Gwen McCrae - Keep The Fire Burning / Funky Sensation [Expansion]

7” versions of Gwen McCrae’s “Keep the Fire Burning” and “Funky Sensation”, two tracks synonymous with the soul, boogie, rare groove and modern disco scenes, are finally being reissued by Expansion Records. “Keep the Fire Burning” has been one of the most sought-after records of the last decade, perfectly bridging the gap between rare-groove and underground dance music. Furthermore, recent price hikes on online vinyl distribution websites indicate how the market for this record has grown exponentially, a testament to its newfound popularity among the global dance music diaspora.

“Funky Sensation”, on the other hand, possesses a timeless and universal groove, a song that has cemented itself as a favourite within the boogie scene, garnering followers such as Dam Funk and Nu Guinea. Moreover, “Funky Sensation” is a traditionally popular record amongst the soul scene in the UK, having been aired on London pirate radio stations throughout the 1980s. “Keep the Fire Burning” has been sampled by Star Slimlinger, Marcus Gauntlett and the Hustlers Convention, amongst others, and has seen heavy rotation on the underground circuit, owing to its popularity amongst certain US and European DJ’s such as Ron Trent, Marcellus Pittman, and Sam Shepherd.

“Funky Sensation” is well-affiliated with the hip-hop scene, having provided the musical bedrock for songs produced by Africa Bambaataa, Ghostface Killah, and LL Cool J, to name a few. Original copies of this 7’ single have sold for upwards of £100.