[Musique du Monde] – ‘Le Monde du Funk ’85’ (1983-1985)

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Last year’s ‘Le Monde du Funk Vol. 9‘ explored funk, jazz/fusion, R&B, pop and art rock in the mid to late 70s that paralleled disco, all linked by an emphasis on rhythm and warm, fuzzy synthesizers.  ‘Le Monde du Funk ’85‘ follows the trajectory into the middle of the next decade, as analogue synths gave way to solid state synths, Farlight samplers, and 808 drum machines, weaving together strands of 80’s Funk, R&B, Boogie, Electro, Hip-hop and even a bit of Post-Punk/New Wave.  Where ‘Vol. 9’ lead into the sounds of the Daft Punk tribute, ‘The Gold and the Silver Dream,’ ‘’85‘ picks up where it leaves off, with perhaps an even more pronounced sci-fi/robots/the-future-is-now emphasis.  This is the famous French compilation label Musique du Monde, moving into the digital era!

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‘Le Monde du Funk ’85‘ spreads across two roughly themed compact discs: Disc 1 focusing on the up-tempo evening; and Disc 2 getting into the late night, down-tempo hours.  The tracks are more than most Musique du Monde compilations by Americans, but the UK is well represented, and Japan makes a convincingly funky appearance, too.  Artists Musicophilia has traced from the late 60s, like Herbie Hancock, David Bowie, and Hamilton Bohannon adapt remarkably well to this new 80s world, along with others previously featured, like Lime, Zapp, The Cure (as The Glove), Cybotron, and Depeche Mode.  But most here for the first time, including D-Train, Change, Mantronix, Toshiki Kadomatsu, Afrika Bambaataa, Krystol, Human Body, Shalamar, Newcleus, Unlimited Touch, 52nd Street, Tones on Tail, Run-D.M.C., Gwen Guthrie, Mtume, Loose Ends, Kashif, Patrice Rushen, Andre Cymone, This Mortal Coil and S.O.S. Band.

Spending the last few months listening especially to this music (and its immediate precursors from the early 80s, to be featured on a forthcoming mix) has really buoyed my spirits in this new dark era.  These musicians were celebrating the human spirit in their own dark days of Reagan, Thatcher, the Cold and hot war, AIDs, etc.  This isn’t “protest song,” by most definitions; but the joy and creativity they express are a source of much-needed strength that runs counter to the dead-souled hate and myopic fears that plague so many (including most in power) today.  I hope you’ll enjoy, and find yourself similarly uplifted.

At the “more…” link below you can stream the mix, check the full tracklist, and download the mix. As always, if you like what you hear, please pass it along and support the artists and labels who made all this fantastic noise.

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Various – ‘Le Monde du Funk ’85‘
1983-1985 | Musique du Monde

Disque Un

01  [00:00]  D-TRAIN – “Music” (Music, 1983)
02  [08:11]  CHANGE – “Got My Eyes On You” (Change of Heart, 1984)
03  [12:41]  MANTRONIX – “Fresh Is the Word” (“Fresh Is the Word” single, 1985)
04  [18:09]  Toshiki KADOMATSU – “Step Into the Light” (After 5 Clash, 1984)
05  [21:33]  CYBOTRON – “Cosmic Cars” (Enter, 1983)
06  [25:59]  David BOWIE – “Shake It” (Let’s Dance, 1983)
07  [29:41]  Herbie HANCOCK – “Rough” (Future Shock, 1983)
08  [36:23]  Afrika BAMBAATAA – “Looking For the Perfect Beat” (“Looking For the Perfect Beat” single, 1983)
09  [43:19]  LIME – “Extrasensory Perception” (Sensual Sensation, 1984)
10  [48:09]  KRYSTOL – “Information)” (Gettin’ Ready, 1984)
11  [52:26]  Human BODY – “Desire” (Cosmic Round Up, 1985)
12  [57:36]  SHALAMAR – “You’re The One for Me” (The Look, 1984)
13  [63:28]  NEWCLEUS – “I’m Not A Robot” (Jam On Revenge, 1984)
14  [67:00]  Hamilton BOHANNON – “Let’s Start the Dance III” (The Bohannon Drive, 1983)

[Total Time: 1:14:00]

Disque Deux

01  [00:00]  Unlimited TOUCH – “Reach Out (Everlasting Lover)” (“Unlimited Touch” single, 1984)
02  [05:40]  52nd STREET- “Tell Me (How It Feels)” (Children of the Night, 1985)
03  [09:32]  The GLOVE – “Perfect Murder” (Blue Sunshine, 1983)
04  [13:31]  The Egyptian LOVER – “I Cry (Night After Night)” (On the Nile, 1984)
05  [18:22]  Tones on TAIL – “Shakes” (“Performance” single, 1984)
06  [22:01]  Run-D.M.C. – “Sucker M.C.’s (Krush-Groove 1)” (Run-D.M.C., 1984)
07  [25:07]  Gwen GUTHRIE – “Family Affair” (Portrait, 1983)
08  [29:39]  MTUME – “Juicy Fruit” (Juicy Fruit, 1983)
09  [35:25]  Depeche MODE – “Lie to Me” (Some Great Reward, 1984)
10  [40:20]  Loose ENDS – “Hangin’ On A String (Contemplating)” (So Where Are You?, 1985)
11  [46:13]  ZAPP – “Computer Love” (The New Zapp IV U, 1985)
12  [50:09]  KASHIF – “The Mood” (Kashif, 1984)
13  [54:13]  Patrice RUSHEN – “To Each His Own” (Now, 1984)
14  [58:16]  Andre CYMONE – “M.O.T.F.” (Survivin’ in the 80’s, 1983)
15  [62:32]  This Mortal COIL – “Song to the Siren”  (It’ll End in Tears, 1984)
16  [65:47]  S.O.S. BAND – “Just Be Good to Me”  (On the Rise, 1983)

[Total Time: 1:14:00]

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