Dave Lee & Various Artists - Back To The Old School Part I [Z Records]

Format: 12" in printed sleeve.
CAT: ZEDD12412

In 1988, disco rap enthusiast and collector Dave Lee put together a compilation titled Back To The Old School, which brought together some of the best pieces of the genre, many of them previously unreleased in the UK. Fast forward to 2025 and Dave's label, Z Records, has managed to secure the rights to a carefully selected collection of old school tracks for a kind of continuation. The difference is that this time Lee himself has remixed and re-edited the tracks with today's dance floors in mind, while preserving their original flavor and integrity.

In this first installment of the series, we find TJ Swann's 1981 jam "Get Fly," reworked and brought into a low-tempo yacht rock funk territory, with a sparkling synth solo as a bonus, the perfect complement to TJ's smooth, New York flow. Next, on the A-side, Terry Lewis & Wild Flower arrive with a groovy mid-tempo boogie, a powerful funk bass, and a message that still resonates strongly today. The closing act is Mike T's "Do It Anyway You Wanna," an irresistible dose of jazz-tinged disco rap that goes straight for the jugular: a hyper-vitaminized slap bass sustains sharp saxophone and flute motifs, while Mike T's rich tones glide over them. Dave Lee once again delivers a true production masterclass here.