous fashion sense combined with a narcotic and hard rocking sound, and overarching lyrical themes of hedonistic desire, which helped pave the way for the disco explosion later in the decade.

Marc Bolan was a rock star's Rock Star, living fast and partying harder. His genius was tragically cut short at 29 years, but his spirit lives on through his music. T. Rex was best known for their 1971 chart-topping hit "Get It On(Bang a Gong)" but their diverse catalog includes many memorable gems that still sound fresh and relevant more than 30 years later. Get acquainted with their style with the video above and streaming track below, and then join us in eagerly awaiting the release of the Metal Guru DVD, a definitive look back on Bolan's career which hits shelves on April 1.

classick viddyo: 1982 Detroit Dance Party

People Don't Dance No More

Instead of Souljaboy and his oh-so-lame choreographed dance moves, we need to be exposing our youth to real videos, like the one above. In this circa 1982 clip from the Detroit-based show The Scene, couples work their way through the dance gauntlet while strutting their funkiest moves to the classic beat "I'm Ready" by Kano. "I'm Ready" is one of my all-time favorite disco/funk cuts, and was heavily sampled by the middle shool dance anthem "Whoomp! There It Is" by Tag Team. But for some reason, I don't remember my middle school dances being nearly as funky as The Scene.

done did it again: James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem)

When it comes to obscure tech-y disco theres only one man for the job; James Murphy. The Murph, one of Jersey's finest, has made it safe for rock kids to twist and shake for years as a DJ and more recently with his ass-kicking LCD Soundsystem. Hell, he introduced Daft Punk to the rock kids. He did it at CBGB's. And everybody thought it was crazy. With that in mind it's no surprise that famed London nightclub Fabric asked the Head of DFA to dig into his massive crates for the 36th installment of their Fabriclive series. If you've been following Murphy and LCD Soundsystem you know that the guy loves four on the floor beats and a shit ton of cowbell, then you are well prepared for Murphy and partner Pat Mahoney's livemix for Fabric, which culls from obscure disco hits, synth funk and a couple new DFA joints (Still Going's "Still Going Theme" & LCD's terrifically titled "Hippie Priest Bum-Out"). As with his DFA work, this shits all about funky beats and oscillating rhythms. If you recognize anything on this mix consider yourself a disco-genius. If you're a fan of LCD's 45:33 or either of the DFA remix compilations (and I know you are), be sure to snag a copy of Fabric.Live 36 when it drops on October 10th. Peep two of my favorite tracks below.

nu musik: Escort

"21st Century Disco Revival"

Love it or hate it, Disco was a cultural force in the mid to late 1970s. Now over 28 years after the unofficial Death of Disco, the genre is steadily making a comeback, be it with the punkier edge of DFA Records, the spacey Scandanavian groove of Feedelity, and lately, the classic retro stylings of Brooklyn-based Escort.

Formed in 2005 by Dan Balis, Eugene Cho, and Darius Maghen, Escort strives to recreate the fun-loving and dance-friendly vibe of the disco era. They achieve their goal by enlisting a small disco army to help them record the tracks they have written, complete with numerous background vocals, harmonious horn sections, and punchy string arrangements. While the music definitely has a modern twist, it wisely maintains a strong vintage disco feel. Escort performs live whenever they can, or more accurately whenever they can find a stage big enough to accommodate up to 15 musicians. (Their next scheduled date is for August 25, 2007, when they will be performing at the P.S.1 Summer Warm Up concert series).

After releasing four 12" vinyl singles on their own label, the group is busy working on their debut LP. Check out the B side from their 3rd single, and also an incredible, nostalgia-inducing Muppet video for their latest track below.

Escort - All That She Is (from Escort 003)

(Fresh new video for "All Through The Night", from Escort 004)

nu musik: Chromeo

"Let her see that Fancy Footwork"

As violence continues to ravage the West Bank, two childhood friends have taken it upon themselves to prove that Arabs and Jews can in fact get along, and make killer synth-laden disco pop at the same time. Dave One and Pee Thug are better known as Chromeo, and they have recently released their second LP Fancy Footwork on VICE Records. Think of it as the funky soundtrack to the 'Roadmap to Peace'.

Chromeo's music may be decried as overly kitschy by some, but this is also where its appeal lies: cheesy synth-lines, borderline plastic beats, and shallow lyrics about girls, clubbing, and ego-boasting dominate the album, yet these elements are what makes the music fun and easily danceable. As their name suggests, Chromeo's music is meant to be taken at surface level only. There is no need to overthink what is going on here; instead, hit the dance floor and enjoy the shiny exterior.

Chromeo is currently wrapping up a tour in support of Fancy Footwork with Bobka favorites Flosstradamus sharing the bill. Check out a track and video from the LP below, and help Dave and Pee promote peace in the middle east.

Chromeo - Bonafied Lovin'

a video for the track 'Fancy Footwork':